wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “simple 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 “simple analytics”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 10 of the top 20.
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 the install base is organic or host-pushed, and its risk of being pulled.
Ranked above its merit
Simple Analytics shows at wp.org #8 but places #23 on merit, a gap of 15 places. Its 1K+ installs carry it up the search order; its 5.0★ average from 3 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 #17. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.
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 
Simple CAPTCHA with Cloudflare Turnstile 200K+ · 4.7★ (262)
wp.org #3 ↓2 4 
Jetpack – AI Agents & MCP, Security, Backup & Analytics 3M+ · 3.7★ (2408)
wp.org #4 ↑20 5 
WP Statistics – Simple, privacy-friendly Google Analytics alternative 500K+ · 4.1★ (758)
wp.org #5 6 
Koko Analytics – Privacy-Friendly WordPress Analytics 70K+ · 5.0★ (245)
wp.org #7 1 too low 7 
GA Google Analytics – Connect Google Analytics to WordPress 400K+ · 4.9★ (158)
wp.org #6 ↓2 1 too high 8 
Wordfence Security – Firewall, Malware Scan, and Login Security 5M+ · 4.7★ (5040)
wp.org #12 4 too low 9 
Seriously Simple Podcasting 20K+ · 4.7★ (330)
wp.org #14 ↓3 5 too low 10 Complianz GDPR/CCPA Cookie Consent Banner 1M+ · 4.7★ (1667)
wp.org #17 ↓1 7 too low 11 
Plausible Analytics 10K+ · 5.0★ (29)
wp.org #11 ↓1 12 
Simple 301 Redirects by BetterLinks – Easy Redirect Manager 100K+ · 3.8★ (162)
wp.org #15 3 too low 13 
BrikPanel: WooCommerce Dashboard & Analytics, Abandoned Cart Recovery, Order Export, Inventory Management & Bulk Editor 1K+ · 5.0★ (55)
wp.org #16 3 too low 14 
Beehive Analytics – Google Analytics Dashboard 20K+ · 4.5★ (13) thin reviews
wp.org #9 ↓1 5 too high 15 
Simple SEO 10K+ · 4.7★ (33)
wp.org #19 ↓2 4 too low 16 
Connect Matomo – Analytics Dashboard for WordPress 60K+ · 4.5★ (95)
wp.org #24 ↓1 8 too low 17 
ExactMetrics – Google Analytics Dashboard for WordPress (Website Stats Plugin) 200K+ · 2.5★ (1546)
wp.org #18 ↓4 1 too low 18 
SEO SIMPLE PACK 100K+ · 4.6★ (14) thin reviews
wp.org #13 5 too high 19 
Simple Blog Stats 4K+ · 4.9★ (38)
wp.org #22 ↓1 3 too low 20 
Goolytics – Simple Google Analytics 3K+ · 5.0★ (8) thin reviews
wp.org #10 ↓1 10 too high 21 
Simple Download Counter 2K+ · 4.9★ (19) thin reviews
wp.org #20 ↓2 1 too high 22 
Metricool – Social media and site statistics 90K+ · 4.4★ (23) thin reviews
wp.org #21 ↓2 1 too high 23 Simple Analytics 1K+ · 5.0★ (3) thin reviews
wp.org #8 ↓2 15 too high 24 
HT Easy GA4 – Google Analytics WordPress Plugin 6K+ · 4.5★ (8) thin reviews
wp.org #23 ↓3 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.