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wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “webp converter”

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 “webp converter”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 10 of the top 20. 1 plugin is 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

Soovex WebP Converter – Convert Images | Optimize & Compress | Unlimited Conversions shows at wp.org #8 but places #14 on merit, a gap of 6 places. Its 100+ 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

W3 Total Cache places #8 on merit, 4.4★ from 5420 reviews, but shows at wp.org #24. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin wp.org
1 Converter for Media – Optimize images | Convert WebP & AVIF 500K+ · 4.9★ (1099) wp.org #1 2 CompressX — AVIF & WebP Converter, Media Replacement 40K+ · 5.0★ (193) wp.org #2 3 WP Fastest Cache – WordPress Cache Plugin 1M+ · 4.9★ (4225) wp.org #6 ↓1 3 too low 4 WebP Express 300K+ · 4.4★ (161) wp.org #4 5 Cimo – Free Instant Image Optimizer & WebP Converter 10K+ · 4.9★ (16) wp.org #3 2 too high 6 Imagify Image Optimization: Optimize Images | Compress & Convert to WebP/AVIF 1M+ · 4.3★ (1655) wp.org #7 1 too low 7 ThumbPress – Compress Images, Manage Thumbnails, Detect Image Issues, WebP/AVIF, Lazy Loading, Hotlinking & More 20K+ · 3.6★ (110) wp.org #10 3 too low 8 W3 Total Cache 900K+ · 4.4★ (5420) wp.org #24 ↓5 16 too low 9 ShortPixel Adaptive Images – WebP, AVIF, CDN, Image Optimization 10K+ · 4.8★ (145) wp.org #16 7 too low 10 Image Converter for WebP 1K+ · 5.0★ (4) wp.org #5 ↑1 5 too high 11 UiChemy — Figma Converter for Elementor, Gutenberg and Bricks 8K+ · 5.0★ (15) wp.org #15 4 too low 12 Squeeze – Image Optimization & Compression, WEBP Conversion 3K+ · 5.0★ (6) wp.org #11 1 too high 13 Upload Converter for WebP 400+ · 5.0★ (4) wp.org #9 4 too high 14 Soovex WebP Converter – Convert Images | Optimize & Compress | Unlimited Conversions 100+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #8 6 too high 15 Skyspeed – Image Optimizer, WebP & AVIF Converter 40+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #17 2 too low 16 Webp Converter 200+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #12 4 too high 17 Image to WebP Converter 300+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #14 3 too high 18 Auto WebP Converter & Logger 100+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #20 2 too low 19 WebP Image Converter & Replacer – Convert to WebP, No Duplicates 100+ · 3.0★ (2) wp.org #13 6 too high 20 Stintlief WebP Converter 10+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #18 2 too high 21 M Media WebP Converter 20+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #19 ↑2 2 too high 22 Henkan – WebP & AVIF Converter 10+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #22 ↑1 23 D DZIEWA Media Converter — AVIF + WebP 10+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #23 ↑1 24 Select Pakistan Image Optimizer — WebP & AVIF Converter 40+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #21 ↑1 3 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.