wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “woocommerce sort”
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 “woocommerce sort”, we and wp.org disagree on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 6 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
Product Sort and Display for WooCommerce shows at wp.org #7 but places #18 on merit, a gap of 11 places. Its 2K+ installs carry it up the search order; its 3.1★ average from 45 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.
Buried gem
Checkout Field Manager (Checkout Manager) for WooCommerce places #12 on merit, 4.5★ from 784 reviews, but shows at wp.org #18. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.
Customer Reviews for WooCommerce 80K+ · 4.8★ (1539)
wp.org #3 2 too low 2 
WooPayments: Integrated WooCommerce Payments 800K+ · 3.4★ (177) low rating, top placement
wp.org #1 1 too high 3 
Germanized for WooCommerce 70K+ · 4.8★ (496)
wp.org #4 1 too low 4 
MailPoet – Newsletters, Email Marketing, and Automation 500K+ · 4.4★ (1435)
wp.org #6 ↓3 2 too low 5 
WP Sort Order 6K+ · 4.5★ (17) thin reviews
wp.org #2 3 too high 6 
Payment Plugins for PayPal WooCommerce 80K+ · 4.8★ (127)
wp.org #5 ↑1 1 too high 7 
Payment Plugins for Stripe WooCommerce 100K+ · 4.8★ (303)
wp.org #8 ↓1 1 too low 8 
Folders – Unlimited Folders to Organize Media Library Folder, Pages, Posts, File Manager 90K+ · 5.0★ (1526)
wp.org #13 ↑1 5 too low 9 
Filter Everything — WordPress & WooCommerce Filters 50K+ · 4.6★ (154)
wp.org #9 ↓1 10 
Back In Stock Notifier for WooCommerce | WooCommerce Waitlist Pro 20K+ · 4.7★ (122)
wp.org #10 ↑1 11 
Post Types Order 600K+ · 4.5★ (296)
wp.org #12 ↓3 1 too low 12 Checkout Field Manager (Checkout Manager) for WooCommerce 80K+ · 4.5★ (784)
wp.org #18 6 too low 13 
Simple Custom Post Order 300K+ · 4.8★ (588)
wp.org #19 6 too low 14 
Sequential Order Number for WooCommerce 50K+ · 4.9★ (146)
wp.org #16 ↓4 2 too low 15 
Product Bundle Builder for WooCommerce 6K+ · 4.8★ (61)
wp.org #14 ↑1 1 too high 16 
Rearrange Products for WooCommerce 20K+ · 4.6★ (58)
wp.org #15 ↓5 1 too high 17 
Stock Manager for WooCommerce 20K+ · 4.2★ (130)
wp.org #17 18 Product Sort and Display for WooCommerce 2K+ · 3.1★ (45)
wp.org #7 ↓2 11 too high 19 
Advanced Coupons for WooCommerce – BOGO, Store Credit & WooCommerce Coupons 20K+ · 4.4★ (184)
wp.org #22 3 too low 20 
Brands for WooCommerce 5K+ · 4.8★ (76)
wp.org #20 ↓7 21 
ATUM WooCommerce Inventory Management and Stock Tracking 10K+ · 4.7★ (128)
wp.org #24 ↓4 3 too low 22 
Posts Table with Search & Sort 3K+ · 4.6★ (19) thin reviews
wp.org #11 ↑5 11 too high 23 
YITH WooCommerce Compare 100K+ · 4.1★ (38)
wp.org #21 2 too high 24 
Currency per Product for WooCommerce 2K+ · 4.1★ (17) thin reviews
wp.org #23 ↓1 1 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.