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

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 timeline”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 14 of the top 20. 1 plugin is 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

Bold Timeline Lite shows at wp.org #4 but places #23 on merit, a gap of 19 places. Its 10K+ 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

Smart Slider 3 places #9 on merit, 4.9★ from 1125 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.

merit plugin wp.org
1 Cool Timeline (Horizontal & Vertical Timeline) 20K+ · 4.7★ (333) wp.org #1 2 Royal Addons for Elementor – Addons and Templates Kit for Elementor 600K+ · 4.8★ (612) wp.org #9 7 too low 3 Timeline Block For Gutenberg 9K+ · 4.4★ (11) wp.org #2 1 too high 4 Spectra Legacy – Gutenberg Blocks 1M+ · 4.7★ (1872) wp.org #10 6 too low 5 Essential Addons for Elementor – Popular Elementor Templates & Widgets 1M+ · 4.9★ (4132) wp.org #12 ↑1 7 too low 6 Timeline Block – tell your story with elegant timelines 3K+ · 5.0★ (6) wp.org #3 3 too high 7 Post Timeline 700+ · 4.2★ (21) wp.org #5 2 too high 8 ElementsKit Elementor Addons – Advanced Widgets & Templates Addons for Elementor 1M+ · 4.9★ (2051) wp.org #16 ↓1 8 too low 9 Smart Slider 3 800K+ · 4.9★ (1125) wp.org #20 ↓2 11 too low 10 WP Socializer – Simple & Easy Social Media Share Icons 10K+ · 4.5★ (128) wp.org #15 ↓1 5 too low 11 Unlimited Elements for Elementor 300K+ · 4.8★ (525) wp.org #21 ↓1 10 too low 12 Independent Analytics – WordPress Analytics Plugin 100K+ · 4.8★ (167) wp.org #19 7 too low 13 Security Plugin, Firewall & Malware Scanner with Auto Removal 40K+ · 4.8★ (397) wp.org #23 ↑1 10 too low 14 Timeline Module for Beaver Builder 2K+ · 4.6★ (10) wp.org #6 8 too high 15 Activity Log – Monitor User and Agent Changes 200K+ · 4.3★ (74) wp.org #14 1 too high 16 Ultimate Post Kit – Elementor Post Grid, Post Carousel, Post Slider & Blog Layout Widgets 30K+ · 4.8★ (58) wp.org #18 ↓1 2 too low 17 Advanced Timeline Block 500+ · 5.0★ (9) wp.org #8 9 too high 18 Timeline Blocks 400+ · 4.8★ (5) wp.org #7 11 too high 19 phpinfo() WP – Site Health, PHP Compatibility & Server Audit 3K+ · 4.5★ (8) wp.org #17 ↓1 2 too high 20 ChargeWP Timeline Addons For WPBakery Page Builder 300+ · 4.7★ (3) wp.org #11 9 too high 21 Events Slider, Events Carousel, Events Grid, Events Timeline and Events Filter Bar for The Events Calendar – Eventful 400+ · 5.0★ (7) wp.org #22 1 too low 22 Squad Modules Lite – Free Divi 5 & Divi 4 Modules for Divi Builder 1K+ · 5.0★ (12) wp.org #24 ↓3 2 too low 23 Bold Timeline Lite 10K+ · 3.0★ (2) wp.org #4 19 too high 24 Event Timeline Feed 100+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #13 ↓1 11 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.