wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “affiliate analytics”
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 “affiliate analytics”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 13 of the top 20.
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 the install base is organic or host-pushed, and its risk of being pulled.
Ranked above its merit
Affiliate Links – Link Cloaking and Management shows at wp.org #8 but places #16 on merit, a gap of 8 places. Its 3K+ installs carry it up the search order; its 5.0★ average from 10 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.
Buried gem
Ad Inserter – Ad Manager & AdSense Ads places #10 on merit, 4.9★ from 2433 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.
MonsterInsights – Google Analytics Dashboard for WordPress (Website Stats Made Easy) 2M+ · 4.5★ (3157)
wp.org #1 2 
PrettyLinks – Affiliate Link Management, URL Shortener, Link Cloaking, Tracking & Branded Short Links 200K+ · 4.8★ (1322)
wp.org #2 3 
Coupon Affiliates – Affiliate Plugin for WooCommerce 5K+ · 4.9★ (77)
wp.org #5 ↓2 2 too low 4 
Advanced Ads – Ad Manager & AdSense 90K+ · 4.9★ (1463)
wp.org #10 ↑7 6 too low 5 
Analytics Insights – Google Analytics Dashboard for WordPress 10K+ · 4.6★ (34)
wp.org #4 ↑1 1 too high 6 
Plausible Analytics 10K+ · 5.0★ (29)
wp.org #6 7 
ExactMetrics – Google Analytics Dashboard for WordPress (Website Stats Plugin) 200K+ · 2.5★ (1546)
wp.org #7 8 
FluentAffiliate – Affiliate Program Management Suite, Affiliates Manager 2K+ · 4.6★ (7) thin reviews
wp.org #3 ↑1 5 too high 9 
Under Construction 600K+ · 4.8★ (1285)
wp.org #18 9 too low 10 Ad Inserter – Ad Manager & AdSense Ads 300K+ · 4.9★ (2433)
wp.org #23 13 too low 11 
BetterLinks – Link Shortener, Link Cloaking, Redirects, Affiliate Link Manager & MCP 20K+ · 4.8★ (85)
wp.org #13 ↓1 2 too low 12 
CAOS | Host Google Analytics Locally 10K+ · 4.9★ (128)
wp.org #16 ↓1 4 too low 13 
Easy Affiliate Links 6K+ · 4.2★ (34)
wp.org #9 4 too high 14 
AffiliateX – Amazon Affiliate Plugin, Product Boxes, Comparison Tables & Affiliate Link Tracking 9K+ · 4.5★ (35)
wp.org #11 ↓1 3 too high 15 
GAinWP Google Analytics Integration for WP 7K+ · 4.8★ (126)
wp.org #19 4 too low 16 Affiliate Links – Link Cloaking and Management 3K+ · 5.0★ (10) thin reviews
wp.org #8 8 too high 17 
WC Affiliate – WooCommerce Affiliate Plugin 300+ · 4.6★ (16) thin reviews
wp.org #12 ↓1 5 too high 18 
Content Egg – Affiliate Product Importer & Price Comparison 10K+ · 3.9★ (56)
wp.org #21 ↓2 3 too low 19 
Affiliate Sales in Google Analytics and other tools 1K+ · 4.8★ (12) thin reviews
wp.org #15 ↓1 4 too high 20 
Tracking and Consent Manager – WP Full Picture 3K+ · 5.0★ (21) thin reviews
wp.org #24 ↓4 4 too low 21 
StoreEngine — Complete eCommerce Solution with Memberships, Licensing, Affiliates & More 700+ · 5.0★ (17) thin reviews
wp.org #22 1 too low 22 
UTM Event Tracker and Analytics, UTM Grabber 800+ · 5.0★ (6) thin reviews
wp.org #14 ↓1 8 too high 23 
DevDome Affiliate Manager: Amazon Affiliate Plugin for Amazon Associates 300+ · 5.0★ (1) thin reviews
wp.org #17 ↓1 6 too high 24 
AnyTrack Affiliate Link Manager 100+ · 5.0★ (1) thin reviews
wp.org #20 ↑2 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.