Footnotation

How well this listing is tuned to rank in WordPress.org search, on the factors an owner controls. Not popularity, optimization.

Directory searches this plugin turns up in, and which way each one is moving. WordPress.org publishes no history of search positions, so this starts the day we first tracked a keyword and never backfills.

Not enough tracked days yet to call a direction. Momentum needs at least three keywords measured a week or more apart.

wp.org is where the directory puts the plugin for that search. On merit is where it would sit if results were ranked on rating, support and updates, without the install boost. The last column is how far the wp.org position moved, from our first reading in the last 90 days to the latest.

1 search this plugin appeared in over the last 90 days. 4 of its tags aren't in the top 24 for their own search.

Directory rank

Ranked about #13,300 to #16,400, alongside the other plugins at 100+ installs. Plugins with the same install count swap places between wp.org requests, so this is where most of them sit. Checked monthly, last on 21 Oct 2026.

How often this plugin actually ships. A steady rhythm is the maintenance signal a single "last updated" date can't show.

Share of active installs on each version of this plugin · 100% run the current release. Green is the current release; a big slice on older versions is a user base that has stopped updating.

Crossed into this band 14 months ago; a band this size takes about a year or more to cross, which places it about 50% of the way through.

1. ★★★★★ Blackhawke

   8.1y ago

   We’ve used this plugin since fd-footnotes was abandoned. On our site, it’s absolutely essential. As others have said, it’s straight forward and easy to use. Unfortunately, if you do a lot of hand coding on your pages, and so use a raw HTML syntax highlighting editor, you’ll find yourself incredibly frustrated by this plugin, as a single footnote is almost guaranteed to make a complete hash of the syntax highlighting. The reason is fairly simple: This plugin violates the rules for WordPress shortcodes. A useful work-around for the interested: use double square brackets while editing your page/post. So instead of: [1. this is a footnote.] Write: [[1. this is a footnote.]] while you’re working on the page/post. Your footnote marks will then be surrounded by square brackets, but at least the syntax highlighting in your code editor won’t be turned into mush. Then, after you’re through editing, remove the outside set of square brackets. Not perfect, but until or unless the developer of this plugin wishes to update it to comply with shortcode syntax (which might screw up old posts) its the best we can hope for.

   Read on wp.org ↗
2. ★★★★★ sajid264

   8.6y ago

   The #1 choice for any one who wants to make footnotes. even a new user like me found this plugin very easy to use. the return feature is sooo cool.thanks.

   Read on wp.org ↗
3. ★★★★★ inge12

   9.0y ago

   I had used FD Footnotes for years and was apprehensive that the plugin would stop working some time in the future since the original author announced that he would not be updating it any more. So I was delighted to discover this drop-in replacement. It works perfectly, just like the original FD Footnotes. Kudos to V.H. Belvadi for offering this replacement. I trust that he will continue to support it. As of WordPress 4.9, the plugin works perfectly. A truly elegant, easy-to-use solution! This topic was modified 8 years, 8 months ago by inge12.

   Read on wp.org ↗
4. ★★★★★ Kakemphaton

   9.4y ago

   Thank you for continuing the now unsupported fd-footnotes plugin. This plugin ist really easy to use and works well. Here is my CSS for minor aesthetic changes: sup.footnote a { text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: super; font-weight: bold; font-size: 80%; padding-left: 0.1em; } .footnotedivider { width: 40%; padding-top: 0.8em; border-top: 1px solid #000; } .footnotes li { font-size: 1.1em !important; max-width: 490px; margin-bottom: 1em; } If you want a button for showing / hiding footnotes: .footnotes > p:nth-child(2) { margin-top: .2em; } .footnoteshow { display: inline-block; color: #575757; background: #f2f2f2; margin-left: 2em; margin-bottom: .8em; font-size: .8em; border: solid #d1d1d1 1px; padding: 3px 13px 2px 13px; text-decoration: none; } .footnoteshow:hover { color: #fff; background: #1296e8; text-decoration: none; } Last thing: it is possible to translate the “Show footnotes” string editing the plugin code in WP. Updates of the plugin will destroy changes, but they won’t happen very often, I suppose. Thank you for maintaining this plugin!

   Read on wp.org ↗
5. ★★★★★ Anonymous

   9.6y ago

   This plugin manages footnotes in an easy, convenient, and robust way. An essential tool!

   Read on wp.org ↗

Automated install-time checks, tested on PHP 7.2.16 · WP 5.2.4

Whether ChatGPT and Claude name this plugin when asked the category question, and whether the readme gives them something to quote.

Not measured yet for this plugin’s topics. Its tracked searches are not among the measured topics. See the topics measured so far.

Growth timeline

Install-tier crossings we have observed, and how long each tier took to outgrow

1. 2025-09-21 200+ → 100+ down after 4 days in tier
2. 2025-09-17 100+ → 200+ up after 12 days in tier
3. 2025-09-05 200+ → 100+ down after 3 days in tier
4. 2025-09-02 100+ → 200+ up after 51 days in tier
5. 2025-07-13 200+ → 100+ down after 6 days in tier
6. 2025-07-07 100+ → 200+ up after 16 days in tier
7. 2025-06-21 200+ → 100+ down after 858 days in tier
8. 2023-02-14 300+ → 200+ down after 69 days in tier

Competes with

The plugins that solve the same job, ranked by shared tags then reach, closest match first. The letter on the right is each plugin's health grade (A best, F worst).

Embed this report card

Drop a live Pulse card for Footnotation into a readme, a review or a deck. It updates itself.

Footnotation: 100+ active installs, 4.8★ (5 reviews). Plugin Pulse (WP Mayor), as of 2026-11-01. https://plugins.wpmayor.com/plugin/footnotation