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wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “ga4 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 “ga4 analytics”, 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

HT Easy GA4 – Google Analytics WordPress Plugin shows at wp.org #7 but places #16 on merit, a gap of 9 places. Its 6K+ installs carry it up the search order; its 4.5★ average from 8 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

Buried gem

GAinWP Google Analytics Integration for WP places #12 on merit, 4.8★ from 126 reviews, but shows at wp.org #22. 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 ↑1 2 Independent Analytics – WordPress Analytics Plugin 100K+ · 4.8★ (167) wp.org #2 ↓1 3 MonsterInsights – Google Analytics Dashboard for WordPress (Website Stats Made Easy) 2M+ · 4.5★ (3157) wp.org #3 4 GA Google Analytics – Connect Google Analytics to WordPress 400K+ · 4.9★ (158) wp.org #4 5 Lara's Google Analytics (GA4) 8K+ · 4.7★ (122) wp.org #5 6 Pixel Manager for WooCommerce – Conversion Tracking, Google Ads, GA4, TikTok, Dynamic Remarketing 40K+ · 4.9★ (399) wp.org #10 4 too low 7 Analytify – Google Analytics 4 Tracking and Reporting in WordPress 20K+ · 4.7★ (488) wp.org #15 8 too low 8 Beehive Analytics – Google Analytics Dashboard 20K+ · 4.5★ (13) wp.org #6 2 too high 9 PixelYourSite – Your smart PIXEL (TAG) & API Manager 400K+ · 4.3★ (281) wp.org #16 ↑8 7 too low 10 Analytics Insights – Google Analytics Dashboard for WordPress 10K+ · 4.6★ (34) wp.org #9 1 too high 11 GTM Kit – Google Tag Manager & GA4 integration 30K+ · 4.8★ (20) wp.org #11 12 GAinWP Google Analytics Integration for WP 7K+ · 4.8★ (126) wp.org #22 10 too low 13 Google Analytics for WooCommerce 100K+ · 2.8★ (119) wp.org #8 5 too high 14 ExactMetrics – Google Analytics Dashboard for WordPress (Website Stats Plugin) 200K+ · 2.5★ (1546) wp.org #12 2 too high 15 Conversios – GA4, Google Ads & Meta Conversion Tracking with Product Feed for WooCommerce 10K+ · 4.3★ (206) wp.org #19 ↓1 4 too low 16 HT Easy GA4 – Google Analytics WordPress Plugin 6K+ · 4.5★ (8) wp.org #7 9 too high 17 ShareThis Dashboard for Google Analytics 80K+ · 3.6★ (138) wp.org #23 ↓2 6 too low 18 AWCA – The Great Analytics Insights for Your eStore 2K+ · 4.7★ (23) wp.org #24 ↓2 6 too low 19 Opt-Out for Google Analytics (DSGVO / GDPR) 3K+ · 4.3★ (6) wp.org #18 ↓1 1 too high 20 Universal Google Analytics (GA3 and GA4) 400+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #13 7 too high 21 Analytics Tracker 900+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #17 ↓1 4 too high 22 Lightweight Google Analytics 400+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #20 2 too high 23 Mailster Google Analytics 800+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #14 9 too high 24 Analytics Head 600+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #21 ↓2 3 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.