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

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 “webgl”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 10 of the top 20. 3 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

Panorama Block – immerse visitors in 360 degree views shows at wp.org #5 but places #15 on merit, a gap of 10 places. Its 700+ 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

Gutenslider — Slider Block for the Block Editor places #7 on merit, 4.0★ from 65 reviews, but shows at wp.org #13. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin wp.org
1 AnimateGL – WebGL & CSS Scroll Animations and Hover Effects for Gutenberg and Elementor 2K+ · 5.0★ (22) wp.org #1 ↑7 2 DearFlip – PDF Flipbook, 3D Flipbook, PDF embed, PDF viewer 200K+ · 4.9★ (194) wp.org #3 ↓2 1 too low 3 Real3D Flipbook – 3D Flipbook, PDF Flipbook, PDF Viewer, PDF Embedder 10K+ · 4.5★ (11) wp.org #2 ↑2 1 too high 4 AI-Powered Carousel, Slider, Video & Photo Gallery Blocks by WP Carousel 60K+ · 4.7★ (434) wp.org #8 4 too low 5 Elements Hive for Breakdance 1K+ · 5.0★ (19) wp.org #4 ↓2 1 too high 6 Document Embedder – let visitors read files without downloading 9K+ · 4.9★ (120) wp.org #10 4 too low 7 Gutenslider — Slider Block for the Block Editor 10K+ · 4.0★ (65) wp.org #13 6 too low 8 BotBlocker Security – Complete security platform 3K+ · 5.0★ (10) wp.org #7 1 too high 9 GutSlider – All in One Slider and Carousel Blocks for Gutenberg 6K+ · 4.9★ (14) wp.org #16 ↓1 7 too low 10 WPKoi Templates for Elementor 5K+ · 4.6★ (19) wp.org #19 ↓3 9 too low 11 Flipa PDF Flipbook – PDF Viewer and Page Flip Book 800+ · 5.0★ (4) wp.org #11 ↓1 12 Easy 3D Viewer 1K+ · 4.1★ (12) wp.org #12 ↓3 13 Verge3D Publishing and E-Commerce 400+ · 4.0★ (4) wp.org #9 ↓3 4 too high 14 TNC FlipBook 3D – PDF Flipbook, 3D Flipbook, PDF Viewer, PDF Embedder 400+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #6 ↓1 8 too high 15 Panorama Block – immerse visitors in 360 degree views 700+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #5 ↓2 10 too high 16 Interactive Globes – 3D World Maps 400+ · 5.0★ (4) wp.org #17 ↓6 1 too low 17 ThreeWP 200+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #18 ↓4 1 too low 18 Ultimate Cursor – Interactive and Animated Custom Cursor and Background Effects Toolkit 3K+ · 4.5★ (4) wp.org #20 2 too low 19 Animation Kit – Animated Backgrounds & WebGL Effects 30+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #14 ↓2 5 too high 20 ENOSI Embedder For Unity 50+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #22 ↓5 2 too low 21 Easy 3d Model Viewer 100+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #23 ↓5 2 too low 22 PDF Flipbook, WPBakery Addon – Unreal FlipBook 1K+ · 3.0★ (2) wp.org #15 ↓2 7 too high 23 PDF Rack – 3D Flipbook, PDF Viewer & Embed PDF 20+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #21 2 too high 24 Instinctor – Bookings, Store, Live Chat and SEO 10+ · 5.0★ (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.