wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “widgets area”
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 “widgets area”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 8 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
Essential Widgets shows at wp.org #10 but places #24 on merit, a gap of 14 places. Its 10K+ installs carry it up the search order; its 3.5★ average from 2 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.
Buried gem
TablePress – Tables in WordPress made easy places #9 on merit, 5.0★ from 4625 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.
SiteOrigin Widgets Bundle 400K+ · 4.9★ (134)
wp.org #1 2 
Custom Sidebars – Dynamic Sidebar Classic Widget Area Manager 100K+ · 4.7★ (1028)
wp.org #2 3 
Elementor Website Builder – more than just a page builder 10M+ · 4.5★ (7322)
wp.org #3 4 
ElementsKit Elementor Addons – Advanced Widgets & Templates Addons for Elementor 1M+ · 4.9★ (2051)
wp.org #5 1 too low 5 
Content Aware Sidebars – Fastest Widget Area Plugin 30K+ · 4.9★ (724)
wp.org #7 2 too low 6 
Premium Addons for Elementor – AI-Ready Elementor Addons, Widgets & Templates 600K+ · 4.9★ (1680)
wp.org #8 2 too low 7 
WP Customer Area 10K+ · 4.0★ (89)
wp.org #4 3 too high 8 
Widget Content Blocks 10K+ · 4.8★ (60)
wp.org #6 2 too high 9 TablePress – Tables in WordPress made easy 600K+ · 5.0★ (4625)
wp.org #13 4 too low 10 
Ultimate Addons for Elementor – Widgets, Templates, WooCommerce & Header Footer Builder 2M+ · 4.9★ (2528)
wp.org #12 2 too low 11 
Widget Options – Advanced Conditional Visibility for Gutenberg Blocks & Classic Widgets 100K+ · 4.9★ (1516)
wp.org #15 ↑2 4 too low 12 
Widget Importer & Exporter 200K+ · 4.7★ (117)
wp.org #9 3 too high 13 
PublishPress Capabilities: User Role Access Control, Admin Area Permissions 90K+ · 4.7★ (143)
wp.org #11 2 too high 14 
Recent Posts Widget With Thumbnails 100K+ · 4.8★ (215)
wp.org #14 15 
Page Builder by SiteOrigin 400K+ · 4.8★ (1005)
wp.org #19 ↑1 4 too low 16 
Black Studio TinyMCE Widget 200K+ · 4.8★ (191)
wp.org #21 5 too low 17 
Widget Context 30K+ · 4.5★ (98)
wp.org #18 ↑1 1 too low 18 
Content Blocks (Custom Post Widget) 10K+ · 4.9★ (80)
wp.org #22 4 too low 19 
Events Widgets For Elementor And The Events Calendar 10K+ · 4.5★ (108)
wp.org #20 ↓5 1 too low 20 
Add Widget After Content 6K+ · 4.7★ (38)
wp.org #16 ↑2 4 too high 21 C Custom Post Type Widgets 10K+ · 4.8★ (14) thin reviews
wp.org #17 ↓1 4 too high 22 
Genesis Simple Sidebars 10K+ · 4.4★ (27)
wp.org #23 ↑1 1 too low 23 
Remove "Powered by WordPress" 20K+ · 4.4★ (21) thin reviews
wp.org #24 1 too low 24 Essential Widgets 10K+ · 3.5★ (2) thin reviews
wp.org #10 14 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.