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wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “wpforms functionality”

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 “wpforms functionality”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 13 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 the install base is organic or host-pushed, and its risk of being pulled.

Ranked above its merit

WPSyncSheets For WPForms – Google Sheets Connector for WPForms & Real‑Time Data Export shows at wp.org #5 but places #18 on merit, a gap of 13 places. Its 300+ 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

Anti-Spam, Spam FireWall by CleanTalk places #2 on merit, 4.8★ from 3221 reviews, but shows at wp.org #9. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin wp.org
1 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 Anti-Spam, Spam FireWall by CleanTalk 200K+ · 4.8★ (3221) wp.org #9 ↓1 7 too low 3 File Upload Types by WPForms 40K+ · 4.0★ (20) wp.org #2 ↑1 1 too high 4 Complianz GDPR/CCPA Cookie Consent Banner 1M+ · 4.7★ (1667) wp.org #7 ↑3 3 too low 5 Utimate Kit ( Styler ) for WPForms 20K+ · 4.8★ (114) wp.org #6 1 too low 6 Views for WPForms – Display & Edit WPForms Entries on your site frontend 1K+ · 5.0★ (24) wp.org #4 2 too high 7 GSheetConnector – WPForms Google Sheets Connector, Save WPForms Lite & PRO Entries to Database & Sheets 7K+ · 4.6★ (18) wp.org #3 ↓1 4 too high 8 Download Monitor 80K+ · 4.5★ (525) wp.org #10 ↑1 2 too low 9 Contact Form & SMTP Plugin for WordPress by PirateForms 30K+ · 4.7★ (223) wp.org #12 ↑1 3 too low 10 Fluent Forms – Customizable Contact Forms, Survey, Quiz, & Conversational Form Builder 800K+ · 4.8★ (807) wp.org #13 ↑1 3 too low 11 Ultimate Addons for Elementor – Widgets, Templates, WooCommerce & Header Footer Builder 2M+ · 4.9★ (2528) wp.org #15 ↑3 4 too low 12 Image CAPTCHA for Contact Form 7 and WPForms by HookAndHook (DSGVO/GDPR) 70K+ · 4.7★ (49) wp.org #8 ↓1 4 too high 13 WP Fastest Cache – WordPress Cache Plugin 1M+ · 4.9★ (4228) wp.org #18 ↑2 5 too low 14 WP Activity Log 300K+ · 4.7★ (490) wp.org #16 ↓7 2 too low 15 Forminator Forms – Contact Form, Payment Form & Custom Form Builder 600K+ · 4.8★ (2144) wp.org #20 ↑1 5 too low 16 Simply Static – The Static Site Generator 30K+ · 4.5★ (195) wp.org #17 ↓1 1 too low 17 Hostinger Reach – AI-Powered Email Marketing for WordPress 1M+ · 5.0★ (8) wp.org #14 ↑1 3 too high 18 WPSyncSheets For WPForms – Google Sheets Connector for WPForms & Real‑Time Data Export 300+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #5 13 too high 19 WPBean Form Popup for WPForms and Contact Form 7 – Create Popup Forms Easily 600+ · 4.2★ (5) wp.org #22 ↑1 3 too low 20 Entry Manager for WPForms – Save Form Entries to Database & Export 100+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #11 ↑1 9 too high 21 Ultra Addons for WPForms 100+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #23 ↓1 2 too low 22 Lead Sync – WPForms to Jetpack CRM 20+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #19 ↓2 3 too high 23 Connect WPForm to Any API 100+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #21 ↓2 2 too high 24 Integration of Zoho CRM and WPForms 90+ · 1.0★ (1) wp.org #24

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.