wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “web syndication”
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 syndication”, we and wp.org disagree on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 15 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 the install base is organic or host-pushed, and its risk of being pulled.
Ranked above its merit
RESTful Content Syndication shows at wp.org #1 but places #8 on merit, a gap of 7 places. Its 70+ installs carry it up the search order; its 5.0★ average from 1 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.
Buried gem
WP YouTube Lyte places #6 on merit, 4.8★ from 206 reviews, but shows at wp.org #20. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.
WP RSS Aggregator – RSS Import, Feed to Post, Autoblogging, AI Content 40K+ · 4.5★ (565)
wp.org #2 1 too low 2 F FeedWordPress 8K+ · 4.2★ (61)
wp.org #3 1 too low 3 
WPeMatico RSS Feed Fetcher 10K+ · 4.8★ (514)
wp.org #10 7 too low 4 
Houzez Property Feed 1K+ · 4.7★ (11) thin reviews
wp.org #4 5 
WordLift – AI powered SEO – Schema 300+ · 4.4★ (65)
wp.org #9 4 too low 6 WP YouTube Lyte 20K+ · 4.8★ (206)
wp.org #20 14 too low 7 
Share on Mastodon 1K+ · 4.8★ (10) thin reviews
wp.org #6 1 too high 8 RESTful Content Syndication 70+ · 5.0★ (1) thin reviews
wp.org #1 7 too high 9 
Gift Cards (Gift Vouchers and Packages) (WooCommerce Supported) 1K+ · 4.7★ (115)
wp.org #22 13 too low 10 
Micropub 200+ · 5.0★ (4) thin reviews
wp.org #5 5 too high 11 
IndieWeb 600+ · 5.0★ (6) thin reviews
wp.org #7 4 too high 12 
Mastodon Autopost 700+ · 4.2★ (21) closure risk thin reviews
wp.org #21 9 too low 13 H http-syndication 10+ · 5.0★ (2) closure risk thin reviews
wp.org #12 1 too high 14 
Post Forwarder 30+ · 5.0★ (1) thin reviews
wp.org #8 6 too high 15 A AgentMark 10+ · 0.0★ (0) thin reviews
wp.org #11 4 too high 16 
Post Kinds for IndieWeb in Block Themes 10+ · 0.0★ (0) thin reviews
wp.org #13 3 too high 17 
Online Buyer Survey by Bizrate Insights — · 0.0★ (0) thin reviews
wp.org #14 3 too high 18 
Soapbox for Blygger — · 0.0★ (0) thin reviews
wp.org #15 3 too high 19 
NPR Content Distribution Service 20+ · 0.0★ (0) thin reviews
wp.org #16 3 too high 20 
Plucky Works — · 0.0★ (0) thin reviews
wp.org #17 3 too high 21 
Swiffle Grid – Flip & Swipe Cards from Posts, CSV, Excel & RSS — · 0.0★ (0) thin reviews
wp.org #18 3 too high 22 
Vieww Property Listings – Real Estate for Agents & Property Managers — · 0.0★ (0) thin reviews
wp.org #23 1 too low 23 
Vertically scroll rss feed 200+ · 5.0★ (1) closure risk thin reviews
wp.org #19 4 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.