wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “wp maps”
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 maps”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 12 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
Map Block shows at wp.org #14 but places #24 on merit, a gap of 10 places. Its 6K+ 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.
Buried gem
WP All Import – Drag & Drop Import for CSV, XML, Excel & Google Sheets places #9 on merit, 4.7★ from 1966 reviews, but shows at wp.org #19. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.
WP Go Maps – Google Map, OpenStreetMap, Leaflet Map 300K+ · 4.8★ (3055) not PHP-current
wp.org #1 2 
WP Store Locator 40K+ · 4.8★ (312)
wp.org #3 ↑1 1 too low 3 
Mapster WP Maps 3K+ · 4.9★ (54) heavy footprint
wp.org #2 1 too high 4 
WP Data Access – App Builder for Tables, Forms, Dashboards, Charts & Maps 10K+ · 4.9★ (88)
wp.org #4 ↑2 5 
MapPress – Google Maps, OpenStreetMap & Leaflet 30K+ · 4.7★ (147)
wp.org #6 ↑1 1 too low 6 
Maps Widget for Google Maps 20K+ · 4.6★ (512)
wp.org #9 ↓1 3 too low 7 
Widgets for Google Reviews 1M+ · 4.9★ (2667)
wp.org #13 6 too low 8 
WP Maps – Google Maps, OpenStreetMap, Mapbox, Store Locator with Search, Filters & Listings 60K+ · 4.3★ (122) throws errorsnot PHP-currentheavy footprint
wp.org #5 3 too high 9 WP All Import – Drag & Drop Import for CSV, XML, Excel & Google Sheets 100K+ · 4.7★ (1966)
wp.org #19 ↓3 10 too low 10 W WP Photo Album Plus 10K+ · 4.7★ (199) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #8 ↑7 2 too high 11 
Hide My WP Ghost – Security & Firewall 100K+ · 4.5★ (373)
wp.org #15 ↑2 4 too low 12 
WP GPX Maps 4K+ · 4.1★ (59) not PHP-current
wp.org #7 5 too high 13 
MapGeo – Interactive Geo Maps 30K+ · 4.4★ (65)
wp.org #12 ↓1 1 too high 14 
Advanced Custom Fields (ACF®) 2M+ · 4.5★ (1440) heavy footprint
wp.org #17 3 too low 15 
WP Go Maps Block 3K+ · 5.0★ (19) thin reviews
wp.org #10 ↓1 5 too high 16 
WP Event Manager – Events Calendar, Registrations, Sell Tickets with WooCommerce 20K+ · 4.0★ (249)
wp.org #20 ↓1 4 too low 17 
HTML5 Maps 4K+ · 4.6★ (45)
wp.org #16 ↓3 1 too high 18 
WP Map Block – Google Maps, OpenStreetMap, Mapbox, Store & Shop Locator, Directory, Listings & Filters 20K+ · 4.0★ (20) thin reviews
wp.org #11 ↓1 7 too high 19 
WP Migrate Lite – Migration Made Easy 200K+ · 4.2★ (318) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #22 ↓1 3 too low 20 
MapSVG – Vector maps, Image maps, Google Maps 1K+ · 4.5★ (31)
wp.org #21 ↓1 1 too low 21 
Map Block for Google Maps 20K+ · 4.6★ (21) thin reviews
wp.org #23 ↓1 2 too low 22 
exovia GDPR Google Maps 4K+ · 4.6★ (11) thin reviews
wp.org #24 ↓1 2 too low 23 
WP Consent API 200K+ · 5.0★ (2) host-installed base thin reviews
wp.org #18 ↓3 5 too high 24 M Map Block 6K+ · 5.0★ (1) thin reviews
wp.org #14 ↓2 10 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.