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wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “webcam”

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 “webcam”, we and wp.org disagree on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 13 of the top 20. 4 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

Webcam Microphone Screen Recorder – Media Capture shows at wp.org #3 but places #13 on merit, a gap of 10 places. Its 30+ installs carry it up the search order; its 3.0★ average from 2 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

Buried gem

Easy Form Builder by WhiteStudio – Drag & Drop Form Builder places #4 on merit, 5.0★ from 70 reviews, but shows at wp.org #11. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin wp.org
1 Iptanus File Upload 10K+ · 4.4★ (117) wp.org #4 ↑1 3 too low 2 Webcam Viewer free 90+ · 4.7★ (7) wp.org #1 1 too high 3 WpStream – Live Streaming, Video on Demand, Pay Per View 3K+ · 4.8★ (78) wp.org #7 ↓1 4 too low 4 Easy Form Builder by WhiteStudio – Drag & Drop Form Builder 1K+ · 5.0★ (70) wp.org #11 7 too low 5 Advanced User Avatar | Custom Profile Picture Uploader for WordPress, WooCommerce, and BuddyPress 300+ · 5.0★ (6) wp.org #6 ↑3 1 too low 6 SysBasics Customize My Account for WooCommerce – Live My Account Customizer 7K+ · 4.2★ (33) wp.org #8 ↓1 2 too low 7 SpecFit | Try & Shop – AI Virtual Try-On for WooCommerce 50+ · 4.6★ (18) wp.org #13 6 too low 8 Webcam/Screen/Mic Recorder for Video Comments and Forms 50+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #2 6 too high 9 2Way VideoCalls and Random Chat – HTML5 Webcam Videochat 10+ · 5.0★ (3) wp.org #5 ↓1 4 too high 10 Rencontre – Dating Site 200+ · 3.8★ (49) wp.org #12 2 too low 11 Paid Videochat Turnkey Site – HTML5 PPV Live Webcams 10+ · 4.2★ (22) wp.org #10 ↓2 1 too high 12 Broadcast Live Video – Live Streaming : WebRTC, HLS, RTSP, RTMP 400+ · 2.7★ (14) wp.org #9 ↑1 3 too high 13 Webcam Microphone Screen Recorder – Media Capture 30+ · 3.0★ (2) wp.org #3 10 too high 14 W web-cam 40+ · 5.0★ (3) wp.org #17 ↑2 3 too low 15 Cliptakes 40+ · 5.0★ (4) wp.org #18 ↓1 3 too low 16 Capsquery Facial Authentication 10+ · 5.0★ (3) wp.org #22 6 too low 17 HTML5 Chat 100+ · 3.1★ (8) wp.org #16 ↓1 1 too high 18 Video Share VOD – Turnkey Video Site Builder Script 60+ · 2.3★ (12) wp.org #15 ↑1 3 too high 19 Webcam Gallery 10+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #14 5 too high 20 CTC Social Sharing 200+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #21 ↓1 1 too low 21 Screen Sharing System 10+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #19 ↓1 2 too high 22 WS40 – Live Weather 10+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #23 1 too low 23 Plug-N-Meet web conference integration 100+ · 3.5★ (2) wp.org #20 ↑1 3 too high 24 W Web cam Addon for Contact Form 7 50+ · 1.0★ (1) wp.org #24

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.