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wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “zip backup”

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 “zip backup”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 10 of the top 20. 3 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

Export Media as ZIP shows at wp.org #9 but places #20 on merit, a gap of 11 places. Its 3K+ installs carry it up the search order; its 3.7★ average from 3 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

Buried gem

Modular DS: Monitor, update, and backup multiple websites places #11 on merit, 5.0★ from 133 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 UpdraftPlus: WP Backup & Migration Plugin 4M+ · 4.8★ (8706) wp.org #1 2 Backup Migration 80K+ · 4.9★ (1338) wp.org #3 1 too low 3 Duplicator – Backups & Migration Plugin – Cloud Backups, Scheduled Backups, & More 1M+ · 4.9★ (4940) wp.org #2 1 too high 4 WP STAGING – Backups & Restore, Migration & Clone Plugin – Cloud Backups, Scheduled Backups 100K+ · 4.8★ (2470) wp.org #4 5 BackWPup – WordPress Backup & Restore Plugin 400K+ · 4.0★ (1323) wp.org #5 6 Migrate Guru – Site Migration & Cloning 200K+ · 4.9★ (1645) wp.org #10 ↓2 4 too low 7 WP Database Backup – Unlimited Database & Files Backup by Backup for WP 20K+ · 4.5★ (102) wp.org #6 1 too high 8 Wordfence Security – Firewall, Malware Scan, and Login Security 5M+ · 4.7★ (5038) wp.org #11 ↓1 3 too low 9 Total Upkeep – WordPress Backup Plugin plus Restore & Migrate by BoldGrid 40K+ · 4.8★ (442) wp.org #8 ↓1 1 too high 10 Prime Mover – Backup and Migration 10K+ · 5.0★ (141) wp.org #15 ↑1 5 too low 11 Modular DS: Monitor, update, and backup multiple websites 40K+ · 5.0★ (133) wp.org #20 9 too low 12 Backup Bolt – Lightweight Backup, Fast WordPress Backup to ZIP 800+ · 4.7★ (13) wp.org #7 ↑4 5 too high 13 Photo Gallery, Sliders, Proofing and Themes – NextGEN Gallery 300K+ · 4.3★ (4342) wp.org #22 9 too low 14 Download Plugins and Themes in ZIP from Dashboard 30K+ · 4.9★ (27) wp.org #12 ↑2 2 too high 15 WP 2FA – Two-factor authentication for WordPress 100K+ · 4.7★ (184) wp.org #23 8 too low 16 Backup and Staging by WP Time Capsule 10K+ · 4.0★ (128) wp.org #18 ↑5 2 too low 17 WebToffee WP Backup and Migration 5K+ · 4.5★ (49) wp.org #13 4 too high 18 Keep Backup Daily 200+ · 4.4★ (45) wp.org #19 1 too low 19 Kadence Central – Site Management, Backups, Security, and Reporting 30K+ · 4.2★ (5) wp.org #16 ↑1 3 too high 20 Export Media as ZIP 3K+ · 3.7★ (3) wp.org #9 11 too high 21 KP Zip Downloader 1K+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #14 ↓2 7 too high 22 pCloud WP Backup 1K+ · 2.8★ (20) wp.org #17 ↑1 5 too high 23 atec Backup 40+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #24 1 too low 24 Demi – One Click Demo Import, Backup & Site Migration 300+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #21 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.