wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “web map”
wp.org orders by popularity, so a plugin a host bundled onto millions of sites, or a big-brand one that's slow and mediocre, can sit at the top. Our ranking is built to answer a different question: which of these is actually worth installing. How this works →
For “web map”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 12 of the top 20. 2 plugins are pushed down for signals wp.org ignores: errors, a host-installed base, or removal risk.
wp.org search ranks on
Install count (uncapped), the raw star average, freshness, and support. Popularity dominates, so the biggest install base usually wins regardless of how it got there.
We add
A cap on the install boost, volume-weighted ratings, and signals wp.org can't see: whether it throws errors on current PHP, whether the install base is organic or host-pushed, and its risk of being pulled.
Ranked above its merit
atec web-map-service shows at wp.org #13 but places #24 on merit, a gap of 11 places. Its 20+ installs carry it up the search order; its 5.0★ average from 3 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.
Buried gem
W3 Total Cache places #5 on merit, 4.4★ from 5420 reviews, but shows at wp.org #9. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.
Flexible Map 7K+ · 4.8★ (66)
wp.org #1 2 
Jetpack – AI Agents & MCP, Security, Backup & Analytics 3M+ · 3.7★ (2408)
wp.org #4 ↑5 2 too low 3 
Maps Widget for Google Maps 20K+ · 4.6★ (512)
wp.org #6 3 too low 4 
Web-Stat – Live Visitor Analytics 5K+ · 4.4★ (20) thin reviews
wp.org #2 2 too high 5 W3 Total Cache 900K+ · 4.4★ (5420)
wp.org #9 ↓1 4 too low 6 
LiteSpeed Cache 7M+ · 4.8★ (2778)
wp.org #10 4 too low 7 
Elementor Website Builder – more than just a page builder 10M+ · 4.5★ (7322) not PHP-currentheavy footprint
wp.org #8 ↓1 1 too low 8 
Web Directory plugin Free – AI powered 300+ · 4.1★ (20) thin reviews
wp.org #3 5 too high 9 
OneSignal – Web Push Notifications 60K+ · 4.3★ (360) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #7 ↓2 2 too high 10 
WP Data Access – App Builder for Tables, Forms, Dashboards, Charts & Maps 10K+ · 4.9★ (88)
wp.org #11 ↑1 1 too low 11 
CodePeople Post Map for Google Maps 3K+ · 4.2★ (31) not PHP-current
wp.org #5 ↓1 6 too high 12 
Essential Addons for Elementor – Popular Elementor Templates & Widgets 1M+ · 4.9★ (4132) not PHP-current
wp.org #16 4 too low 13 
Complianz GDPR/CCPA Cookie Consent Banner 1M+ · 4.7★ (1667)
wp.org #18 5 too low 14 
Product Feed PRO for WooCommerce by AdTribes – Product Feeds for WooCommerce 80K+ · 4.7★ (1071)
wp.org #23 ↓1 9 too low 15 
ElementsKit Elementor Addons – Advanced Widgets & Templates Addons for Elementor 1M+ · 4.9★ (2051)
wp.org #21 6 too low 16 
Spectra Legacy – Gutenberg Blocks 1M+ · 4.7★ (1872) heavy footprint
wp.org #17 1 too low 17 
The Events Calendar 600K+ · 4.2★ (2461)
wp.org #22 ↓2 5 too low 18 
Interactive Image Map Builder 1K+ · 5.0★ (17) thin reviews
wp.org #12 ↓1 6 too high 19 
MapSVG – Vector maps, Image maps, Google Maps 1K+ · 4.5★ (31)
wp.org #14 5 too high 20 
Simple Shortcode for Google Maps 3K+ · 4.6★ (46)
wp.org #20 ↓1 21 
exovia GDPR Google Maps 4K+ · 4.6★ (11) thin reviews
wp.org #15 6 too high 22 
Vision – Interactive Image Map with Hotspots Builder 2K+ · 4.9★ (9) thin reviews
wp.org #19 ↓1 3 too high 23 
Very Simple Google Maps 3K+ · 4.5★ (17) thin reviews
wp.org #24 1 too low 24 atec web-map-service 20+ · 5.0★ (3) thin reviews
wp.org #13 11 too high Merit ranking caps the install boost at 1M (wp.org leaves it uncapped), replaces the raw star average with a volume-weighted Bayesian score and a Wilson lower bound, and keeps wp.org's own freshness and compatibility decays. Method from the plugin-directory source; see Meta Trac #8298. Positions are tracked daily from the first visit to a keyword, so the small arrows show movement since tracking began.