wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “order notifications”
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 “order notifications”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 11 of the top 20. 6 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
ChaChing – New Order Notifications for WooCommerce shows at wp.org #7 but places #24 on merit, a gap of 17 places. Its 90+ 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
Forminator Forms – Contact Form, Payment Form & Custom Form Builder places #6 on merit, 4.8★ from 2143 reviews, but shows at wp.org #23. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.
Post Types Order 600K+ · 4.5★ (296)
wp.org #1 2 
BrikPanel: WooCommerce Dashboard & Analytics, Abandoned Cart Recovery, Order Export, Inventory Management & Bulk Editor 1K+ · 5.0★ (55) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #3 1 too low 3 
CWILL (Formerly ParcelPanel) – Shipment Tracking, Tracking & Order Tracking for WooCommerce 7K+ · 4.9★ (538)
wp.org #10 ↓1 7 too low 4 
PiWeb Live sales notification for WooCommerce 40K+ · 4.1★ (29)
wp.org #5 1 too low 5 
Custom Order Status Manager for WooCommerce 30K+ · 4.7★ (117) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #6 1 too low 6 Forminator Forms – Contact Form, Payment Form & Custom Form Builder 600K+ · 4.8★ (2143)
wp.org #23 ↓7 17 too low 7 
Web Push Notifications – Webpushr 10K+ · 4.7★ (63) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #8 1 too low 8 
New Order Notification for WooCommerce 1K+ · 4.4★ (14) throws errorsnot PHP-current thin reviews
wp.org #4 4 too high 9 
Notification for Telegram 4K+ · 4.9★ (71)
wp.org #20 ↑2 11 too low 10 
Order Tracking – WordPress Status Tracking Plugin 3K+ · 4.6★ (73)
wp.org #18 8 too low 11 
WC Cancel Order 5K+ · 4.9★ (23) throws errorsnot PHP-current thin reviews
wp.org #12 ↓1 1 too low 12 
Order Tip for WooCommerce 2K+ · 4.3★ (16) thin reviews
wp.org #11 ↓1 1 too high 13 
Order Approval for Woocommerce 1K+ · 4.8★ (23) throws errorsnot PHP-current thin reviews
wp.org #14 ↓2 1 too low 14 
Noptin – Newsletter, New Post Notifications & Email Automation 10K+ · 4.5★ (120) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #22 ↓5 8 too low 15 
Notiqoo – Order Notification & Customer Chat for WooCommerce 1K+ · 4.8★ (19) throws errorsnot PHP-current thin reviews
wp.org #16 ↑3 1 too low 16 
Order Notifications in Messaging Apps for WooCommerce 400+ · 0.0★ (0) throws errorsnot PHP-current thin reviewslow rating, top placement
wp.org #2 14 too high 17 
Notivo Notification for WooCommerce 5K+ · 4.3★ (80) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #24 7 too low 18 
Order Minimum/Maximum Amount Limits for WooCommerce 10K+ · 4.5★ (40) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #21 ↑2 3 too low 19 
Custom Order Status for WooCommerce 10K+ · 3.3★ (32) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #13 ↑8 6 too high 20 
Order on Mobile for WooCommerce 7K+ · 5.0★ (4) throws errorsnot PHP-current thin reviews
wp.org #9 ↓6 11 too high 21 
Management App for WooCommerce – Order notifications, Order management, Lead management, Uptime Monitoring 800+ · 4.0★ (9) throws errorsnot PHP-current thin reviews
wp.org #15 ↓2 6 too high 22 
EchoPing – Telegram Order Notifications for WooCommerce 40+ · 5.0★ (3) thin reviews
wp.org #17 5 too high 23 
Order Status Control for WooCommerce 4K+ · 5.0★ (4) throws errorsnot PHP-current thin reviews
wp.org #19 ↑1 4 too high 24 ChaChing – New Order Notifications for WooCommerce 90+ · 5.0★ (1) thin reviews
wp.org #7 17 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.