wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “tracking code manager”
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 “tracking code manager”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 11 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
Tracking Script Manager shows at wp.org #14 but places #22 on merit, a gap of 8 places. Its 2K+ installs carry it up the search order; its 4.1★ average from 7 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.
Buried gem
Advanced Ads – Ad Manager & AdSense places #5 on merit, 4.9★ from 1463 reviews, but shows at wp.org #9. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.
Code Snippets 1M+ · 4.7★ (510)
wp.org #1 2 
Header Footer Code Manager 600K+ · 4.9★ (309)
wp.org #3 ↑1 1 too low 3 
WPCode – Insert Headers and Footers + Custom Code Snippets – WordPress Code Manager 3M+ · 4.9★ (1917)
wp.org #4 ↑1 1 too low 4 
Tracking Code Manager 90K+ · 4.1★ (58)
wp.org #2 2 too high 5 Advanced Ads – Ad Manager & AdSense 90K+ · 4.9★ (1463)
wp.org #9 ↑3 4 too low 6 
Pixel Manager for WooCommerce – Conversion Tracking, Google Ads, GA4, TikTok, Dynamic Remarketing 40K+ · 4.9★ (399)
wp.org #8 2 too low 7 
GTM4WP – A Google Tag Manager (GTM) plugin for WordPress 700K+ · 4.5★ (155)
wp.org #5 ↓2 2 too high 8 
FluentSnippets – High-Performance Code Snippets, Header & Footer Code, Custom CSS & PHP Code Manager 50K+ · 4.7★ (78)
wp.org #6 2 too high 9 
Ad Inserter – Ad Manager & AdSense Ads 300K+ · 4.9★ (2433)
wp.org #12 ↑3 3 too low 10 
Site Kit by Google – Analytics, Search Console, AdSense, Speed 5M+ · 4.2★ (1012)
wp.org #7 3 too high 11 
All in One SEO – AI SEO Plugin to Boost SEO Rankings & Traffic (Schema, Local SEO, Sitemap & SEO Insights) 2M+ · 4.7★ (5231)
wp.org #15 ↓2 4 too low 12 
WP Event Manager – Events Calendar, Registrations, Sell Tickets with WooCommerce 20K+ · 4.0★ (249)
wp.org #10 ↓1 2 too high 13 
CWILL (Formerly ParcelPanel) – Shipment Tracking, Tracking & Order Tracking for WooCommerce 7K+ · 4.9★ (538)
wp.org #16 3 too low 14 
Head & Footer Code 100K+ · 5.0★ (51)
wp.org #11 ↓1 3 too high 15 
Easy Updates Manager 300K+ · 4.8★ (726)
wp.org #20 ↓2 5 too low 16 
WPIDE – File Manager & Code Editor 40K+ · 4.8★ (306)
wp.org #19 3 too low 17 
PixelYourSite – Your smart PIXEL (TAG) & API Manager 400K+ · 4.3★ (281)
wp.org #18 ↑6 1 too low 18 
FAZ Cookie Manager 3K+ · 5.0★ (30)
wp.org #13 ↓2 5 too high 19 
Trakoo – Orders Tracking for WooCommerce 10K+ · 4.5★ (58)
wp.org #22 ↓1 3 too low 20 
Order Tracking – WordPress Status Tracking Plugin 3K+ · 4.6★ (73)
wp.org #24 ↓2 4 too low 21 
Affiliates Manager 8K+ · 4.1★ (61)
wp.org #21 ↓1 22 Tracking Script Manager 2K+ · 4.1★ (7) thin reviews
wp.org #14 8 too high 23 
Metronet Tag Manager 20K+ · 4.8★ (8) thin reviews
wp.org #23 ↓4 24 
Wp Tracking Codes 800+ · 5.0★ (4) thin reviews
wp.org #17 7 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.