Plugin Pulse
← Rankings

wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “cookieless 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 “cookieless analytics”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 10 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

Analytics Head shows at wp.org #6 but places #15 on merit, a gap of 9 places. Its 600+ 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

Post Views Counter places #6 on merit, 4.9★ from 1229 reviews, but shows at wp.org #19. 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★ (185) wp.org #1 2 Independent Analytics – WordPress Analytics Plugin 100K+ · 4.8★ (166) wp.org #2 3 Clicky Analytics 10K+ · 4.5★ (25) wp.org #3 4 TWIPLA – Website Intelligence 800+ · 4.6★ (18) wp.org #4 5 CAOS | Host Google Analytics Locally 10K+ · 4.9★ (128) wp.org #7 2 too low 6 Post Views Counter 200K+ · 4.9★ (1229) wp.org #19 ↓1 13 too low 7 Joinchat – Enhanced "click to chat" 700K+ · 4.7★ (189) wp.org #14 ↑1 7 too low 8 TrueAna – True Analytics Dashboard 2K+ · 5.0★ (30) wp.org #10 2 too low 9 Trace My IP – Visitor IP Tracker, Stats Analytics & Page Views Counter with Email Alerts 1K+ · 4.5★ (21) wp.org #9 10 Hafenstudios Ads – Ad Manager, AdSense & Banner Ads 100+ · 5.0★ (14) wp.org #23 ↓1 13 too low 11 Simplest Analytics 200+ · 5.0★ (7) wp.org #17 6 too low 12 Opti-Behavior – Self-Hosted Heatmaps, Session Recordings, Funnels, A/B Testing & Smart Insights 1K+ · 5.0★ (5) wp.org #24 12 too low 13 Integrate PostHog Web Analytics 300+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #5 8 too high 14 Ultimate Form – Multi-Step Form Builder, Conversion Analytics & Lead Forms 30+ · 5.0★ (4) wp.org #16 ↓3 2 too low 15 Analytics Head 600+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #6 9 too high 16 WP Global Site Tag 7K+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #15 ↑1 1 too high 17 Kantan Analytics – Cookieless Self-Hosted Analytics & Heatmaps 20+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #8 9 too high 18 ezStats Analytics 40+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #13 ↑1 5 too high 19 ZenMarkup Privacy Analytics 20+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #11 8 too high 20 Page Visit Counter Analytics – Website Statistics & Google Analytics Alternative for WordPress 100+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #12 8 too high 21 Trackless – analytika návštěvnosti bez cookies (Cookieless Analytics) 10+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #20 1 too high 22 MX Cookieless Analytics — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #21 1 too high 23 DevDome Analytics: Visitor Tracker, Site Stats & Bot Detection 60+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #18 ↑1 5 too high 24 Matomo Site Kit 30+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #22 ↑1 2 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.