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

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 script”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 12 of the top 20. 3 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

Conversion Tracking for WooCommerce shows at wp.org #7 but places #19 on merit, a gap of 12 places. Its 20K+ installs carry it up the search order; its 3.0★ average from 24 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

Buried gem

Complianz GDPR/CCPA Cookie Consent Banner places #11 on merit, 4.7★ from 1668 reviews, but shows at wp.org #20. 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 ↑1 2 Pixel Manager for WooCommerce – Conversion Tracking, Google Ads, GA4, TikTok, Dynamic Remarketing 40K+ · 4.9★ (399) wp.org #3 ↑1 1 too low 3 WP Statistics – Simple, privacy-friendly Google Analytics alternative 500K+ · 4.1★ (759) wp.org #6 ↑13 3 too low 4 Woody Code Snippets – Insert PHP, CSS, JS, and Header/Footer Scripts 50K+ · 4.5★ (221) wp.org #5 1 too low 5 Tracking Code Manager 90K+ · 4.1★ (58) wp.org #4 ↓1 1 too high 6 Burst Statistics – Simple WordPress Analytics (Google Analytics Alternative) 200K+ · 4.9★ (186) wp.org #8 ↑5 2 too low 7 AfterShip Tracking – All-In-One WooCommerce Order Tracking (Free plan available) 7K+ · 4.8★ (633) wp.org #13 ↓4 6 too low 8 Tracking Script Manager 2K+ · 4.1★ (7) wp.org #2 ↓1 6 too high 9 Header and Footer Scripts 200K+ · 4.6★ (58) wp.org #9 ↓3 10 Independent Analytics – WordPress Analytics Plugin 100K+ · 4.8★ (167) wp.org #17 ↑7 7 too low 11 Complianz GDPR/CCPA Cookie Consent Banner 1M+ · 4.7★ (1668) wp.org #20 ↑3 9 too low 12 Header Footer Code Manager 600K+ · 4.9★ (309) wp.org #14 ↓3 2 too low 13 WPCode – Insert Headers and Footers + Custom Code Snippets – WordPress Code Manager 3M+ · 4.9★ (1915) wp.org #24 11 too low 14 PixelYourSite – Your smart PIXEL (TAG) & API Manager 400K+ · 4.3★ (281) wp.org #19 ↓3 5 too low 15 Elementor Website Builder – more than just a page builder 10M+ · 4.5★ (7323) wp.org #23 8 too low 16 Tracking and Consent Manager – WP Full Picture 3K+ · 5.0★ (21) wp.org #10 6 too high 17 Flying Scripts: Delay JavaScript to Improve Site Speed & Performance 30K+ · 5.0★ (38) wp.org #22 ↓2 5 too low 18 SureCookie – GDPR Cookie Consent Banner, Cookie Scanner & Script Blocking 70K+ · 4.9★ (21) wp.org #18 ↓1 19 Conversion Tracking for WooCommerce 20K+ · 3.0★ (24) wp.org #7 ↑11 12 too high 20 Header Footer Script Adder 1K+ · 4.1★ (7) wp.org #11 ↓3 9 too high 21 Stape Conversion Tracking 10K+ · 5.0★ (4) wp.org #15 ↓3 6 too high 22 YITH WooCommerce Order & Shipment Tracking 7K+ · 3.7★ (15) wp.org #12 ↓2 10 too high 23 E Easy UTM tracking with contact form 7 2K+ · 4.5★ (8) wp.org #21 2 too high 24 CallRail Phone Call Tracking 10K+ · 3.7★ (6) wp.org #16 ↓2 8 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.