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wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “worpress”

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 “worpress”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 13 of the top 20. 5 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

Rabo Smart Pay for WooCommerce shows at wp.org #15 but places #23 on merit, a gap of 8 places. Its 600+ installs carry it up the search order; its 3.0★ average from 2 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

Buried gem

Download Manager places #3 on merit, 4.1★ from 1006 reviews, but shows at wp.org #10. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin wp.org
1 Gmedia Photo Gallery 7K+ · 4.3★ (260) wp.org #1 2 WPvivid — Backup, Migration & Staging 900K+ · 4.9★ (1568) wp.org #8 6 too low 3 Download Manager 100K+ · 4.1★ (1006) wp.org #10 7 too low 4 Automated FedEx live/manual rates with shipping labels – HPOS supported 200+ · 4.9★ (12) wp.org #4 5 Automated UPS Shipping for WooCommerce – HPOS supported 100+ · 4.6★ (7) wp.org #3 2 too high 6 Embed Chessboard 500+ · 4.0★ (3) wp.org #2 4 too high 7 Embed Google Photos album 3K+ · 4.4★ (15) wp.org #11 4 too low 8 O OneLogin SAML SSO 7K+ · 4.4★ (14) wp.org #13 ↑8 5 too low 9 Subscription DNA® 10+ · 5.0★ (3) wp.org #6 3 too high 10 Simple MinMax 10+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #5 5 too high 11 Automated DB Schenker Shipping – HPOS supported 10+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #7 4 too high 12 Ultimate Member & Job Manager 200+ · 3.8★ (6) wp.org #17 ↓1 5 too low 13 Fyrebox Quizzes 100+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #14 ↓1 1 too low 14 Ecommerce Fabrick 1K+ · 3.8★ (9) wp.org #20 ↓1 6 too low 15 Xposure Listings 30+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #12 3 too high 16 Identityplus 10+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #9 7 too high 17 Vialala 10+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #19 ↓1 2 too low 18 Pipe Web Monetization — · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #16 ↓1 2 too high 19 kontur Admin Style 40+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #23 4 too low 20 L Live Clock Widget 90+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #18 ↓1 2 too high 21 PasswordleSSI — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #22 1 too low 22 Brasil 61 – Conteúdo gratuito para rádios, sites e blogs. 90+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #21 ↓1 1 too high 23 Rabo Smart Pay for WooCommerce 600+ · 3.0★ (2) wp.org #15 ↓1 8 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.