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wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “notes widget”

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 “notes widget”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 12 of the top 20. 1 plugin is 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

Statify Widget shows at wp.org #11 but places #22 on merit, a gap of 11 places. Its 4K+ installs carry it up the search order; its 5.0★ average from 5 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

Buried gem

The Events Calendar places #10 on merit, 4.2★ from 2461 reviews, but shows at wp.org #17. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin wp.org
1 Essential Addons for Elementor – Popular Elementor Templates & Widgets 1M+ · 4.9★ (4132) wp.org #1 2 Peter's Post Notes – Admin Notes for Posts and Pages 3K+ · 4.9★ (26) wp.org #2 3 Black Studio TinyMCE Widget 200K+ · 4.8★ (191) wp.org #5 2 too low 4 Widgets for Social Photo Feed 10K+ · 4.7★ (28) wp.org #3 1 too high 5 Ultimate Addons for Elementor – Widgets, Templates, WooCommerce & Header Footer Builder 2M+ · 4.9★ (2528) wp.org #8 ↑3 3 too low 6 Elementor Website Builder – more than just a page builder 10M+ · 4.5★ (7323) wp.org #6 7 AccessiYes Accessibility Widget for ADA, EAA & WCAG Readiness 20K+ · 4.8★ (36) wp.org #7 8 GR Widget – Google Reviews Widget 900+ · 5.0★ (10) wp.org #4 4 too high 9 Content Blocks (Custom Post Widget) 10K+ · 4.9★ (80) wp.org #12 3 too low 10 The Events Calendar 600K+ · 4.2★ (2461) wp.org #17 7 too low 11 Void Contact Form 7 Widget For Elementor Page Builder 10K+ · 4.9★ (103) wp.org #15 4 too low 12 Widget Disable 10K+ · 4.8★ (24) wp.org #9 ↓1 3 too high 13 Translate WordPress with GTranslate 900K+ · 4.9★ (4962) wp.org #23 10 too low 14 Tagembed: Social Media Feeds and Customer Reviews Widget 9K+ · 3.9★ (62) wp.org #10 ↓1 4 too high 15 Cryptocurrency Widgets – Price Ticker & Coins List 6K+ · 4.8★ (191) wp.org #19 4 too low 16 Reviews Widgets for Google, TripAdvisor, Yelp & Recommendations 10K+ · 4.9★ (326) wp.org #16 17 Dashboard Widgets Suite 4K+ · 4.9★ (38) wp.org #14 3 too high 18 D Dashboard Notes 500+ · 4.7★ (19) wp.org #13 5 too high 19 WP Telegram Widget and Join Link 4K+ · 4.9★ (31) wp.org #21 2 too low 20 Tabs Widget for Page Builder 3K+ · 4.8★ (19) wp.org #18 2 too high 21 OpenStation – Admin Dashboard Notes, Custom Dashboard, AI Assistant & PWA 1K+ · 5.0★ (23) wp.org #24 3 too low 22 Statify Widget 4K+ · 5.0★ (5) wp.org #11 ↓1 11 too high 23 WP Categories Widget 6K+ · 4.5★ (27) wp.org #22 1 too high 24 Widget Visibility Time Scheduler 1K+ · 5.0★ (8) wp.org #20 4 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.