Plugin Pulse Beta
← Rankings

wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “cookieless”

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 “cookieless”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 9 of the top 20. 2 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

Integrate PostHog Web Analytics shows at wp.org #9 but places #19 on merit, a gap of 10 places. Its 300+ installs carry it up the search order; its 5.0★ average from 1 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

Buried gem

JCH Optimize places #7 on merit, 4.4★ from 69 reviews, but shows at wp.org #11. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin wp.org
1 Burst Statistics – Simple WordPress Analytics (Google Analytics Alternative) 200K+ · 4.9★ (186) wp.org #1 2 WP Statistics – Simple, privacy-friendly Google Analytics alternative 500K+ · 4.1★ (759) wp.org #2 3 Post Views Counter 100K+ · 4.9★ (1236) wp.org #5 ↓2 2 too low 4 SlimStat Analytics – Real-Time Stats, Heatmaps & Ecommerce 70K+ · 4.8★ (816) wp.org #3 1 too high 5 Independent Analytics – WordPress Analytics Plugin 100K+ · 4.8★ (167) wp.org #6 ↓2 1 too low 6 Clicky Analytics 10K+ · 4.5★ (25) wp.org #4 ↓2 2 too high 7 JCH Optimize 4K+ · 4.4★ (69) wp.org #11 ↓3 4 too low 8 TWIPLA – Website Intelligence 800+ · 4.6★ (18) wp.org #10 ↓5 2 too low 9 Vireo Analytics – Cookieless WordPress Stats & Google Analytics Alternative 20+ · 5.0★ (6) wp.org #8 ↑2 1 too high 10 Hafenstudios Ads – Ad Manager, AdSense & Banner Ads 100+ · 5.0★ (14) wp.org #20 ↓7 10 too low 11 Trace My IP – Visitor IP Tracker, Stats Analytics & Page Views Counter with Email Alerts 1K+ · 4.5★ (21) wp.org #15 ↓4 4 too low 12 ConvertNow Analytics: Website Stats, Visitor Statistics, AI Traffic and Bot Filtering 70+ · 5.0★ (6) wp.org #17 ↓3 5 too low 13 AdFlow – Ad Inserter & Ad Manager: AdSense, Banner Ads & ads.txt 3K+ · 5.0★ (3) wp.org #12 ↓3 1 too high 14 DevDome Analytics: Bot Traffic vs Human Traffic Website Statistics 300+ · 5.0★ (3) wp.org #14 ↑6 15 Ultimate Form – Multi-Step Form Builder, Conversion Analytics & Lead Forms 60+ · 5.0★ (4) wp.org #19 ↓4 4 too low 16 Kantan Analytics – Cookieless Self-Hosted Analytics & Heatmaps 20+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #7 9 too high 17 WP Global Site Tag 7K+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #16 ↓4 1 too high 18 Lynbro Cookie Consent 100+ · 5.0★ (3) wp.org #24 ↓1 6 too low 19 Integrate PostHog Web Analytics 300+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #9 ↓3 10 too high 20 Web Pixel Studio Cookie Consent for EU 100+ · 5.0★ (3) wp.org #21 ↓4 1 too low 21 MX Cookieless Analytics — · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #13 ↑5 8 too high 22 T Trackli Analytics – Cookieless Website Statistics & WooCommerce Tracking 20+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #18 4 too high 23 Trackless: analytika návštěvnosti bez cookies (Cookieless Analytics) 10+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #22 ↓6 1 too high 24 410Gone Consent Manager for Google Consent Mode and GTM 40+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #23 ↑1 1 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.