wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “website speed”
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 speed”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 8 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
Speed Contact Bar shows at wp.org #11 but places #15 on merit, a gap of 4 places. Its 4K+ installs carry it up the search order; its 4.6★ average from 56 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.
Buried gem
Advanced Database Cleaner – Optimize & Clean Database to Speed Up Site Performance places #12 on merit, 4.9★ from 1962 reviews, but shows at wp.org #21. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.
Elementor Website Builder – more than just a page builder 10M+ · 4.5★ (7323) not PHP-currentheavy footprint
wp.org #1 ↑1 2 
Jetpack Boost – Website Speed, Performance and Critical CSS 200K+ · 4.7★ (612)
wp.org #2 ↑2 3 
10Web Booster – Website speed optimization, Cache & Page Speed optimizer 60K+ · 4.6★ (405)
wp.org #4 ↓1 1 too low 4 
Site Kit by Google – Analytics, Search Console, AdSense, Speed 5M+ · 4.2★ (1012)
wp.org #3 ↑2 1 too high 5 
WP-Optimize – Cache, Compress images, Minify & Clean database to boost page speed & performance 1M+ · 4.8★ (2617)
wp.org #7 ↑2 2 too low 6 
WP Fastest Cache – WordPress Cache Plugin 1M+ · 4.9★ (4228)
wp.org #8 ↑3 2 too low 7 
Speed Optimizer – The All-In-One Performance-Boosting Plugin 1M+ · 4.2★ (641)
wp.org #5 ↑1 2 too high 8 
Super Page Cache – Cloudflare Cache, Page Speed & Core Web Vitals 70K+ · 4.8★ (517)
wp.org #9 ↑1 1 too low 9 
WP Meteor Website Speed Optimization Addon 20K+ · 4.7★ (77)
wp.org #6 ↑1 3 too high 10 
Starter Templates: AI-Powered Website Templates for Elementor & Gutenberg 1M+ · 4.9★ (4755)
wp.org #13 ↑2 3 too low 11 
NitroPack – Performance, Page Speed & Cache Plugin for Core Web Vitals, CDN & Image Optimization 90K+ · 4.3★ (311)
wp.org #12 ↑2 1 too low 12 Advanced Database Cleaner – Optimize & Clean Database to Speed Up Site Performance 100K+ · 4.9★ (1962)
wp.org #21 ↓5 9 too low 13 
MonsterInsights – Google Analytics Dashboard for WordPress (Website Stats Made Easy) 2M+ · 4.5★ (3157) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #10 ↓2 3 too high 14 
Asset CleanUp: Page Speed Booster 100K+ · 4.9★ (1564) not PHP-current
wp.org #19 5 too low 15 Speed Contact Bar 4K+ · 4.6★ (56)
wp.org #11 ↑1 4 too high 16 
Meta Box – A Framework for Dynamic Websites 500K+ · 4.8★ (165)
wp.org #16 ↑2 17 
Speed Booster Pack ⚡ PageSpeed Optimization Suite 8K+ · 4.3★ (186)
wp.org #17 ↑3 18 
FastPixel Cache – Optimize Page Speed: Compress Images, Minify, Clean Database & CDN 4K+ · 4.8★ (50) not PHP-current
wp.org #14 ↑3 4 too high 19 
Spectra Blocks – AI Website Builder for the Block Editor 60K+ · 4.6★ (53) heavy footprint
wp.org #15 ↓2 4 too high 20 
BackWPup – WordPress Backup & Restore Plugin 400K+ · 4.0★ (1323) not PHP-current
wp.org #24 4 too low 21 
Breeze Cache 300K+ · 3.6★ (133)
wp.org #18 ↑4 3 too high 22 
CopyProof Website 300+ · 4.4★ (7) thin reviews
wp.org #20 ↑1 2 too high 23 
Speed Bitcoin and Stablecoin Payments for WooCommerce 60+ · 5.0★ (2) thin reviews
wp.org #22 ↑1 1 too high 24 
Speed Analyzer – Speed Test & Performance Audit 100+ · 5.0★ (2) thin reviews
wp.org #23 ↑1 1 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.