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wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “yelp api”

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 “yelp api”, 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

Widget for Google Reviews shows at wp.org #7 but places #22 on merit, a gap of 15 places. Its 1K+ installs carry it up the search order; its 5.0★ average from 5 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

Buried gem

Strong Testimonials places #8 on merit, 4.8★ from 614 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 Widgets for Google Reviews 1M+ · 4.9★ (2667) wp.org #1 2 Premium Addons for Elementor – AI-Ready Elementor Addons, Widgets & Templates 600K+ · 4.9★ (1680) wp.org #5 ↓1 3 too low 3 Reviews Feed – Add Testimonials and Customer Reviews From Google Reviews, Yelp, TripAdvisor, and More 100K+ · 4.3★ (36) wp.org #2 ↓1 1 too high 4 Reviews Widgets for Google, TripAdvisor, Yelp & Recommendations 10K+ · 4.9★ (326) wp.org #3 ↓1 1 too high 5 Site Reviews 60K+ · 4.9★ (376) wp.org #6 ↓1 1 too low 6 Widget for Yelp Reviews 2K+ · 4.8★ (43) wp.org #4 ↓1 2 too high 7 ElementsKit Elementor Addons – Advanced Widgets & Templates Addons for Elementor 1M+ · 4.9★ (2051) wp.org #11 ↑4 4 too low 8 Strong Testimonials 80K+ · 4.8★ (614) wp.org #14 ↓2 6 too low 9 MonsterInsights – Google Analytics Dashboard for WordPress (Website Stats Made Easy) 2M+ · 4.5★ (3157) wp.org #8 ↓1 1 too high 10 WP Google Review Slider 30K+ · 4.9★ (373) wp.org #9 ↓1 1 too high 11 WP Store Locator 40K+ · 4.8★ (312) wp.org #16 5 too low 12 WP Review Slider 6K+ · 4.8★ (181) wp.org #10 ↓1 2 too high 13 HivePress – Business Directory, Listings & Classified Ads Plugin 10K+ · 4.9★ (221) wp.org #20 ↓2 7 too low 14 Classified Listing – AI-Powered Classified ads & Business Directory 9K+ · 4.8★ (138) wp.org #15 ↓2 1 too low 15 GeoDirectory – WP Business Directory Plugin and Classified Listings Directory 10K+ · 4.8★ (716) wp.org #23 ↓1 8 too low 16 BNE Testimonials 1K+ · 4.9★ (28) wp.org #12 ↓2 4 too high 17 WPZOOM Connect: Social Icons Widget & Block, Share Buttons & Click to Chat 90K+ · 4.9★ (144) wp.org #24 ↓5 7 too low 18 WP Airbnb Review Slider 1K+ · 5.0★ (56) wp.org #18 ↓2 19 WP Social Ninja – Embed Social Feeds, User Reviews & Chat Widgets 30K+ · 4.8★ (71) wp.org #21 2 too low 20 Listdom: AI-powered Business Directory with Classifieds Ads Listings 1K+ · 4.9★ (60) wp.org #22 ↓2 2 too low 21 Tagembed: Social Media Feeds and Customer Reviews Widget 9K+ · 3.9★ (62) wp.org #17 ↓3 4 too high 22 Widget for Google Reviews 1K+ · 5.0★ (5) wp.org #7 ↓1 15 too high 23 Review Slider for WooCommerce 400+ · 4.7★ (12) wp.org #19 ↓2 4 too high 24 Business Reviews – build trust with real customer feedback 1K+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #13 ↓2 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.