wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “wordpress live chat”
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 live chat”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 5 of the top 20. 2 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
Charla Live Chat shows at wp.org #18 but places #24 on merit, a gap of 6 places. Its 500+ 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.
Chatway Live Chat – AI Chatbot, Customer Support, FAQ & Helpdesk Customer Service & Chat Buttons 30K+ · 5.0★ (775)
wp.org #1 2 
Translate WordPress with GTranslate 900K+ · 4.9★ (4962)
wp.org #3 ↑1 1 too low 3 
Tidio – Live Chat & AI Chatbots 70K+ · 4.8★ (395) not PHP-current
wp.org #2 ↑1 1 too high 4 
3CX Free Live Chat, Calls & Messaging 100K+ · 4.6★ (820)
wp.org #4 ↑1 5 
Floating Chat Widget: Contact Chat Icons, Telegram Chat, Line Messenger, WeChat, Email, SMS, Call Button – Chaty 300K+ · 5.0★ (1244)
wp.org #7 ↑4 2 too low 6 
MonsterInsights – Google Analytics Dashboard for WordPress (Website Stats Made Easy) 2M+ · 4.5★ (3157) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #5 ↓3 1 too high 7 
Click to Chat – HoliThemes 600K+ · 4.8★ (131)
wp.org #6 1 too high 8 
Social Chat – Click To Chat App Button 200K+ · 4.9★ (696) not PHP-current
wp.org #8 ↑2 9 
LiveChat – Live Chat Plugin for WP Websites 10K+ · 4.6★ (98)
wp.org #9 ↓2 10 
Live Chat by Formilla – Real-time Chat & Chatbots Plugin 2K+ · 4.8★ (116)
wp.org #10 ↓1 11 
Tawk.To Live Chat 100K+ · 4.6★ (142)
wp.org #11 ↓3 12 
Smartsupp – live chat, AI shopping assistant and chatbots 20K+ · 4.7★ (131)
wp.org #12 13 
Better Messages – Chat Rooms, Group Chat, Private Messages & AI Chat Bots 10K+ · 4.8★ (142)
wp.org #13 14 
WPVibe – MCP Server for WordPress, works with Claude, ChatGPT & other AI MCP agents 100K+ · 5.0★ (195)
wp.org #15 ↑4 1 too low 15 
AI Engine – MCP Server & AI Chatbot for WordPress, with Claude, ChatGPT & Gemini 90K+ · 4.9★ (874)
wp.org #22 7 too low 16 
Crisp – Live Chat and AI Chatbot 20K+ · 4.6★ (73)
wp.org #20 4 too low 17 
Sticky Chat Widget – Floating Chat Icons, Contact Form, Call, Click to Chat, Email & Message Buttons 10K+ · 5.0★ (39)
wp.org #21 ↓1 4 too low 18 
Chatra Live Chat + ChatBot + Cart Saver 2K+ · 5.0★ (12) thin reviews
wp.org #14 ↑1 4 too high 19 
MyLiveChat – Free Live Chat & AI Chatbot 800+ · 4.4★ (27)
wp.org #16 ↓2 3 too high 20 
Simple Chat Button 40K+ · 4.8★ (14) thin reviews
wp.org #19 ↓1 1 too high 21 
Buttonizer – Live Chat, AI Chatbot, Call, Chat, Contact Button 50K+ · 5.0★ (23) throws errorsnot PHP-current thin reviews
wp.org #23 ↑1 2 too low 22 
HelpCrunch – Live Chat, Chatbot & Knowledge Base for Customer Service 2K+ · 5.0★ (6) thin reviews
wp.org #17 ↓1 5 too high 23 
Lime Connect (formerly Userlike) – WordPress Live Chat plugin 800+ · 4.0★ (4) thin reviews
wp.org #24 ↓3 1 too low 24 Charla Live Chat 500+ · 5.0★ (1) thin reviews
wp.org #18 ↓1 6 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.