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

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 “newsletter”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 7 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

Newsletter Subscription Form – User Subscriptions Form, Capture Email shows at wp.org #16 but places #24 on merit, a gap of 8 places. Its 1K+ installs carry it up the search order; its 4.3★ average from 6 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

Buried gem

TablePress – Tables in WordPress made easy places #11 on merit, 5.0★ from 4625 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 signals wp.org

MailPoet – Newsletters, Email Marketing, and Automation 500K+ · 4.4★ (1431) heavy footprint wp.org #1 2

Newsletter – Send awesome emails from WordPress 200K+ · 4.6★ (1203) throws errorsnot PHP-current wp.org #2 3

Email Subscribers & Newsletters – Email Marketing, Post Notifications & Newsletter Plugin for WordPress 50K+ · 4.6★ (1168) throws errorsnot PHP-current wp.org #3 4

Site Kit by Google – Analytics, Search Console, AdSense, Speed 5M+ · 4.2★ (1009) wp.org #4 ↑4 5

Poptin – Email Marketing Automation, Newsletter & Exit Pop Ups, Email Popups 20K+ · 4.9★ (694) wp.org #7 2 too low 6

FluentCRM – Email Newsletter, Automation, Email Marketing, Email Campaigns, Optins, Leads, and CRM Solution 80K+ · 4.8★ (249) wp.org #6 ↓2 7

Spam protection, Honeypot, Anti-Spam by CleanTalk 200K+ · 4.8★ (3208) wp.org #9 ↑1 2 too low 8

Jetpack – WP Security, Backup, Speed, & Growth 3M+ · 3.7★ (2406) wp.org #8 ↓2 9

Simple Newsletter Plugin – Noptin 10K+ · 4.5★ (118) throws errorsnot PHP-current wp.org #5 4 too high 10

Kit (formerly ConvertKit) – Email Newsletter, Email Marketing, Membership, Subscribers and Landing Pages 40K+ · 4.8★ (90) wp.org #11 1 too low 11

TablePress – Tables in WordPress made easy 600K+ · 5.0★ (4625) wp.org #20 ↑2 9 too low 12

AcyMailing – An Ultimate Newsletter Plugin and Marketing Automation Solution for WordPress 6K+ · 4.8★ (157) wp.org #13 ↑1 1 too low 13

MC4WP: Mailchimp for WordPress 1M+ · 4.8★ (1497) wp.org #18 ↓2 5 too low 14

MailOptin – Popup, Optin Forms & Email Newsletters for Mailchimp, HubSpot, AWeber Etc. 10K+ · 4.8★ (435) throws errorsnot PHP-current wp.org #15 ↑6 1 too low 15

Newsletters 2K+ · 4.6★ (245) throws errorsnot PHP-current wp.org #14 1 too high 16

Sender – Newsletter, SMS and Email Marketing Automation for WooCommerce 5K+ · 4.8★ (77) wp.org #17 ↑2 1 too low 17

Event Calendar Newsletter 600+ · 4.8★ (16) thin reviews wp.org #10 ↓1 7 too high 18

Groundhogg — CRM, Newsletters, and Marketing Automation 2K+ · 4.9★ (149) throws errorsnot PHP-current wp.org #22 4 too low 19

Newsletters, Email Marketing, SMS and Popups by Omnisend 100K+ · 4.8★ (16) not PHP-current thin reviews wp.org #12 7 too high 20

Popup Builder & Popup Maker for WordPress – OptinMonster Email Marketing and Lead Generation 1M+ · 4.3★ (815) throws errorsnot PHP-current wp.org #21 ↑2 1 too low 21

SureContact – Newsletters, Email Marketing, Automation, Revenue Tracking & CRM 10K+ · 4.8★ (18) thin reviews wp.org #24 3 too low 22

EnvíaloSimple: Email Marketing y Newsletters 2K+ · 5.0★ (9) thin reviews wp.org #23 ↑1 1 too low 23

Brevo for WooCommerce 30K+ · 3.4★ (53) throws errorsnot PHP-current wp.org #19 4 too high 24

Newsletter Subscription Form – User Subscriptions Form, Capture Email 1K+ · 4.3★ (6) thin reviews wp.org #16 ↑1 8 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.