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

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 “zend”, 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 the install base is organic or host-pushed, and its risk of being pulled.

Ranked above its merit

OPcache Reset shows at wp.org #4 but places #12 on merit, a gap of 8 places. Its 500+ 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

Comet Cache places #6 on merit, 4.4★ from 108 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 Docket Cache – Object Cache Accelerator 20K+ · 4.9★ (50) wp.org #1 2 WP-ServerInfo 10K+ · 4.8★ (17) wp.org #3 1 too low 3 FG Joomla to WordPress 7K+ · 4.7★ (336) wp.org #8 5 too low 4 OPcache Manager 2K+ · 5.0★ (4) wp.org #2 2 too high 5 Weight Based Shipping for WooCommerce 50K+ · 4.6★ (83) wp.org #9 4 too low 6 Comet Cache 20K+ · 4.4★ (108) wp.org #14 8 too low 7 MMWW 200+ · 4.5★ (11) wp.org #6 1 too high 8 UsageDD 1K+ · 4.8★ (19) wp.org #10 2 too low 9 Affiliate Super Assistent 1K+ · 4.6★ (36) wp.org #13 4 too low 10 The Cache Purger 1K+ · 4.5★ (6) wp.org #5 5 too high 11 Popular Brand Icons – Simple Icons 3K+ · 4.7★ (10) wp.org #11 12 OPcache Reset 500+ · 4.0★ (1) wp.org #4 8 too high 13 Dashboard Server Specs 90+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #7 6 too high 14 BuddyStream 10+ · 2.2★ (25) wp.org #22 ↓1 8 too low 15 S Server Status 100+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #21 ↓1 6 too low 16 SnapScan Payment Gateway 700+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #12 4 too high 17 Champlin Pre-Flight Audit — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #16 1 too high 18 PressVitals Site Auditor — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #17 1 too high 19 Codela – Checkout, Shipping & Notifications for WooCommerce — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #18 ↓1 1 too high 20 S Send Password Instead of Email by nexgi.com — · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #15 5 too high 21 博 博客优化 10+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #19 ↓1 2 too high 22 W WP OPcache Patch 30+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #23 ↓1 1 too low 23 SVG Logo and Text Effects 60+ · 3.5★ (2) wp.org #20 ↓1 3 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.