wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “website showcase”

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 “website showcase”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 7 of the top 20. 6 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

Service Showcase shows at wp.org #6 but places #22 on merit, a gap of 16 places. Its 800+ 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

Logo Carousel – Responsive Logo Slider, Logo Showcase, and Clients Logo Gallery places #10 on merit, 4.7★ from 162 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 signals wp.org

Elementor Website Builder – more than just a page builder 10M+ · 4.5★ (7323) not PHP-currentheavy footprint wp.org #1 2

Testimonial – Testimonial Slider and Showcase Plugin 20K+ · 4.6★ (67) wp.org #2 3

Essential Addons for Elementor – Popular Elementor Templates & Widgets 1M+ · 4.9★ (4132) not PHP-current wp.org #3 4

Rich Showcase for Google Reviews 100K+ · 4.9★ (1623) wp.org #5 1 too low 5

Starter Templates: AI-Powered Website Templates for Elementor & Gutenberg 1M+ · 4.9★ (4755) wp.org #7 2 too low 6

MonsterInsights – Google Analytics Dashboard for WordPress (Website Stats Made Easy) 2M+ · 4.5★ (3157) throws errorsnot PHP-current wp.org #4 2 too high 7

ElementsKit Elementor Addons – Advanced Widgets & Templates Addons for Elementor 1M+ · 4.9★ (2051) wp.org #11 ↓1 4 too low 8

Team Members – Multi Language Supported Team Plugin 6K+ · 5.0★ (85) wp.org #8 9

Team – Team Members Showcase Plugin 10K+ · 4.5★ (67) wp.org #9 10

Logo Carousel – Responsive Logo Slider, Logo Showcase, and Clients Logo Gallery 20K+ · 4.7★ (162) wp.org #24 14 too low 11

Logo Showcase Ultimate – Logo Carousel, Logo Slider & Logo Grid 2K+ · 4.7★ (27) wp.org #13 2 too low 12

GS Books Showcase – Display Books in Grid, Slider & More | Library for WordPress 500+ · 4.8★ (42) wp.org #18 6 too low 13

Team Members Showcase 4K+ · 4.9★ (21) thin reviews wp.org #16 3 too low 14

Logo Showcase – Responsive Logo Carousel, Logo Slider & Logo Grid 5K+ · 4.6★ (10) thin reviews wp.org #12 2 too high 15

Showcase IDX Real Estate Search & Lead Capture 2K+ · 3.8★ (35) throws errorsnot PHP-current wp.org #14 1 too high 16

RS WP Book Showcase – A Complete Book Catalogue & Library System 1K+ · 3.9★ (25) wp.org #20 4 too low 17

Team Showcase – Responsive Team Members Grid, Slider & Carousel Plugin 2K+ · 3.4★ (24) throws errorsnot PHP-current thin reviews wp.org #10 ↑1 7 too high 18

Logo Showcase – Logo Slider, Carousel & Sponsors Gallery 900+ · 4.2★ (10) not PHP-current thin reviews wp.org #17 1 too high 19

Logo Showcase – Carousel, Slider, Grid & List for WordPress 400+ · 4.5★ (6) thin reviews wp.org #19 20

Products Showcase – Shopify Integration 100+ · 5.0★ (4) thin reviews wp.org #22 2 too low 21

Logo Showcase with Logo Carousel, Logo Slider & Logo Grid 200+ · 5.0★ (6) throws errorsnot PHP-current thin reviews wp.org #23 2 too low 22

Service Showcase 800+ · 5.0★ (1) thin reviews wp.org #6 16 too high 23

Team Builder Member Showcase 1K+ · 3.8★ (4) throws errorsnot PHP-current thin reviews wp.org #15 8 too high 24

Gallery Showcase for WordPress 100+ · 5.0★ (1) throws errorsnot PHP-current thin reviews wp.org #21 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.