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

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 “wpb”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 11 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

WPB Image Widget shows at wp.org #8 but places #16 on merit, a gap of 8 places. Its 100+ installs carry it up the search order; its 4.0★ average from 1 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

Buried gem

Related Posts Thumbnails places #5 on merit, 4.9★ from 234 reviews, but shows at wp.org #14. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin wp.org
1 WPB Accordion Menu – Collapsible Vertical Sidebar Responsive Mobile Menu – WooCommerce Category Accordion 10K+ · 4.4★ (54) wp.org #1 2 WPB Popup for Contact Form 7 – Showing Contact Form 7 Popup on Button Click 5K+ · 4.6★ (16) wp.org #2 3 WPB Product Slider for WooCommerce – Responsive Product Carousel & Showcase 4K+ · 4.1★ (38) wp.org #3 4 WPB Custom Tab Manager for WooCommerce – Add, Edit & Reorder Tabs 500+ · 4.5★ (14) wp.org #6 2 too low 5 Related Posts Thumbnails 20K+ · 4.9★ (234) wp.org #14 9 too low 6 WPB Category Slider for WooCommerce – Responsive Product Category Carousel & Enhanced UX 700+ · 4.1★ (9) wp.org #5 1 too high 7 WPB Addons for Elementor – News Ticker, Timeline, Team & More Widgets 3K+ · 3.8★ (11) wp.org #4 3 too high 8 Related Products Slider for WooCommerce – Boost Sales with Smart Product Recommendations 1K+ · 4.7★ (12) wp.org #9 ↑1 1 too low 9 Advanced WordPress Backgrounds 30K+ · 4.8★ (44) wp.org #24 15 too low 10 Portfolio Grid – Filterable Gallery, Grid & Slider Showcase 800+ · 4.4★ (33) wp.org #19 ↓1 9 too low 11 WPB Quick View Popup for WooCommerce – Fast Product Preview Modal & AJAX Quick View 1K+ · 3.1★ (32) wp.org #12 1 too low 12 WPBean Form Popup for WPForms and Contact Form 7 – Create Popup Forms Easily 600+ · 4.2★ (5) wp.org #7 5 too high 13 W WPB Social Master 40+ · 5.0★ (3) wp.org #10 ↑1 3 too high 14 WPB Widgets Accordion for WooCommerce 50+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #11 ↓2 3 too high 15 Falang for WPBakery Lite 50+ · 5.0★ (3) wp.org #21 ↓1 6 too low 16 WPB Image Widget 100+ · 4.0★ (1) wp.org #8 8 too high 17 W WPB Products Accordion for WooCommerce 10+ · 4.0★ (3) wp.org #17 ↓1 18 WPB Floating Menu or Categories – Sticky Floating Side Menu & Categories with Icons 300+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #15 ↓1 3 too high 19 Video Player for WPBakery 2K+ · 3.7★ (3) wp.org #20 ↓1 1 too low 20 Show Product Sales Count for WooCommerce 200+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #13 7 too high 21 Comment Moderation Role by WPBeginner 200+ · 3.7★ (3) wp.org #16 ↓1 5 too high 22 Product Size Charts Plugin for WooCommerce, Size Table, Size Chart Popup – WPBean 300+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #18 ↓1 4 too high 23 WPBits Block Studio — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #22 ↓1 1 too high 24 EnMigrate Pro — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #23 1 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.