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wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “weight based”

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 “weight based”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 12 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 the install base is organic or host-pushed, and its risk of being pulled.

Ranked above its merit

Codiepress Advanced Rule Based Shipping for WooCommerce, Table Rate Shipping Methods, Weight Based Shipping shows at wp.org #7 but places #15 on merit, a gap of 8 places. Its 100+ installs carry it up the search order; its 5.0★ average from 7 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

Buried gem

Filter Everything — WordPress & WooCommerce Filters places #12 on merit, 4.6★ from 154 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.

merit plugin wp.org
1 Weight Based Shipping for WooCommerce 50K+ · 4.6★ (83) wp.org #1 2 Weight Based Shipping Table Rate for WooCommerce – Flexible Shipping 100K+ · 4.9★ (706) wp.org #2 3 WowShipping – Table Rate & Weight Based Shipping 700+ · 5.0★ (25) wp.org #3 4 Relevanssi – A Better Search 100K+ · 4.8★ (406) wp.org #10 ↑2 6 too low 5 Custom Shipping Methods for WooCommerce – Create Weight based Shipping, Conditional Shipping, Table Rate Shipping and much more 3K+ · 4.8★ (18) wp.org #4 ↓1 1 too high 6 WC – APG Weight Shipping 6K+ · 4.3★ (49) wp.org #5 ↓1 1 too high 7 Smush – Image Optimization, Compression, Lazy Load, WebP & CDN 1M+ · 4.8★ (6053) wp.org #15 ↓1 8 too low 8 Discount Rules and Dynamic Pricing for WooCommerce 9K+ · 4.7★ (248) wp.org #12 ↑3 4 too low 9 Converter for Media – Optimize images | Convert WebP & AVIF 500K+ · 4.9★ (1106) wp.org #16 ↑1 7 too low 10 USPS Simple Shipping for Woocommerce 8K+ · 4.4★ (28) wp.org #8 ↓1 2 too high 11 Gold Price Based on Weight 300+ · 5.0★ (9) wp.org #6 ↓1 5 too high 12 Filter Everything — WordPress & WooCommerce Filters 50K+ · 4.6★ (154) wp.org #21 ↓2 9 too low 13 No Shipping Message for WooCommerce 3K+ · 5.0★ (19) wp.org #11 ↓2 2 too high 14 Weight zone shipping for WooCommerce 1K+ · 5.0★ (11) wp.org #9 ↓1 5 too high 15 Codiepress Advanced Rule Based Shipping for WooCommerce, Table Rate Shipping Methods, Weight Based Shipping 100+ · 5.0★ (7) wp.org #7 ↓1 8 too high 16 D Disable Payment Methods based on cart conditions for WooCommerce 1K+ · 4.7★ (14) wp.org #13 ↓2 3 too high 17 Hide Shipping Method For WooCommerce 20K+ · 4.0★ (25) wp.org #14 ↓4 3 too high 18 morkva UA Shipping – Nova Poshta, Ukrposhta, Rozetka, Nova Global 1K+ · 4.9★ (29) wp.org #20 2 too low 19 Flat Rate Shipping Method for WooCommerce 5K+ · 4.2★ (76) wp.org #22 ↓2 3 too low 20 Shipping Live Rates for USPS for WooCommerce 2K+ · 4.7★ (30) wp.org #23 3 too low 21 Weight Based Pricing for WooCommerce 500+ · 4.3★ (7) wp.org #18 ↓2 3 too high 22 Icon List Block – Add Icon-Based Lists with Custom Styles 4K+ · 3.7★ (6) wp.org #17 ↓4 5 too high 23 Weight Products for WooCommerce 20+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #19 ↓1 4 too high 24 Distance Based Shipping Calculator 100+ · 3.0★ (2) wp.org #24 ↓2

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.