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wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “universal 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 “universal analytics”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 15 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

Analytics Tracker shows at wp.org #5 but places #19 on merit, a gap of 14 places. Its 900+ installs carry it up the search order; its 5.0★ average from 2 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

Buried gem

Pixel Manager for WooCommerce – Conversion Tracking, Google Ads, GA4, TikTok, Dynamic Remarketing places #8 on merit, 4.9★ from 399 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 MonsterInsights – Google Analytics Dashboard for WordPress (Website Stats Made Easy) 2M+ · 4.5★ (3157) wp.org #1 2 GA Google Analytics – Connect Google Analytics to WordPress 400K+ · 4.9★ (158) wp.org #2 3 Analytics Insights – Google Analytics Dashboard for WordPress 10K+ · 4.6★ (34) wp.org #4 1 too low 4 Fathom Analytics for WP 10K+ · 4.8★ (25) wp.org #6 2 too low 5 GAinWP Google Analytics Integration for WP 7K+ · 4.8★ (126) wp.org #9 4 too low 6 Under Construction 600K+ · 4.8★ (1285) wp.org #15 ↓6 9 too low 7 SEOPress – AI SEO Plugin & On-site SEO 300K+ · 4.8★ (1267) wp.org #21 ↓3 14 too low 8 Pixel Manager for WooCommerce – Conversion Tracking, Google Ads, GA4, TikTok, Dynamic Remarketing 40K+ · 4.9★ (399) wp.org #23 ↑1 15 too low 9 AddToAny Share Buttons 300K+ · 4.7★ (1114) wp.org #22 ↓3 13 too low 10 ShareThis Dashboard for Google Analytics 80K+ · 3.6★ (138) wp.org #14 4 too low 11 CAOS | Host Google Analytics Locally 10K+ · 4.9★ (128) wp.org #19 ↓2 8 too low 12 Universal Google Analytics (GA3 and GA4) 400+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #3 9 too high 13 Goolytics – Simple Google Analytics 3K+ · 5.0★ (8) wp.org #10 3 too high 14 AWCA – The Great Analytics Insights for Your eStore 2K+ · 4.7★ (23) wp.org #11 ↑1 3 too high 15 Analytics Germanized for Google Analytics (GDPR / DSGVO) 7K+ · 4.5★ (27) wp.org #20 ↓5 5 too low 16 TrueAna – True Analytics Dashboard 1K+ · 5.0★ (30) wp.org #24 ↓4 8 too low 17 HT Easy GA4 – Google Analytics WordPress Plugin 6K+ · 4.5★ (8) wp.org #8 9 too high 18 Contact Form 7 Google Analytics 6K+ · 4.8★ (12) wp.org #18 ↓5 19 Analytics Tracker 900+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #5 14 too high 20 Lightweight Google Analytics 400+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #7 13 too high 21 Opt-Out for Google Analytics (DSGVO / GDPR) 3K+ · 4.3★ (6) wp.org #17 4 too high 22 Analytify – Dashboard Widget for Google Analytics 10K+ · 5.0★ (4) wp.org #12 ↓1 10 too high 23 Fathom Analytics Conversions 400+ · 5.0★ (3) wp.org #16 7 too high 24 Mailster Google Analytics 800+ · 5.0★ (1) 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.