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← Rankings

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

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 tags”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 13 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

Global Site Tag Tracking 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 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 #10 on merit, 4.7★ from 488 reviews, but shows at wp.org #23. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin wp.org
1 GTM4WP – A Google Tag Manager (GTM) plugin for WordPress 700K+ · 4.5★ (155) wp.org #1 2 Pixel Manager for WooCommerce – Conversion Tracking, Google Ads, GA4, TikTok, Dynamic Remarketing 40K+ · 4.9★ (399) wp.org #2 3 PixelYourSite – Your smart PIXEL (TAG) & API Manager 400K+ · 4.3★ (281) wp.org #4 1 too low 4 Tracking Code Manager 90K+ · 4.1★ (58) wp.org #3 1 too high 5 Site Kit by Google – Analytics, Search Console, AdSense, Speed 5M+ · 4.2★ (1012) wp.org #5 6 PrettyLinks – Affiliate Link Management, URL Shortener, Link Cloaking, Tracking & Branded Short Links 200K+ · 4.8★ (1322) wp.org #9 ↓2 3 too low 7 Yoast SEO – Advanced SEO with real-time guidance and built-in AI 10M+ · 4.8★ (27821) wp.org #14 ↑3 7 too low 8 All in One SEO – AI SEO Plugin to Boost SEO Rankings & Traffic (Schema, Local SEO, Sitemap & SEO Insights) 2M+ · 4.7★ (5231) wp.org #11 ↑1 3 too low 9 Trakoo – Orders Tracking for WooCommerce 10K+ · 4.5★ (58) wp.org #6 3 too high 10 Analytify – Google Analytics 4 Tracking and Reporting in WordPress 20K+ · 4.7★ (488) wp.org #23 13 too low 11 Code Snippets 1M+ · 4.7★ (510) wp.org #15 ↓5 4 too low 12 GTM Kit – Google Tag Manager & GA4 integration 30K+ · 4.8★ (20) wp.org #19 7 too low 13 Tracking Script Manager 2K+ · 4.1★ (7) wp.org #7 ↑1 6 too high 14 User Activity Tracking and Log 2K+ · 3.5★ (34) wp.org #21 7 too low 15 Metronet Tag Manager 20K+ · 4.8★ (8) wp.org #17 ↓1 2 too low 16 Tracking and Consent Manager – WP Full Picture 3K+ · 5.0★ (21) wp.org #24 8 too low 17 Wp Tracking Codes 800+ · 5.0★ (4) wp.org #12 ↑1 5 too high 18 Conversion Tracking for WooCommerce 20K+ · 3.0★ (24) wp.org #10 ↑1 8 too high 19 E Easy UTM tracking with contact form 7 2K+ · 4.5★ (8) wp.org #20 1 too low 20 YITH WooCommerce Order & Shipment Tracking 7K+ · 3.7★ (15) wp.org #13 ↑1 7 too high 21 Stape Conversion Tracking 10K+ · 5.0★ (4) wp.org #18 3 too high 22 WP Global Site Tag 7K+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #22 23 Global Site Tag Tracking 1K+ · 3.0★ (2) wp.org #8 ↑1 15 too high 24 Add LinkedIn Insight Tag for LinkedIn Ads 4K+ · 3.3★ (4) wp.org #16 ↓1 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.