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

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 “wheel”, we and wp.org disagree on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 13 of the top 20. 4 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

WebEquipe Spin & Win Wheel shows at wp.org #7 but places #21 on merit, a gap of 14 places. Its 60+ installs carry it up the search order; its 5.0★ average from 2 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

Buried gem

Easy Google Maps by Supsystic – Custom Markers, Clustering & Map Themes places #5 on merit, 4.6★ from 251 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 Poptin – Email Marketing Automation, Newsletter & Exit Pop Ups, Email Popups 20K+ · 4.9★ (701) wp.org #4 ↑2 3 too low 2 Wheel of Life: Coaching and Assessment Tool for Life Coach 2K+ · 4.9★ (7) wp.org #1 1 too high 3 Lucky Wheel for WooCommerce – Spin a Sale 1K+ · 4.5★ (19) wp.org #2 1 too high 4 WP Optin Wheel – Gamified Optin Email Marketing Tool for WordPress and WooCommerce 1K+ · 4.9★ (81) wp.org #6 ↓1 2 too low 5 Easy Google Maps by Supsystic – Custom Markers, Clustering & Map Themes 20K+ · 4.6★ (251) wp.org #13 8 too low 6 Popup Builder by Claspo – Email Popup, Spin the Wheel, Exit Intent 1K+ · 5.0★ (40) wp.org #9 ↑1 3 too low 7 Popup Builder & Popup Maker for WordPress – OptinMonster Email Marketing and Lead Generation 1M+ · 4.3★ (821) wp.org #8 ↓1 1 too low 8 Lucky Wheel Giveaway 400+ · 3.9★ (8) wp.org #3 5 too high 9 Redux Framework 900K+ · 4.4★ (273) wp.org #12 ↓1 3 too low 10 FancyBox for WordPress 30K+ · 4.6★ (92) wp.org #14 4 too low 11 WebToffee eCommerce Marketing Automation – Email marketing, Popups, Email customizer 10K+ · 4.8★ (54) wp.org #11 ↑1 12 Ultimate Maps by Supsystic – OpenStreetMap, Leaflet & Mapbox, No API Key 10K+ · 4.6★ (86) wp.org #16 4 too low 13 EU Cookies Bar for WordPress 9K+ · 4.8★ (26) wp.org #17 ↓2 4 too low 14 morkva UA Shipping – Nova Poshta, Ukrposhta, Rozetka, Nova Global 1K+ · 4.9★ (29) wp.org #18 4 too low 15 EXMAGE – WordPress Image Links 5K+ · 5.0★ (33) wp.org #21 ↓3 6 too low 16 Smartarget Lucky Wheel 100+ · 4.7★ (3) wp.org #5 ↓1 11 too high 17 Faview – Virtual Reviews for WooCommerce 6K+ · 4.6★ (54) wp.org #19 ↓2 2 too low 18 360 Javascript Viewer 1K+ · 5.0★ (13) wp.org #23 ↓3 5 too low 19 Thanko Thank You Page Customizer for WooCommerce 3K+ · 4.5★ (37) wp.org #24 ↓8 5 too low 20 Promolayer – Popup Builder & Abandonment Preventer 1K+ · 5.0★ (5) wp.org #20 ↓1 21 WebEquipe Spin & Win Wheel 60+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #7 ↑1 14 too high 22 Spin Wheel 400+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #10 ↓1 12 too high 23 TyresAddict – Wheel Product Filter 60+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #15 ↓2 8 too high 24 Spin Wheel – Lucky Wheel, Giveaway & Coupon Popup 20+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #22 2 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.