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wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “note list”

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 “note list”, we and wp.org disagree on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 10 of the top 20. 2 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

WP-Note 2019 shows at wp.org #4 but places #23 on merit, a gap of 19 places. Its 300+ installs carry it up the search order; its 5.0★ average from 1 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

Buried gem

MailPoet – Newsletters, Email Marketing, and Automation places #12 on merit, 4.4★ from 1435 reviews, but shows at wp.org #22. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin wp.org
1 WP Dashboard Notes 20K+ · 4.6★ (110) wp.org #2 1 too low 2 List categories 5K+ · 4.5★ (15) wp.org #1 1 too high 3 W4 Post List 3K+ · 4.7★ (94) wp.org #3 4 The Events Calendar 600K+ · 4.2★ (2461) wp.org #8 ↓3 4 too low 5 WebToffee WooCommerce PDF Invoices, Packing Slips, Delivery Notes & Shipping Labels 50K+ · 4.9★ (285) wp.org #5 ↑1 6 Plugin Notes Plus 9K+ · 5.0★ (62) wp.org #7 ↑1 1 too low 7 12 Step Meeting List 900+ · 5.0★ (28) wp.org #6 ↑1 1 too high 8 Product Table & List Builder for WooCommerce 10K+ · 4.9★ (254) wp.org #14 6 too low 9 Elementor Website Builder – more than just a page builder 10M+ · 4.5★ (7323) wp.org #11 2 too low 10 Ultimate Member – User Profile, Registration, Login, Member Directory, Content Restriction & Membership Plugin 200K+ · 4.4★ (1445) wp.org #17 ↑1 7 too low 11 Peter's Post Notes – Admin Notes for Posts and Pages 3K+ · 4.9★ (26) wp.org #10 1 too high 12 MailPoet – Newsletters, Email Marketing, and Automation 500K+ · 4.4★ (1435) wp.org #22 ↓7 10 too low 13 Wishlist for WooCommerce: Multiple Wishlists per Customer 2K+ · 4.9★ (53) wp.org #23 10 too low 14 Link Library 10K+ · 4.7★ (97) wp.org #19 5 too low 15 User Notes 800+ · 4.8★ (15) wp.org #16 ↑1 1 too low 16 WooCommerce Stripe Payment Gateway 700K+ · 3.1★ (237) wp.org #12 4 too high 17 Ditty – Responsive News Tickers, Sliders, and Lists 30K+ · 4.6★ (106) wp.org #24 7 too low 18 Sticky Notes for WP Dashboard 1K+ · 5.0★ (7) wp.org #13 5 too high 19 KeepInMind Dashboard Notes 300+ · 5.0★ (9) wp.org #20 ↑1 1 too low 20 Set Price Note (Units, Offers, Editions) for WooCommerce 700+ · 4.7★ (3) wp.org #9 11 too high 21 Team List 100+ · 5.0★ (7) wp.org #18 ↑2 3 too high 22 Product Notes Tab & Private Admin Notes for WooCommerce 1K+ · 5.0★ (4) wp.org #15 ↑1 7 too high 23 WP-Note 2019 300+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #4 19 too high 24 WPC Order Notes for WooCommerce 800+ · 4.3★ (3) wp.org #21 ↑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.