Last updated · reviewed by the Essentras editorial team
Free tool · Rules checked on Wikipedia, 14 October 2026
Wikipedia notability checker
Wikipedia notability means significant coverage in reliable sources that are independent of the subject (WP:GNG). Companies also need at least 1 regional or wider source (WP:NCORP), and people and creative professionals have alternative criteria. This checker tests your own sources against those rules, 1 source at a time.
Find out whether a subject is likely to meet the guidelines before anyone takes money for a draft. The result is a self-assessment, not a decision: volunteer reviewers make that.
Pick the subject, add your strongest sources and answer 5 questions for each. Every verdict names the rule it applies.
Runs in your browser. Nothing is saved or sent unless you choose to send it.
3. Your sources
Start with your strongest. Each source is judged on its own, then the list is judged as a whole.
Choose what the article is about to see a result.
The rules this checker applies
These tables are the same rules the checker runs, so you can read them without JavaScript.
The 5 questions every source must pass
| Question | A source fails when the answer is | Rule |
|---|---|---|
| 1Did the subject, or anyone acting for it, write, pitch, supply, place or pay for it?Not independent: the subject or someone acting for it was involved. | Yes | WP:GNGWP:NCORP |
| 2Is it mainly about the subject, and in depth?Not significant coverage: brief or passing treatment does not count. | No | WP:GNGWP:NCORP |
| 3Does the outlet have real editorial oversight, such as staff editors, corrections and fact-checking?Not reliable: there is no meaningful editorial oversight. | No | WP:GNGWP:NCORP |
| 4Is it original reporting or analysis, not a rewrite of an announcement?Churnalism: a rewritten announcement does not show notability. | No | WP:GNGWP:NCORP |
| 5Is it a reprint of another source on your list, or by the same author or series as one?Counts once with the earlier source: reprints, and works by the same author or organization, usually count as 1. | Yes (it counts once) | WP:GNG |
| Companies only: is the outlet regional, statewide, national or international? | No counting source is (at least 1 is required) | WP:NCORP |
Source types and how the guidelines treat them
| Source type | Verdict | Why | Rule |
|---|---|---|---|
| Staff-written news report, feature or investigation | Depends on the 5 questions | Can count. Answer the questions to find out whether it does. | WP:GNG |
| Book, academic paper or peer-reviewed study | Depends on the 5 questions | Can count in any medium, if it covers the subject in depth. | WP:GNG |
| Independent review or critical study of the subject’s work | Depends on the 5 questions | Can count, and multiple independent reviews of a well-known work support WP:CREATIVE criterion 3. | WP:GNGWP:CREATIVE |
| Local newspaper, TV or radio report | Depends on the 5 questions | Can count. For a company or organization, WP:NCORP also needs at least 1 source beyond the local area. | WP:GNGWP:NCORP |
| Trade or industry publication | Companies: supports facts only. Others: depends on the questions | For a company, WP:NCORP presumes trade publications are not enough. For other subjects, answer the questions. | WP:NCORP |
| Interview, Q&A, podcast or profile in the subject’s own words | Supports facts only | A primary source: it can verify facts in the article but does not count toward notability. | WP:BASICWP:NCORP |
| Press release, newswire pickup or a story closely rewritten from one | Does not count | Not independent of the subject, and churnalism does not show notability. | WP:GNGWP:NCORP |
| Sponsored post, advertorial or paid placement | Does not count | Paid coverage is not independent, whatever the outlet. | WP:NCORPWP:GNG |
| Contributor post with no real editorial oversight (for example non-staff Forbes, Inc.com or TechCrunch contributors) | Does not count | Without meaningful editorial oversight the post is neither reliable nor independent. WP:NCORP names these platforms. | WP:GNGWP:NCORP |
| Funding, launch, hire, results, partnership or other routine announcement | Does not count | Routine coverage does not establish notability, even in a major outlet. | WP:NCORPWP:GNG |
| Directory, database, ranking, best-of list or award list | Does not count | A listing is not significant coverage. | WP:NCORPWP:GNG |
| Own website, blog, social media, LinkedIn, Crunchbase or IMDb profile | Does not count | Self-published or user-generated: neither independent nor reliable. | WP:GNG |
| Passing mention or quote in an article about something else | Does not count | Trivial coverage is not significant coverage. | WP:GNG |
How the result bands work
No source passes all 5 questions.
1 source passes, or a company has no counting source beyond the local area.
2 or more distinct sources pass, and for a company at least 1 of them is regional or wider.
These bands are an Essentras rule of thumb. The guidelines set no fixed number of sources, and only volunteer reviewers decide.
Ready to draft, or not there yet? The full guide covers the 10 steps, disclosure templates, review times, costs and what to do if you are not notable yet.
Read the full guide: how to create a Wikipedia pageFAQ
Notability checker FAQ
What does Wikipedia mean by notability?▾
Significant coverage in reliable, secondary sources that are independent of the subject (WP:GNG). Companies must also have at least 1 regional, statewide, national or international source (WP:NCORP). Fame, size and follower counts do not decide it.
Is the checker’s result final?▾
No. It applies the written guidelines to your answers, but volunteer reviewers make the decision, and the result bands are an Essentras rule of thumb. Treat “Reviewer judgment applies” as ready to draft, not as approval.
How many sources do I need?▾
No guideline sets a number. Multiple significant, independent sources are generally expected, several works by the same author or organization usually count as 1, and reprints of a story count once.
Do press releases, sponsored articles or paid placements count?▾
No. Press releases, stories built on them, sponsored or paid articles and contributor posts without editorial oversight are not independent coverage, whatever the outlet (WP:NCORP).
Does local news count?▾
For a person, a local outlet can count like any other reliable, independent source. For a company or organization, WP:NCORP requires at least 1 source that is regional, statewide, national or international; local-only coverage does not establish notability.
Do interviews count?▾
They can support facts in the article, but an interview is a primary source in the subject’s own words, so it does not count toward notability (WP:BASIC, WP:NCORP).
What happens to the sources I enter?▾
They stay in your browser. Nothing is sent unless you enter your email address and press send; then Essentras receives your list and email address so we can reply.
Can anyone guarantee a Wikipedia page?▾
No. Volunteers decide, paid editors have no more authority than anyone else, and Wikipedia’s scam warning lists guarantees as a warning sign.