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

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 “withings”, we and wp.org disagree on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 8 of the top 20. 9 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

Load HTML Files shows at wp.org #9 but places #16 on merit, a gap of 7 places. Its 300+ installs carry it up the search order; its 5.0★ average from 1 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

Buried gem

RapidLoad AI – Optimize Web Vitals Automatically places #4 on merit, 4.2★ from 70 reviews, but shows at wp.org #8. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin signals wp.org

WP Search with Algolia 7K+ · 4.5★ (24) thin reviews wp.org #2 1 too low 2

Italy Cookie Choices (for EU Cookie Law & Cookie Notice) 9K+ · 4.5★ (35) wp.org #3 1 too low 3

Custom Thank You Pages PRO for WooCommerce 90+ · 5.0★ (2) closure risk thin reviewsstale but ranked wp.org #1 2 too high 4

RapidLoad AI – Optimize Web Vitals Automatically 600+ · 4.2★ (70) throws errorsnot PHP-current wp.org #8 4 too low 5

Footnotes & Content 100+ · 5.0★ (5) thin reviews wp.org #6 1 too low 6

Block Control 80+ · 5.0★ (3) thin reviews wp.org #5 1 too high 7 C Content Manager Light 80+ · 5.0★ (4) heavy footprintclosure risk thin reviewsstale but ranked wp.org #7 8 S SJ Cornerstone Addon 400+ · 5.0★ (6) closure risk thin reviews wp.org #14 6 too low 9

Issues Tracker 40+ · 5.0★ (3) thin reviewsstale but ranked wp.org #10 1 too low 10

QuantiModo 10+ · 0.0★ (0) closure risk thin reviewslow rating, top placementstale but ranked wp.org #4 6 too high 11 B Before After 100+ · 4.6★ (11) throws errorsnot PHP-currentclosure risk thin reviews wp.org #17 6 too low 12

Linked Orders for WooCommerce 40+ · 0.0★ (0) closure risk thin reviews wp.org #11 1 too high 13

Internal Comments 10+ · 0.0★ (0) closure risk thin reviews wp.org #13 14

Locked Payment Methods for WooCommerce — · 0.0★ (0) closure risk thin reviews wp.org #15 1 too low 15

Quote Requests for WooCommerce 10+ · 5.0★ (1) closure risk thin reviews wp.org #12 3 too high 16

Load HTML Files 300+ · 5.0★ (1) throws errorsnot PHP-current thin reviewsstale but ranked wp.org #9 7 too high 17

PayPal Payflow Pro Payment gateway for WooCommerce 20+ · 0.0★ (0) closure risk thin reviews wp.org #20 3 too low 18

Contact Form Arrow — · 5.0★ (1) closure risk thin reviews wp.org #16 2 too high 19 W Withings Scale 10+ · 0.0★ (0) closure risk thin reviews wp.org #22 3 too low 20

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.