wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “stats 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 “stats analytics”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 9 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
Trace My IP – Visitor IP Tracker, Stats Analytics & Page Views Counter with Email Alerts shows at wp.org #15 but places #22 on merit, a gap of 7 places. Its 1K+ installs carry it up the search order; its 4.5★ average from 21 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 #9 on merit, 4.7★ from 488 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.
Site Kit by Google – Analytics, Search Console, AdSense, Speed 5M+ · 4.2★ (1012)
wp.org #1 ↑1 2 
MonsterInsights – Google Analytics Dashboard for WordPress (Website Stats Made Easy) 2M+ · 4.5★ (3157) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #2 ↓1 3 
Jetpack – AI Agents & MCP, Security, Backup & Analytics 3M+ · 3.7★ (2408)
wp.org #3 ↑6 4 
Independent Analytics – WordPress Analytics Plugin 100K+ · 4.8★ (167)
wp.org #4 ↓1 5 
Burst Statistics – Simple WordPress Analytics (Google Analytics Alternative) 200K+ · 4.9★ (186)
wp.org #5 ↓1 6 
Koko Analytics – Privacy-Friendly WordPress Analytics 70K+ · 5.0★ (245)
wp.org #7 ↑1 1 too low 7 
WP Statistics – Simple, privacy-friendly Google Analytics alternative 500K+ · 4.1★ (758)
wp.org #6 ↑6 1 too high 8 
SlimStat Analytics – Real-Time Stats, Heatmaps & Ecommerce 70K+ · 4.8★ (816) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #11 ↑8 3 too low 9 Analytify – Google Analytics 4 Tracking and Reporting in WordPress 20K+ · 4.7★ (488)
wp.org #22 ↓5 13 too low 10 
Plausible Analytics 10K+ · 5.0★ (29)
wp.org #12 ↓2 2 too low 11 
Simple Blog Stats 4K+ · 4.9★ (38)
wp.org #13 2 too low 12 
WP Visitor Statistics (Real Time Traffic) 20K+ · 4.5★ (156)
wp.org #18 6 too low 13 
Analytics Insights – Google Analytics Dashboard for WordPress 10K+ · 4.6★ (34) not PHP-current
wp.org #10 ↓3 3 too high 14 
ExactMetrics – Google Analytics Dashboard for WordPress (Website Stats Plugin) 200K+ · 2.5★ (1546) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #8 ↓3 6 too high 15 
Beehive Analytics – Google Analytics Dashboard 20K+ · 4.5★ (13) thin reviews
wp.org #9 ↓3 6 too high 16 
Connect Matomo – Analytics Dashboard for WordPress 60K+ · 4.5★ (95) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #17 ↓1 1 too low 17 
StatCounter – Real Time Visitor Stats, Session Replay & Heatmaps 70K+ · 4.2★ (58)
wp.org #23 6 too low 18 
Clicky Analytics 10K+ · 4.5★ (25) not PHP-current
wp.org #14 ↓3 4 too high 19 
Web-Stat – Live Visitor Analytics 5K+ · 4.4★ (20) thin reviews
wp.org #16 ↓1 3 too high 20 
Search Analytics for WP – Site Search Tracking 3K+ · 5.0★ (30) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #19 ↑1 1 too high 21 
ShareThis Dashboard for Google Analytics 80K+ · 3.6★ (138) not PHP-current
wp.org #24 3 too low 22 Trace My IP – Visitor IP Tracker, Stats Analytics & Page Views Counter with Email Alerts 1K+ · 4.5★ (21) throws errorsnot PHP-current thin reviews
wp.org #15 ↓1 7 too high 23 
Seriously Simple Stats 5K+ · 3.6★ (13) thin reviews
wp.org #21 ↑1 2 too high 24 
Analytify – Dashboard Widget for Google Analytics 10K+ · 5.0★ (4) throws errorsnot PHP-current thin reviews
wp.org #20 ↑1 4 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.