wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “web maps”
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 maps”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 10 of the top 20.
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 the install base is organic or host-pushed, and its risk of being pulled.
Ranked above its merit
exovia GDPR Google Maps shows at wp.org #5 but places #14 on merit, a gap of 9 places. Its 4K+ installs carry it up the search order; its 4.6★ average from 11 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.
Buried gem
Essential Addons for Elementor – Popular Elementor Templates & Widgets places #12 on merit, 4.9★ from 4132 reviews, but shows at wp.org #19. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.
Maps Widget for Google Maps 20K+ · 4.6★ (512)
wp.org #1 2 
Jetpack – AI Agents & MCP, Security, Backup & Analytics 3M+ · 3.7★ (2408)
wp.org #4 ↑8 2 too low 3 
Web-Stat – Live Visitor Analytics 5K+ · 4.4★ (20) thin reviews
wp.org #2 1 too high 4 
LiteSpeed Cache 7M+ · 4.8★ (2778)
wp.org #7 ↑2 3 too low 5 
OneSignal – Web Push Notifications 60K+ · 4.3★ (360)
wp.org #9 ↓3 4 too low 6 
Web Directory plugin Free – AI powered 300+ · 4.1★ (20) thin reviews
wp.org #3 3 too high 7 
W3 Total Cache 900K+ · 4.4★ (5420)
wp.org #11 ↓1 4 too low 8 
Elementor Website Builder – more than just a page builder 10M+ · 4.5★ (7322)
wp.org #12 ↑1 4 too low 9 
MapSVG – Vector maps, Image maps, Google Maps 1K+ · 4.5★ (31)
wp.org #6 ↓1 3 too high 10 
Simple Shortcode for Google Maps 3K+ · 4.6★ (46)
wp.org #8 ↓1 2 too high 11 
WP Data Access – App Builder for Tables, Forms, Dashboards, Charts & Maps 10K+ · 4.9★ (88)
wp.org #13 ↑3 2 too low 12 Essential Addons for Elementor – Popular Elementor Templates & Widgets 1M+ · 4.9★ (4132)
wp.org #19 ↑1 7 too low 13 
Leaflet Maps Marker (Google Maps, OpenStreetMap, Bing Maps) 9K+ · 4.6★ (244)
wp.org #14 ↓3 1 too low 14 exovia GDPR Google Maps 4K+ · 4.6★ (11) thin reviews
wp.org #5 ↓1 9 too high 15 
Spectra Legacy – Gutenberg Blocks 1M+ · 4.7★ (1872)
wp.org #21 6 too low 16 
Complianz GDPR/CCPA Cookie Consent Banner 1M+ · 4.7★ (1667)
wp.org #22 6 too low 17 
Flexible Map 7K+ · 4.8★ (66)
wp.org #15 ↓1 2 too high 18 
Very Simple Google Maps 3K+ · 4.5★ (17) thin reviews
wp.org #10 ↓2 8 too high 19 
Basic Google Maps Placemarks 2K+ · 4.4★ (51)
wp.org #17 ↓2 2 too high 20 
CodePeople Post Map for Google Maps 3K+ · 4.2★ (31)
wp.org #18 ↓1 2 too high 21 
Snazzy Maps 30K+ · 4.2★ (15) thin reviews
wp.org #20 ↓2 1 too high 22 
Vision – Interactive Image Map with Hotspots Builder 2K+ · 4.9★ (9) thin reviews
wp.org #24 ↓1 2 too low 23 
atec web-map-service 20+ · 5.0★ (3) thin reviews
wp.org #23 ↓1 24 
MatrixMap – Google Maps, OpenStreetMap, Store Locator & World Maps 200+ · 5.0★ (1) thin reviews
wp.org #16 ↑3 8 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.