wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “free 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 “free analytics”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 8 of the top 20. 6 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

Beehive Analytics – Google Analytics Dashboard shows at wp.org #8 but places #14 on merit, a gap of 6 places. Its 20K+ installs carry it up the search order; its 4.5★ average from 13 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

Buried gem

Complianz GDPR/CCPA Cookie Consent Banner places #10 on merit, 4.7★ from 1667 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 signals wp.org

Site Kit by Google – Analytics, Search Console, AdSense, Speed 5M+ · 4.2★ (1012) wp.org #1 ↑1 2

Independent Analytics – WordPress Analytics Plugin 100K+ · 4.8★ (167) wp.org #2 ↑1 3

Jetpack – AI Agents & MCP, Security, Backup & Analytics 3M+ · 3.7★ (2408) wp.org #3 4

Burst Statistics – Simple WordPress Analytics (Google Analytics Alternative) 200K+ · 4.9★ (186) wp.org #5 ↓1 1 too low 5

MonsterInsights – Google Analytics Dashboard for WordPress (Website Stats Made Easy) 2M+ · 4.5★ (3157) throws errorsnot PHP-current wp.org #4 ↓3 1 too high 6

Wordfence Security – Firewall, Malware Scan, and Login Security 5M+ · 4.7★ (5039) heavy footprint wp.org #7 ↓1 1 too low 7

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

Rank Math SEO – AI SEO Tools to Dominate SEO Rankings 4M+ · 4.8★ (7519) wp.org #10 ↓1 2 too low 9

Lara's Google Analytics (GA4) 8K+ · 4.7★ (122) wp.org #14 ↓2 5 too low 10

Complianz GDPR/CCPA Cookie Consent Banner 1M+ · 4.7★ (1667) wp.org #19 9 too low 11

Plausible Analytics 10K+ · 5.0★ (29) wp.org #12 ↓2 1 too low 12

Analytics Insights – Google Analytics Dashboard for WordPress 10K+ · 4.6★ (34) not PHP-current wp.org #9 ↓1 3 too high 13

BrikPanel: WooCommerce Dashboard & Analytics, Abandoned Cart Recovery, Order Export, Inventory Management & Bulk Editor 1K+ · 5.0★ (55) throws errorsnot PHP-current wp.org #11 2 too high 14

Beehive Analytics – Google Analytics Dashboard 20K+ · 4.5★ (13) thin reviews wp.org #8 ↓1 6 too high 15

SlimStat Analytics – Real-Time Stats, Heatmaps & Ecommerce 70K+ · 4.8★ (816) throws errorsnot PHP-current wp.org #21 ↓2 6 too low 16

WEBKINDER Integration for Google Analytics and Google Tag Manager 10K+ · 4.8★ (20) thin reviews wp.org #17 ↓2 1 too low 17

Clicky Analytics 10K+ · 4.5★ (25) not PHP-current wp.org #13 ↓2 4 too high 18

Flying Analytics: Self-Host Google Analytics v4 with Speed Optimization 4K+ · 4.9★ (14) thin reviews wp.org #15 ↓2 3 too high 19

Search Analytics for WP – Site Search Tracking 3K+ · 5.0★ (30) throws errorsnot PHP-current wp.org #16 ↓2 3 too high 20

Connect Matomo – Analytics Dashboard for WordPress 60K+ · 4.5★ (95) throws errorsnot PHP-current wp.org #24 4 too low 21

HT Easy GA4 – Google Analytics WordPress Plugin 6K+ · 4.5★ (8) throws errorsnot PHP-current thin reviews wp.org #22 ↓1 1 too low 22

Analytify – Dashboard Widget for Google Analytics 10K+ · 5.0★ (4) throws errorsnot PHP-current thin reviews wp.org #20 ↓3 2 too high 23

Simple Analytics 1K+ · 5.0★ (3) thin reviews wp.org #23 ↑1 24

ShinyStat Analytics 1K+ · 5.0★ (1) thin reviews wp.org #18 6 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.