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

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 “show notes”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 11 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

JSM Show User Metadata shows at wp.org #11 but places #21 on merit, a gap of 10 places. Its 3K+ installs carry it up the search order; its 5.0★ average from 2 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

Buried gem

Ultimate Member – User Profile, Registration, Login, Member Directory, Content Restriction & Membership Plugin places #10 on merit, 4.4★ from 1445 reviews, but shows at wp.org #24. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin wp.org
1 Print Invoice & Delivery Notes for WooCommerce 30K+ · 4.4★ (140) wp.org #1 2 WP Dashboard Notes 20K+ · 4.6★ (110) wp.org #2 3 Plugin Notes Plus 9K+ · 5.0★ (62) wp.org #3 4 Peter's Post Notes – Admin Notes for Posts and Pages 3K+ · 4.9★ (26) wp.org #6 2 too low 5 Sticky Notes for WP Dashboard 1K+ · 5.0★ (7) wp.org #4 1 too high 6 Simply Show Hooks 1K+ · 5.0★ (63) wp.org #12 6 too low 7 JSM Show Post Metadata 10K+ · 5.0★ (12) wp.org #7 8 User Notes 800+ · 4.8★ (15) wp.org #8 9 Weaver Show Posts 5K+ · 5.0★ (7) wp.org #5 4 too high 10 Ultimate Member – User Profile, Registration, Login, Member Directory, Content Restriction & Membership Plugin 200K+ · 4.4★ (1445) wp.org #24 14 too low 11 WebToffee WooCommerce PDF Invoices, Packing Slips, Delivery Notes & Shipping Labels 50K+ · 4.9★ (285) wp.org #15 4 too low 12 Site Kit by Google – Analytics, Search Console, AdSense, Speed 5M+ · 4.2★ (1012) wp.org #21 9 too low 13 Elementor Website Builder – more than just a page builder 10M+ · 4.5★ (7323) wp.org #23 10 too low 14 Page & Post Notes 1K+ · 4.4★ (14) wp.org #9 5 too high 15 KeepInMind Dashboard Notes 300+ · 5.0★ (9) wp.org #10 5 too high 16 OpenStation – Admin Dashboard Notes, Custom Dashboard, AI Assistant & PWA 1K+ · 5.0★ (23) wp.org #20 4 too low 17 Show only lowest prices in variable products for WooCommerce 6K+ · 4.8★ (28) wp.org #17 18 JAMP Notes (Just Another Memo Plugin) 400+ · 5.0★ (7) wp.org #14 4 too high 19 Show Support Ribbon 300+ · 5.0★ (11) wp.org #19 20 Show Pages URL List 1K+ · 4.4★ (8) wp.org #16 4 too high 21 JSM Show User Metadata 3K+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #11 10 too high 22 JSM Show Order Metadata for WooCommerce HPOS 700+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #18 4 too high 23 WPC Order Notes for WooCommerce 800+ · 4.3★ (3) wp.org #13 10 too high 24 JSM Show Registered Shortcodes 100+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #22 2 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.