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wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “counting pixel”

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 “counting pixel”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 15 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

MWR Hit Counter shows at wp.org #8 but places #17 on merit, a gap of 9 places. Its 100+ 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

WP EasyCart: Shopping Cart and eCommerce Store places #4 on merit, 4.5★ from 206 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 Pixel Manager for WooCommerce – Conversion Tracking, Google Ads, GA4, TikTok, Dynamic Remarketing 40K+ · 4.9★ (399) wp.org #1 2 Analytify – Google Analytics 4 Tracking and Reporting in WordPress 20K+ · 4.7★ (488) wp.org #4 2 too low 3 Wp-Insert 9K+ · 4.5★ (142) wp.org #3 4 WP EasyCart: Shopping Cart and eCommerce Store 3K+ · 4.5★ (206) wp.org #11 7 too low 5 Superb Addons: Blocks, Patterns, Pre-built Pages, Sliders, Popups, Free Forms, Animations & More 80K+ · 4.9★ (23) wp.org #9 4 too low 6 Exclusive Addons for Elementor 50K+ · 4.7★ (47) wp.org #12 6 too low 7 CAPI Suite: Meta Pixel, Pinterest & TikTok for WooCommerce 100+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #2 5 too high 8 Most And Least Read Posts Widget 900+ · 5.0★ (6) wp.org #7 1 too high 9 UniPixel: Meta, Pinterest, TikTok, Google & Microsoft Server-Side Tracking for WooCommerce 200+ · 4.8★ (4) wp.org #5 4 too high 10 Hafenstudios Ads – Ad Manager, AdSense & Banner Ads 100+ · 5.0★ (14) wp.org #22 12 too low 11 PixelFlow – Meta & TikTok Pixel + Conversions API for WooCommerce 10+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #6 5 too high 12 Layouts for Divi 1K+ · 5.0★ (5) wp.org #18 6 too low 13 FlatPM – Ad Manager, AdSense and Custom Code 10K+ · 4.6★ (9) wp.org #16 3 too low 14 Podcast Analytics for OP3 20+ · 5.0★ (6) wp.org #23 9 too low 15 GT Link Manager 100+ · 5.0★ (3) wp.org #19 4 too low 16 CapiFlow – Conversions API (CAPI) Tracking for WooCommerce 30+ · 5.0★ (3) wp.org #20 4 too low 17 MWR Hit Counter 100+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #8 9 too high 18 TrackSure Cloud – Server-Side Tracking, Meta CAPI & GA4 for WooCommerce 70+ · 5.0★ (3) wp.org #17 1 too high 19 CookieRay – Cookie Banner for Cookie Consent (GDPR/CCPA Compliant) 1K+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #10 9 too high 20 EffortLess Simple Image Optimiser 30+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #14 6 too high 21 SK ePaper Manager 100+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #13 8 too high 22 410Gone Consent Manager for Google Consent Mode and GTM 40+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #15 7 too high 23 Pixel Made Simple — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #21 2 too high 24 Tallyvane Feed & Pixel for ChatGPT Ads — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #24

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.