wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “widget code”
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 code”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 9 of the top 20.
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
GR Widget – Google Reviews Widget shows at wp.org #15 but places #22 on merit, a gap of 7 places. Its 900+ installs carry it up the search order; its 5.0★ average from 10 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.
Buried gem
Widget Options – Advanced Conditional Visibility for Gutenberg Blocks & Classic Widgets places #9 on merit, 4.9★ from 1516 reviews, but shows at wp.org #17. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.
Code Snippets 1M+ · 4.7★ (510)
wp.org #1 2 
Widgets for Google Reviews 1M+ · 4.9★ (2667)
wp.org #2 3 
WPCode – Insert Headers and Footers + Custom Code Snippets – WordPress Code Manager 3M+ · 4.9★ (1917)
wp.org #3 4 
Essential Addons for Elementor – Popular Elementor Templates & Widgets 1M+ · 4.9★ (4132)
wp.org #4 5 
ElementsKit Elementor Addons – Advanced Widgets & Templates Addons for Elementor 1M+ · 4.9★ (2051)
wp.org #5 6 
Premium Addons for Elementor – AI-Ready Elementor Addons, Widgets & Templates 600K+ · 4.9★ (1680)
wp.org #6 ↑1 7 
Elementor Website Builder – more than just a page builder 10M+ · 4.5★ (7322)
wp.org #7 ↓1 8 
Insert PHP Code Snippet 90K+ · 4.9★ (707)
wp.org #9 ↓1 1 too low 9 Widget Options – Advanced Conditional Visibility for Gutenberg Blocks & Classic Widgets 100K+ · 4.9★ (1516)
wp.org #17 8 too low 10 
Widget Context 30K+ · 4.5★ (98)
wp.org #10 11 
Recent Posts Widget With Thumbnails 100K+ · 4.8★ (215)
wp.org #14 ↓1 3 too low 12 
Kaya QR Code Generator 10K+ · 4.4★ (38)
wp.org #8 ↑1 4 too high 13 
Ultimate Addons for Elementor – Widgets, Templates, WooCommerce & Header Footer Builder 2M+ · 4.9★ (2528)
wp.org #19 6 too low 14 
Black Studio TinyMCE Widget 200K+ · 4.8★ (191)
wp.org #16 2 too low 15 
Tracking Code Manager 90K+ · 4.1★ (58)
wp.org #11 4 too high 16 
Code Embed 10K+ · 4.4★ (45)
wp.org #12 4 too high 17 
SiteOrigin Widgets Bundle 400K+ · 4.9★ (134)
wp.org #20 3 too low 18 
Widgets for Social Photo Feed 10K+ · 4.7★ (28)
wp.org #13 ↑1 5 too high 19 
Category Order and Taxonomy Terms Order 500K+ · 4.5★ (162)
wp.org #22 ↓3 3 too low 20 
WPZOOM Social Feed Widget & Block 50K+ · 4.3★ (51)
wp.org #18 2 too high 21 
Copy Anything to Clipboard for WordPress – Copy Button, Copy Text & Copy Code 10K+ · 4.5★ (36)
wp.org #24 ↓2 3 too low 22 GR Widget – Google Reviews Widget 900+ · 5.0★ (10) thin reviews
wp.org #15 7 too high 23 
Country Code For Elementor Form Telephone Field 10K+ · 5.0★ (8) thin reviews
wp.org #23 ↓2 24 
QR Code Composer – Automatic QR code generation 3K+ · 4.2★ (9) thin reviews
wp.org #21 ↓1 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.