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wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “widget categories”

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 “widget categories”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 12 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

JS Categories List Widget shows at wp.org #8 but places #15 on merit, a gap of 7 places. Its 1K+ installs carry it up the search order; its 4.8★ average from 15 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

Buried gem

Floating Chat Widget: Contact Chat Icons, Telegram Chat, Line Messenger, WeChat, Email, SMS, Call Button – Chaty places #9 on merit, 5.0★ from 1244 reviews, but shows at wp.org #16. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin wp.org
1 Essential Addons for Elementor – Popular Elementor Templates & Widgets 1M+ · 4.9★ (4132) wp.org #1 2 ElementsKit Elementor Addons – Advanced Widgets & Templates Addons for Elementor 1M+ · 4.9★ (2051) wp.org #2 3 Premium Addons for Elementor – AI-Ready Elementor Addons, Widgets & Templates 600K+ · 4.9★ (1680) wp.org #4 1 too low 4 Recent Posts Widget With Thumbnails 100K+ · 4.8★ (215) wp.org #6 ↓1 2 too low 5 Widget Options – Advanced Conditional Visibility for Gutenberg Blocks & Classic Widgets 100K+ · 4.9★ (1516) wp.org #9 4 too low 6 Widget Context 30K+ · 4.5★ (98) wp.org #3 3 too high 7 Elementor Website Builder – more than just a page builder 10M+ · 4.5★ (7323) wp.org #7 8 Ultimate Addons for Elementor – Widgets, Templates, WooCommerce & Header Footer Builder 2M+ · 4.9★ (2528) wp.org #10 2 too low 9 Floating Chat Widget: Contact Chat Icons, Telegram Chat, Line Messenger, WeChat, Email, SMS, Call Button – Chaty 300K+ · 5.0★ (1244) wp.org #16 7 too low 10 WP Categories Widget 6K+ · 4.5★ (27) wp.org #5 ↑1 5 too high 11 List category posts 80K+ · 4.7★ (254) wp.org #15 4 too low 12 Category Order and Taxonomy Terms Order 500K+ · 4.5★ (162) wp.org #11 1 too high 13 LiteSpeed Cache 7M+ · 4.8★ (2778) wp.org #17 ↑3 4 too low 14 Translate WordPress with GTranslate 900K+ · 4.9★ (4962) wp.org #20 ↓2 6 too low 15 JS Categories List Widget 1K+ · 4.8★ (15) wp.org #8 7 too high 16 SiteOrigin Widgets Bundle 400K+ · 4.9★ (134) wp.org #18 2 too low 17 AccessiYes Accessibility Widget for ADA, EAA & WCAG Readiness 20K+ · 4.8★ (36) wp.org #13 ↑1 4 too high 18 List Custom Taxonomy Widget 8K+ · 4.7★ (21) wp.org #14 ↓1 4 too high 19 Collapsing Categories 4K+ · 4.1★ (57) wp.org #12 7 too high 20 HappyAddons for Elementor – 160 Elementor Widgets, GSAP Animations & Templates 400K+ · 4.8★ (489) wp.org #23 ↓1 3 too low 21 WP Media Categories 800+ · 4.6★ (7) wp.org #22 ↓1 1 too low 22 Statify Widget 4K+ · 5.0★ (5) wp.org #19 ↓2 3 too high 23 Multicolumn Category Widget 300+ · 4.2★ (5) wp.org #24 1 too low 24 R Recent Category Posts Widget 300+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #21 ↓2 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.