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wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “notification bell”

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 “notification bell”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 5 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

Ultimate Push Notifications shows at wp.org #12 but places #24 on merit, a gap of 12 places. Its 50+ installs carry it up the search order; its 3.0★ average from 4 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

Buried gem

Simple Link Directory – AI Powered places #9 on merit, 4.8★ from 121 reviews, but shows at wp.org #15. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin wp.org
1 WP Notification Bell 700+ · 4.9★ (12) wp.org #1 2 Buddy Notification Bell 100+ · 4.7★ (14) wp.org #2 3 Disable WP Notification 10K+ · 4.3★ (12) wp.org #3 4 OneSignal – Web Push Notifications 60K+ · 4.3★ (360) wp.org #6 ↓1 2 too low 5 BrikPanel: WooCommerce Dashboard & Analytics, Abandoned Cart Recovery, Order Export, Inventory Management & Bulk Editor 1K+ · 5.0★ (55) wp.org #5 ↑1 6 Simple Login Notification 2K+ · 5.0★ (9) wp.org #4 2 too high 7 Push Notification for Post and BuddyPress 200+ · 4.7★ (24) wp.org #7 8 PushEngage – Web Push Notifications, WooCommerce Automation & Chat Widget 8K+ · 4.3★ (37) wp.org #8 9 Simple Link Directory – AI Powered 2K+ · 4.8★ (121) wp.org #15 6 too low 10 Perfecty Push Notifications 3K+ · 4.6★ (42) wp.org #11 ↓1 1 too low 11 Gravitec.net – Web Push Notifications 1K+ · 4.4★ (21) wp.org #10 ↓1 1 too high 12 WonderPush – Web Push Notifications – WooCommerce Abandoned Cart – GDPR 600+ · 4.8★ (36) wp.org #13 1 too low 13 HollerBox — Fast & Effective Popups & Lead-Generation 2K+ · 4.8★ (32) wp.org #21 ↓1 8 too low 14 SureDash – Community, Courses & Member Dashboard 1K+ · 4.3★ (23) wp.org #22 ↓1 8 too low 15 One to one user Chat by WPGuppy 500+ · 4.2★ (5) wp.org #14 1 too high 16 Shop Manager for WooCommerce – AI-Powered Frontend Dashboard & Smart Order, Product & Employee Management 40+ · 5.0★ (3) wp.org #20 4 too low 17 DineKit – Restaurant Menu, Online Ordering, Table Reservations & POS 70+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #17 18 Kanbanz 2K+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #9 ↑3 9 too high 19 PingBlink – Floating Knowledge Base, Announcements & Offers Widget 80+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #16 3 too high 20 Bell Admin Notice Hub — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #18 2 too high 21 S Simple BuddyPress Notifications 10+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #19 2 too high 22 4WP Notifications — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #23 ↓1 1 too low 23 StoreSuite – Frontend Shop Manager for WooCommerce with AI – Product, Order, Coupon Management & Analytics Dashboard 20+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #24 1 too low 24 Ultimate Push Notifications 50+ · 3.0★ (4) wp.org #12 ↓1 12 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.