wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “wordpress auto update”
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 “wordpress auto update”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 11 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
Auto Update Post Date shows at wp.org #3 but places #20 on merit, a gap of 17 places. Its 2K+ installs carry it up the search order; its 5.0★ average from 2 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.
Buried gem
WPForms – AI Form Builder for WordPress – Contact Forms, Payment Forms, Survey Form, Quiz & More places #9 on merit, 4.8★ from 14387 reviews, but shows at wp.org #16. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.
Translate WordPress with GTranslate 900K+ · 4.9★ (4962)
wp.org #1 2 
Companion Auto Update 40K+ · 4.8★ (105)
wp.org #2 3 
Security Plugin, Firewall & Malware Scanner with Auto Removal 40K+ · 4.8★ (397)
wp.org #5 2 too low 4 
Disable All WordPress Updates 20K+ · 4.8★ (69)
wp.org #4 5 
Forminator Forms – Contact Form, Payment Form & Custom Form Builder 600K+ · 4.8★ (2144)
wp.org #7 2 too low 6 
Easy Updates Manager 300K+ · 4.8★ (726)
wp.org #8 2 too low 7 
BackWPup – WordPress Backup & Restore Plugin 400K+ · 4.0★ (1323)
wp.org #9 2 too low 8 
Wordfence Security – Firewall, Malware Scan, and Login Security 5M+ · 4.7★ (5040)
wp.org #13 5 too low 9 WPForms – AI Form Builder for WordPress – Contact Forms, Payment Forms, Survey Form, Quiz & More 5M+ · 4.8★ (14387)
wp.org #16 7 too low 10 
WPCode – Insert Headers and Footers + Custom Code Snippets – WordPress Code Manager 3M+ · 4.9★ (1917)
wp.org #17 7 too low 11 
Auto Upload Images 20K+ · 4.3★ (106)
wp.org #11 12 
WP LinkedIn Auto Publish 8K+ · 4.8★ (106)
wp.org #12 13 
Auto Featured Image (Auto Post Thumbnail) 40K+ · 3.8★ (119)
wp.org #10 3 too high 14 
WP Fastest Cache – WordPress Cache Plugin 1M+ · 4.9★ (4229)
wp.org #20 6 too low 15 
Disable WordPress Update Notifications and auto-update Email Notifications 10K+ · 4.2★ (19) thin reviews
wp.org #6 9 too high 16 
WP2Social Auto Publish 9K+ · 4.8★ (640)
wp.org #21 5 too low 17 
Internal Link Juicer: SEO Auto Linker for WordPress 100K+ · 4.7★ (537)
wp.org #24 7 too low 18 
Burst Statistics – Simple WordPress Analytics (Google Analytics Alternative) 200K+ · 4.9★ (186)
wp.org #23 5 too low 19 
Filter Everything — WordPress & WooCommerce Filters 50K+ · 4.6★ (154)
wp.org #22 3 too low 20 Auto Update Post Date 2K+ · 5.0★ (2) thin reviews
wp.org #3 17 too high 21 U Update Control 4K+ · 4.4★ (17) thin reviews
wp.org #14 7 too high 22 
Auto Coupons for WooCommerce 3K+ · 4.9★ (16) thin reviews
wp.org #18 4 too high 23 W WP Auto Updater 7K+ · 4.6★ (10) thin reviews
wp.org #19 4 too high 24 
Disable Auto Update Emails and Block Updates for Plugins, WP Core, and Themes 4K+ · 5.0★ (2) thin reviews
wp.org #15 9 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.