wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “wmpl”
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 “wmpl”, we and wp.org disagree on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 11 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
WPSSO WP Sitemaps XML with News, Image, and Video Sitemap shows at wp.org #2 but places #10 on merit, a gap of 8 places. Its 400+ installs carry it up the search order; its 4.8★ average from 4 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.
Buried gem
Menu Image, Icons made easy places #4 on merit, 4.5★ from 123 reviews, but shows at wp.org #9. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.
پارسی دیت – Parsi Date 100K+ · 4.6★ (130)
wp.org #5 4 too low 2 
Coupzy Coupon Box for WooCommerce 1K+ · 4.6★ (37) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #3 1 too low 3 
Phoenix Media Rename 50K+ · 4.7★ (75)
wp.org #7 ↑1 4 too low 4 Menu Image, Icons made easy 100K+ · 4.5★ (123)
wp.org #9 5 too low 5 
DHL eCommerce (Benelux) for WooCommerce 2K+ · 5.0★ (2) thin reviews
wp.org #1 4 too high 6 
Nested Pages 90K+ · 4.7★ (126)
wp.org #10 4 too low 7 
Product Labels For Woocommerce (Sale Badges) 10K+ · 4.6★ (54) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #6 1 too high 8 
ATUM WooCommerce Inventory Management and Stock Tracking 10K+ · 4.7★ (128) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #8 ↓1 9 
Seraphinite Accelerator 50K+ · 4.8★ (476) not PHP-current
wp.org #14 5 too low 10 WPSSO WP Sitemaps XML with News, Image, and Video Sitemap 400+ · 4.8★ (4) throws errorsnot PHP-current thin reviews
wp.org #2 8 too high 11 
Dynamic Pricing With Discount Rules for WooCommerce 5K+ · 4.5★ (68) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #13 2 too low 12 
a3 Portfolio 100+ · 3.0★ (12) thin reviewslow rating, top placement
wp.org #4 8 too high 13 
AppPresser – Mobile App Framework 900+ · 3.7★ (53) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #15 ↓1 2 too low 14 
Amazon Pay for WooCommerce 10K+ · 2.5★ (27)
wp.org #11 ↑1 3 too high 15 W Widget Manager Light 600+ · 3.8★ (11) closure risk thin reviews
wp.org #12 ↓1 3 too high 16 
lingAPI for Polylang & WPML – WP translation tool — · 5.0★ (3) closure risk thin reviews
wp.org #18 ↓1 2 too low 17 A Akismet Notifier 20+ · 5.0★ (2) closure risk thin reviews
wp.org #19 ↓1 2 too low 18 R Rewrite Bases Internationalization — · 0.0★ (0) thin reviews
wp.org #16 ↓1 2 too high 19 
ACME WPML Language Switch 20+ · 0.0★ (0) closure risk thin reviews
wp.org #20 ↓1 1 too low 20 W WP REST API multilanguage (over WMPL) 10+ · 0.0★ (0) closure risk thin reviews
wp.org #21 ↓1 1 too low 21 
Unify WPML Comments 10+ · 5.0★ (1) closure risk thin reviews
wp.org #17 ↓1 4 too high 22 W WPML Shortcode Translator 200+ · 0.0★ (0) closure risk thin reviews
wp.org #22 ↓1 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.