diff --git a/packages/node_modules/@node-red/editor-client/src/js/ui/palette-editor.js b/packages/node_modules/@node-red/editor-client/src/js/ui/palette-editor.js
index 3926ca430..f993547b1 100644
--- a/packages/node_modules/@node-red/editor-client/src/js/ui/palette-editor.js
+++ b/packages/node_modules/@node-red/editor-client/src/js/ui/palette-editor.js
@@ -583,7 +583,9 @@ RED.palette.editor = (function() {
             packageList.editableList('addItem',{count:loadedList.length})
             return;
         }
+        // sort the filtered modules
         filteredList.sort(activeSort);
+        // render the items in the package list
         for (var i=0;i<Math.min(10,filteredList.length);i++) {
             packageList.editableList('addItem',filteredList[i]);
         }
@@ -595,15 +597,26 @@ RED.palette.editor = (function() {
         }
     }
     function sortModulesRelevance(A,B) {
-        var currentFilter = searchInput.searchBox('value').trim();
-        if (currentFilter === "") {
-            return sortModulesAZ(A,B);
+        const defaultSort = sortModulesDownloads(A,B);
+        const currentFilter = searchInput.searchBox('value').trim();
+        if (defaultSort === 0) {
+            // same number of downloads
+            if (currentFilter === "") {
+                return sortModulesAZ(A,B);
+            }
+            var i = A.info.index.indexOf(currentFilter) - B.info.index.indexOf(currentFilter);
+            if (i === 0) {
+                return sortModulesAZ(A,B);
+            }
+            return i;
         }
-        var i = A.info.index.indexOf(currentFilter) - B.info.index.indexOf(currentFilter);
-        if (i === 0) {
-            return sortModulesAZ(A,B);
-        }
-        return i;
+        return defaultSort;
+    }
+    function sortModulesDownloads(A,B) {
+        // check A has the info.downloads property - if not exising, prioritise it (likely a custom user catalogue)
+        const a = A.info && typeof A.info.downloads !== 'undefined' ? A.info.downloads.week : Number.MAX_SAFE_INTEGER;
+        const b = B.info && typeof B.info.downloads !== 'undefined' ? B.info.downloads.week : Number.MAX_SAFE_INTEGER;
+        return b - a;
     }
     function sortModulesAZ(A,B) {
         return A.info.id.localeCompare(B.info.id);
@@ -1120,8 +1133,11 @@ RED.palette.editor = (function() {
                     var descRow = $('<div class="red-ui-palette-module-meta"></div>').appendTo(headerRow);
                     $('<div>',{class:"red-ui-palette-module-description"}).text(entry.description).appendTo(descRow);
                     var metaRow = $('<div class="red-ui-palette-module-meta"></div>').appendTo(headerRow);
-                    $('<span class="red-ui-palette-module-version"><i class="fa fa-tag"></i> '+entry.version+'</span>').appendTo(metaRow);
-                    $('<span class="red-ui-palette-module-updated"><i class="fa fa-calendar"></i> '+formatUpdatedAt(entry.updated_at)+'</span>').appendTo(metaRow);
+                    $('<span class="red-ui-palette-module-version" title="Latest Version"><i class="fa fa-tag"></i> '+entry.version+'</span>').appendTo(metaRow);
+                    $('<span class="red-ui-palette-module-updated" title="Last Updated"><i class="fa fa-calendar"></i> '+formatUpdatedAt(entry.updated_at)+'</span>').appendTo(metaRow);
+                    if (entry.downloads?.week !== undefined) {
+                        $('<span class="red-ui-palette-module-downloads" title="Downloads - Last 7 Days"><i class="fa fa-download"></i> '+(new Intl.NumberFormat().format(entry.downloads.week))+'</span>').appendTo(metaRow);
+                    }
                     if (loadedCatalogs.length > 1) {
                         $('<span class="red-ui-palette-module-updated"><i class="fa fa-cubes"></i>' + (entry.catalog.name || entry.catalog.url) + '</span>').appendTo(metaRow);
                     }
diff --git a/packages/node_modules/@node-red/editor-client/src/sass/palette-editor.scss b/packages/node_modules/@node-red/editor-client/src/sass/palette-editor.scss
index 48706bda8..cdbfa406b 100644
--- a/packages/node_modules/@node-red/editor-client/src/sass/palette-editor.scss
+++ b/packages/node_modules/@node-red/editor-client/src/sass/palette-editor.scss
@@ -119,6 +119,9 @@
     .red-ui-palette-module-updated {
         margin-left: 10px;
     }
+    .red-ui-palette-module-downloads {
+        margin-left: 10px;
+    }
     .red-ui-palette-module-link {
         margin-left: 5px;
     }
@@ -230,7 +233,7 @@
     white-space: nowrap;
     @include mixins.enable-selection;
 }
-.red-ui-palette-module-version, .red-ui-palette-module-updated, .red-ui-palette-module-link {
+.red-ui-palette-module-version, .red-ui-palette-module-updated, .red-ui-palette-module-link, .red-ui-palette-module-downloads {
     font-style:italic;
     font-size: 0.8em;
     @include mixins.enable-selection;