wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “wp db”
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 db”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 10 of the top 20. 4 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
Contact Form DB Divi shows at wp.org #15 but places #24 on merit, a gap of 9 places. Its 3K+ installs carry it up the search order; its 3.9★ average from 9 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.
Buried gem
WP All Import – Drag & Drop Import for CSV, XML, Excel & Google Sheets places #11 on merit, 4.7★ from 1966 reviews, but shows at wp.org #17. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.
WP Mail SMTP by WPForms – SMTP for Reliable Email Delivery with Gmail, Outlook, Amazon SES, Brevo, Other SMTP & More 4M+ · 4.8★ (5209)
wp.org #1 2 
WP Fastest Cache – WordPress Cache Plugin 1M+ · 4.9★ (4228)
wp.org #2 3 
UpdraftPlus: WP Backup & Migration Plugin 4M+ · 4.8★ (8706)
wp.org #3 4 
WP-Optimize – Cache, Compress images, Minify & Clean database to boost page speed & performance 1M+ · 4.8★ (2617)
wp.org #4 5 
WP Statistics – Simple, privacy-friendly Google Analytics alternative 500K+ · 4.1★ (759)
wp.org #6 1 too low 6 
WP Reset 300K+ · 4.8★ (1014)
wp.org #9 3 too low 7 
Smush – Image Optimization, Compression, Lazy Load, WebP & CDN 1M+ · 4.8★ (6053)
wp.org #12 ↓1 5 too low 8 
WP Migrate Lite – Migration Made Easy 200K+ · 4.2★ (318) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #5 3 too high 9 
WP Mail Logging 300K+ · 4.7★ (375)
wp.org #10 1 too low 10 
WP-DBManager 50K+ · 4.4★ (95)
wp.org #8 2 too high 11 WP All Import – Drag & Drop Import for CSV, XML, Excel & Google Sheets 100K+ · 4.7★ (1966)
wp.org #17 6 too low 12 
Index WP MySQL For Speed 50K+ · 4.8★ (99) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #7 5 too high 13 
BackWPup – WordPress Backup & Restore Plugin 400K+ · 4.0★ (1323) not PHP-current
wp.org #13 ↓1 14 
WP-Members Membership Plugin 50K+ · 4.6★ (272)
wp.org #18 4 too low 15 W WP Photo Album Plus 10K+ · 4.7★ (199) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #11 ↑4 4 too high 16 
WP-Polls 40K+ · 4.2★ (136)
wp.org #16 17 
File Manager 1M+ · 4.6★ (1492)
wp.org #22 ↓1 5 too low 18 
Database Backup for WordPress 60K+ · 4.5★ (66)
wp.org #14 ↓1 4 too high 19 
PDF Invoices & Packing Slips for WooCommerce 300K+ · 5.0★ (1865) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #20 1 too low 20 
SlimStat Analytics – Real-Time Stats, Heatmaps & Ecommerce 70K+ · 4.8★ (816) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #21 1 too low 21 
Better Search Replace 1M+ · 4.3★ (546)
wp.org #23 ↓1 2 too low 22 
WP-UserOnline 10K+ · 4.6★ (38)
wp.org #24 ↓1 2 too low 23 
Brozzme DB Prefix & Tools Addons 9K+ · 4.7★ (58) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #19 4 too high 24 Contact Form DB Divi 3K+ · 3.9★ (9) thin reviews
wp.org #15 ↓1 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.