wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “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 “analytics”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 9 of the top 20. 5 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

WooCommerce Analytics shows at wp.org #11 but places #24 on merit, a gap of 13 places. Its 20K+ installs carry it up the search order; its 4.5★ average from 4 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

Buried gem

Analytify – Google Analytics Dashboard For WordPress (GA4 analytics tracking) places #10 on merit, 4.7★ from 487 reviews, but shows at wp.org #21. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin signals wp.org

Site Kit by Google – Analytics, Search Console, AdSense, Speed 5M+ · 4.2★ (1009) wp.org #1 ↑1 2

MonsterInsights – Google Analytics Dashboard for WordPress (Website Stats Made Easy) 2M+ · 4.5★ (3148) throws errorsnot PHP-current wp.org #2 ↑1 3

Burst Statistics – Simple WordPress Analytics (Google Analytics Alternative) 200K+ · 4.9★ (183) wp.org #3 ↑1 4

Koko Analytics – Privacy-Friendly WordPress Analytics 60K+ · 5.0★ (242) wp.org #4 ↑2 5

Independent Analytics – WordPress Analytics Plugin 100K+ · 4.8★ (166) wp.org #5 ↓4 6

Rank Math SEO – AI SEO Tools to Dominate SEO Rankings 4M+ · 4.8★ (7495) wp.org #9 ↓1 3 too low 7

GA Google Analytics – Connect Google Analytics to WordPress 400K+ · 4.9★ (158) wp.org #6 ↑1 1 too high 8

WP Statistics – Simple, privacy-friendly Google Analytics alternative 600K+ · 4.1★ (757) wp.org #8 ↓3 9

Complianz GDPR/CCPA Cookie Consent Banner 1M+ · 4.7★ (1655) wp.org #18 9 too low 10

Analytify – Google Analytics Dashboard For WordPress (GA4 analytics tracking) 20K+ · 4.7★ (487) wp.org #21 11 too low 11

SlimStat Analytics 70K+ · 4.8★ (817) throws errorsnot PHP-current wp.org #15 4 too low 12

Plausible Analytics 10K+ · 5.0★ (29) wp.org #13 ↑1 1 too low 13

Lara's Google Analytics (GA4) 9K+ · 4.7★ (122) wp.org #19 ↓1 6 too low 14

Matomo Analytics – Powerful, Privacy-First Insights for WordPress 100K+ · 4.6★ (177) throws errorsnot PHP-current wp.org #14 ↓5 15

Analytics Insights – Google Analytics Dashboard for WordPress 10K+ · 4.6★ (34) not PHP-current wp.org #12 ↓1 3 too high 16

Beehive Analytics – Google Analytics Dashboard 20K+ · 4.5★ (13) thin reviews wp.org #10 6 too high 17

Google Analytics for WooCommerce 100K+ · 2.8★ (119) throws errorsnot PHP-current wp.org #7 ↑5 10 too high 18

Connect Matomo – Analytics Dashboard for WordPress 60K+ · 4.5★ (95) throws errorsnot PHP-current wp.org #22 ↓5 4 too low 19

Clicky Analytics 10K+ · 4.5★ (25) not PHP-current wp.org #17 ↓1 2 too high 20

WEBKINDER Integration for Google Analytics and Google Tag Manager 10K+ · 4.8★ (20) thin reviews wp.org #24 ↓1 4 too low 21

Flying Analytics: Self-Host Google Analytics v4 with Speed Optimization 4K+ · 4.9★ (14) thin reviews wp.org #20 1 too high 22

ExactMetrics – Google Analytics Dashboard for WordPress (Website Stats Plugin) 300K+ · 2.5★ (1547) throws errorsnot PHP-current wp.org #16 ↑5 6 too high 23

Search Analytics for WP 3K+ · 5.0★ (30) throws errorsnot PHP-current wp.org #23 ↓1 24

WooCommerce Analytics 20K+ · 4.5★ (4) throws errorsnot PHP-current thin reviews wp.org #11 ↑2 13 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.