wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “change tracking”

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 “change tracking”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 9 of the top 20. 4 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

Conversion Tracking for WooCommerce shows at wp.org #10 but places #20 on merit, a gap of 10 places. Its 20K+ installs carry it up the search order; its 3.0★ average from 24 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

Buried gem

Yoast SEO – Advanced SEO with real-time guidance and built-in AI places #8 on merit, 4.8★ from 27821 reviews, but shows at wp.org #14. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin signals wp.org

Advanced Shipment Tracking for WooCommerce 70K+ · 4.5★ (355) throws errorsnot PHP-current wp.org #1 2

Pixel Manager for WooCommerce – Conversion Tracking, Google Ads, GA4, TikTok, Dynamic Remarketing 40K+ · 4.9★ (399) wp.org #2 ↑1 3

WP Activity Log 300K+ · 4.7★ (490) wp.org #5 ↓3 2 too low 4

Activity Log – Monitor User and Agent Changes 200K+ · 4.3★ (74) wp.org #3 ↑3 1 too high 5

Simple History – Track, Log, and Audit WordPress Changes 300K+ · 4.9★ (491) wp.org #6 ↓1 1 too low 6

PrettyLinks – Affiliate Link Management, URL Shortener, Link Cloaking, Tracking & Branded Short Links 200K+ · 4.8★ (1322) wp.org #9 ↓1 3 too low 7

Tracking Code Manager 90K+ · 4.1★ (58) wp.org #4 3 too high 8

Yoast SEO – Advanced SEO with real-time guidance and built-in AI 10M+ · 4.8★ (27821) wp.org #14 ↑3 6 too low 9

AfterShip Tracking – All-In-One WooCommerce Order Tracking (Free plan available) 7K+ · 4.8★ (633) wp.org #11 ↑2 2 too low 10

Order Tracking – WordPress Status Tracking Plugin 3K+ · 4.6★ (73) wp.org #8 ↑1 2 too high 11

All in One SEO – AI SEO Plugin to Boost SEO Rankings & Traffic (Schema, Local SEO, Sitemap & SEO Insights) 2M+ · 4.7★ (5231) not PHP-currentheavy footprint wp.org #13 ↓1 2 too low 12

Jetpack – AI Agents & MCP, Security, Backup & Analytics 3M+ · 3.7★ (2408) wp.org #12 ↑10 13

Analytify – Google Analytics 4 Tracking and Reporting in WordPress 20K+ · 4.7★ (488) wp.org #20 ↑1 7 too low 14

Trakoo – Orders Tracking for WooCommerce 10K+ · 4.5★ (58) throws errorsnot PHP-current wp.org #7 7 too high 15

Burst Statistics – Simple WordPress Analytics (Google Analytics Alternative) 200K+ · 4.9★ (186) wp.org #21 ↑3 6 too low 16

ThirstyAffiliates – Affiliate Links, Link Branding, Link Tracking & Marketing Plugin 30K+ · 4.6★ (251) wp.org #23 7 too low 17

ATUM WooCommerce Inventory Management and Stock Tracking 10K+ · 4.7★ (128) throws errorsnot PHP-current wp.org #16 ↓2 1 too high 18

Code Snippets 1M+ · 4.7★ (510) not PHP-current wp.org #24 ↓6 6 too low 19

Tracking and Consent Manager – WP Full Picture 3K+ · 5.0★ (21) throws errorsnot PHP-current thin reviews wp.org #22 3 too low 20

Conversion Tracking for WooCommerce 20K+ · 3.0★ (24) throws errorsnot PHP-current thin reviews wp.org #10 10 too high 21 E Easy UTM tracking with contact form 7 2K+ · 4.5★ (8) thin reviews wp.org #19 ↑1 2 too high 22

Stape Conversion Tracking 10K+ · 5.0★ (4) thin reviews wp.org #18 ↑1 4 too high 23

CallRail Phone Call Tracking 10K+ · 3.7★ (6) thin reviews wp.org #15 8 too high 24

Portugal CTT Tracking for WooCommerce 500+ · 5.0★ (5) throws errorsnot PHP-current thin reviews wp.org #17 ↓1 7 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.