wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “wordpress datepicker”
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 datepicker”, we and wp.org disagree on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 14 of the top 20. 3 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
Advanced Datepicker – Restricts Date for Contact Form 7 shows at wp.org #5 but places #18 on merit, a gap of 13 places. Its 500+ installs carry it up the search order; its 5.0★ average from 3 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.
Buried gem
Calculated Fields Form – AI Form Builder for WordPress – Contact, Payment, Quote, Quiz & More places #5 on merit, 4.9★ from 973 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.
Forminator Forms – Contact Form, Payment Form & Custom Form Builder 600K+ · 4.8★ (2144)
wp.org #2 ↓1 1 too low 2 
WP Datepicker 6K+ · 4.8★ (37)
wp.org #1 ↑2 1 too high 3 
Analytify – Google Analytics 4 Tracking and Reporting in WordPress 20K+ · 4.7★ (488)
wp.org #9 6 too low 4 
Ninja Forms – Contact Form Builder with Calculators, Quizzes, Signatures & AI Form Builder 500K+ · 4.4★ (1397)
wp.org #10 ↓2 6 too low 5 Calculated Fields Form – AI Form Builder for WordPress – Contact, Payment, Quote, Quiz & More 40K+ · 4.9★ (973)
wp.org #13 ↓2 8 too low 6 
User Profile Builder – Beautiful User Registration Forms, User Profiles & User Role Editor 40K+ · 4.7★ (738)
wp.org #12 6 too low 7 
Five Star Restaurant Reservations – WordPress Booking Plugin 10K+ · 4.7★ (211) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #7 ↑9 8 
Availability Datepicker – Booking Calendar for Contact Form 7 – Input WP 10K+ · 4.1★ (42)
wp.org #6 2 too high 9 
The Events Calendar 600K+ · 4.2★ (2461)
wp.org #14 ↓1 5 too low 10 
پارسی دیت – Parsi Date 100K+ · 4.6★ (130)
wp.org #11 ↓1 1 too low 11 
Custom Datepicker NMR 1K+ · 4.6★ (5) thin reviews
wp.org #3 ↓1 8 too high 12 
Sliced Invoices – WordPress Invoice Plugin 4K+ · 4.6★ (117) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #15 ↓1 3 too low 13 
Flexible PDF Invoices for WooCommerce & WordPress 6K+ · 4.4★ (37)
wp.org #16 ↓1 3 too low 14 
Advanced Datepicker – Restrict Date for Elementor Forms 800+ · 5.0★ (4) throws errorsnot PHP-current thin reviews
wp.org #4 10 too high 15 
Easy Appointments 10K+ · 4.3★ (131) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #21 ↑3 6 too low 16 
Contact Form Generator : Creative form builder for WordPress 700+ · 4.4★ (67) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #19 3 too low 17 
weForms – Easy Drag & Drop Contact Form Builder For WordPress 10K+ · 4.5★ (111) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #23 ↓1 6 too low 18 Advanced Datepicker – Restricts Date for Contact Form 7 500+ · 5.0★ (3) throws errorsnot PHP-current thin reviews
wp.org #5 13 too high 19 
Date Time Picker for Contact Form 7 20K+ · 3.3★ (21) thin reviews
wp.org #18 1 too high 20 
GravityWP – CSS Selector 4K+ · 5.0★ (8) thin reviews
wp.org #24 ↓1 4 too low 21 
Advanced Datepicker – Restricts Date for WPForms 300+ · 5.0★ (2) thin reviews
wp.org #8 ↓1 13 too high 22 
Flash Toolkit 10K+ · 5.0★ (4) thin reviews
wp.org #22 ↓1 23 
Date Picker For Contact Form 7 4K+ · 3.9★ (7) throws errorsnot PHP-current thin reviews
wp.org #17 6 too high 24 
Quform WPML 600+ · 5.0★ (1) thin reviews
wp.org #20 4 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.