wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “wp avatar”
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 “wp avatar”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 9 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
Gravatar Enhanced – Avatars, Profiles, and Privacy shows at wp.org #10 but places #23 on merit, a gap of 13 places. Its 100K+ 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
Kadence Security – Password, Two Factor Authentication, and Brute Force Protection places #9 on merit, 4.6★ from 3992 reviews, but shows at wp.org #20. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.
WP-Optimize – Cache, Compress images, Minify & Clean database to boost page speed & performance 1M+ · 4.8★ (2617)
wp.org #1 ↑1 2 
One User Avatar | User Profile Picture 100K+ · 4.7★ (41)
wp.org #2 ↑1 3 
WP Activity Log 300K+ · 4.7★ (490)
wp.org #5 ↓4 2 too low 4 
WP Chat App 100K+ · 4.9★ (222)
wp.org #6 ↑1 2 too low 5 
WP User Avatars 20K+ · 4.5★ (29)
wp.org #3 ↑2 2 too high 6 
WP Rollback – Rollback Plugins and Themes 200K+ · 4.9★ (215)
wp.org #7 ↑1 1 too low 7 
Simple User Avatar 20K+ · 4.6★ (19) thin reviews
wp.org #4 3 too high 8 
Simple Local Avatars 100K+ · 4.6★ (89)
wp.org #8 ↓2 9 Kadence Security – Password, Two Factor Authentication, and Brute Force Protection 700K+ · 4.6★ (3992)
wp.org #20 ↓6 11 too low 10 
WP ULike – Like Buttons, Voting & Engagement Analytics 60K+ · 4.8★ (283)
wp.org #17 ↓2 7 too low 11 
WP User Manager – Registration Form, Login Form, User Profile Builder & Member Directory 10K+ · 4.7★ (350) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #13 2 too low 12 
Wp Social Login and Register Social Counter 70K+ · 4.6★ (67)
wp.org #15 ↑4 3 too low 13 
WP Post Author – Author Box, Multiple Authors, Guest Authors & Custom Avatars 10K+ · 4.2★ (22) thin reviews
wp.org #9 4 too high 14 
Leira Letter Avatar 6K+ · 4.9★ (28)
wp.org #12 ↓1 2 too high 15 
Social Chat – Click To Chat App Button 200K+ · 4.9★ (696) not PHP-current
wp.org #24 9 too low 16 
Author Avatars List/Block 4K+ · 4.8★ (32)
wp.org #14 ↓2 2 too high 17 
ProfilePress – Paid Membership, Online Courses (LMS), Ecommerce, User Registration & Login Form, User Profile & Restrict Content 100K+ · 3.1★ (938) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #11 ↓1 6 too high 18 
Headers Security Advanced & HSTS WP 90K+ · 4.8★ (80)
wp.org #22 ↓2 4 too low 19 
WP Review Slider 6K+ · 4.8★ (181) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #21 ↓3 2 too low 20 
WP Coder – Insert & Manage Code Snippets 10K+ · 4.9★ (32)
wp.org #23 ↓1 3 too low 21 
WP Term Order 6K+ · 4.8★ (20) thin reviews
wp.org #19 ↓2 2 too high 22 
Advanced User Avatar | Custom Profile Picture Uploader for WordPress, WooCommerce, and BuddyPress 300+ · 5.0★ (6) thin reviews
wp.org #18 4 too high 23 Gravatar Enhanced – Avatars, Profiles, and Privacy 100K+ · 5.0★ (3) host-installed base thin reviews
wp.org #10 ↑6 13 too high 24 
User Profile Picture – Custom Local Avatars 4K+ · 5.0★ (2) thin reviews
wp.org #16 ↑5 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.