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wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “source tracking”

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 “source tracking”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 11 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

Global Site Tag Tracking shows at wp.org #13 but places #24 on merit, a gap of 11 places. Its 1K+ installs carry it up the search order; its 3.0★ average from 2 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

Buried gem

Analytify – Google Analytics 4 Tracking and Reporting in WordPress places #11 on merit, 4.7★ from 488 reviews, but shows at wp.org #21. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin wp.org
1 Advanced Shipment Tracking for WooCommerce 70K+ · 4.5★ (355) wp.org #1 2 Pixel Manager for WooCommerce – Conversion Tracking, Google Ads, GA4, TikTok, Dynamic Remarketing 40K+ · 4.9★ (399) wp.org #2 3 Tracking Code Manager 90K+ · 4.1★ (58) wp.org #3 4 AfterShip Tracking – All-In-One WooCommerce Order Tracking (Free plan available) 7K+ · 4.8★ (633) wp.org #7 3 too low 5 Order Tracking – WordPress Status Tracking Plugin 3K+ · 4.6★ (73) wp.org #6 1 too low 6 Burst Statistics – Simple WordPress Analytics (Google Analytics Alternative) 200K+ · 4.9★ (186) wp.org #9 ↑1 3 too low 7 WP Mail SMTP by WPForms – SMTP for Reliable Email Delivery with Gmail, Outlook, Amazon SES, Brevo, Other SMTP & More 4M+ · 4.8★ (5209) wp.org #14 7 too low 8 Trakoo – Orders Tracking for WooCommerce 10K+ · 4.5★ (58) wp.org #5 3 too high 9 WP Statistics – Simple, privacy-friendly Google Analytics alternative 500K+ · 4.1★ (758) wp.org #11 ↑4 2 too low 10 Site Kit by Google – Analytics, Search Console, AdSense, Speed 5M+ · 4.2★ (1012) wp.org #12 2 too low 11 Analytify – Google Analytics 4 Tracking and Reporting in WordPress 20K+ · 4.7★ (488) wp.org #21 10 too low 12 Add as Preferred Source on Google 800+ · 5.0★ (5) wp.org #4 8 too high 13 Activity Log – Monitor User and Agent Changes 200K+ · 4.3★ (74) wp.org #15 ↑8 2 too low 14 MonsterInsights – Google Analytics Dashboard for WordPress (Website Stats Made Easy) 2M+ · 4.5★ (3157) wp.org #19 5 too low 15 Code Snippets 1M+ · 4.7★ (510) wp.org #23 ↓12 8 too low 16 E Easy UTM tracking with contact form 7 2K+ · 4.5★ (8) wp.org #10 ↓1 6 too high 17 CP Referrer and Conversion Tracking 300+ · 4.7★ (12) wp.org #16 1 too high 18 CallRail Phone Call Tracking 10K+ · 3.7★ (6) wp.org #8 10 too high 19 Tracking and Consent Manager – WP Full Picture 3K+ · 5.0★ (21) wp.org #24 5 too low 20 Stape Conversion Tracking 10K+ · 5.0★ (4) wp.org #20 21 Portugal CTT Tracking for WooCommerce 500+ · 5.0★ (5) wp.org #17 4 too high 22 Source Medium Tracker for Contact Form 7 200+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #18 4 too high 23 LeadSource – UTM Tracking & Lead Source Attribution for Forms 100+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #22 1 too high 24 Global Site Tag Tracking 1K+ · 3.0★ (2) wp.org #13 11 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.