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wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “utm 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 “utm analytics”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 11 of the top 20. 1 plugin is 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 the install base is organic or host-pushed, and its risk of being pulled.

Ranked above its merit

UTM Event Tracker and Analytics, UTM Grabber shows at wp.org #4 but places #14 on merit, a gap of 10 places. Its 800+ installs carry it up the search order; its 5.0★ average from 6 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

Buried gem

PrettyLinks – Affiliate Link Management, URL Shortener, Link Cloaking, Tracking & Branded Short Links places #9 on merit, 4.8★ from 1322 reviews, but shows at wp.org #17. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin wp.org
1 Independent Analytics – WordPress Analytics Plugin 100K+ · 4.8★ (167) wp.org #1 ↑1 2 MonsterInsights – Google Analytics Dashboard for WordPress (Website Stats Made Easy) 2M+ · 4.5★ (3157) wp.org #2 ↓1 3 Burst Statistics – Simple WordPress Analytics (Google Analytics Alternative) 200K+ · 4.9★ (186) wp.org #3 4 Koko Analytics – Privacy-Friendly WordPress Analytics 70K+ · 5.0★ (245) wp.org #6 2 too low 5 WP Statistics – Simple, privacy-friendly Google Analytics alternative 500K+ · 4.1★ (758) wp.org #5 ↑2 6 HandL UTM Grabber / Tracker 10K+ · 4.8★ (146) wp.org #7 ↓2 1 too low 7 SlimStat Analytics – Real-Time Stats, Heatmaps & Ecommerce 70K+ · 4.8★ (816) wp.org #10 3 too low 8 Product Feed PRO for WooCommerce by AdTribes – Product Feeds for WooCommerce 80K+ · 4.7★ (1072) wp.org #13 ↑1 5 too low 9 PrettyLinks – Affiliate Link Management, URL Shortener, Link Cloaking, Tracking & Branded Short Links 200K+ · 4.8★ (1322) wp.org #17 ↓2 8 too low 10 Plausible Analytics 10K+ · 5.0★ (29) wp.org #8 2 too high 11 Analytify – Google Analytics 4 Tracking and Reporting in WordPress 20K+ · 4.7★ (488) wp.org #16 ↓6 5 too low 12 ExactMetrics – Google Analytics Dashboard for WordPress (Website Stats Plugin) 200K+ · 2.5★ (1546) wp.org #9 3 too high 13 Newsletter – Send awesome emails from WordPress 200K+ · 4.6★ (1205) wp.org #22 9 too low 14 UTM Event Tracker and Analytics, UTM Grabber 800+ · 5.0★ (6) wp.org #4 10 too high 15 Poptin – Email Marketing Automation, Newsletter & Exit Pop Ups, Email Popups 20K+ · 4.9★ (701) wp.org #24 9 too low 16 PixelYourSite – Your smart PIXEL (TAG) & API Manager 400K+ · 4.3★ (281) wp.org #18 ↓2 2 too low 17 TrueAna – True Analytics Dashboard 1K+ · 5.0★ (30) wp.org #21 ↓4 4 too low 18 BaseCloud UTM Tracker 90+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #12 ↓1 6 too high 19 Lightweight Google Analytics 400+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #14 ↓2 5 too high 20 utm.codes 400+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #15 ↓2 5 too high 21 Mailster Google Analytics 800+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #11 10 too high 22 WP Consent API 200K+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #20 2 too high 23 Easy UTM Builder 400+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #23 ↓2 24 Live Traffic Analytics – Real-Time Visitor & Bot Tracking – Google Analytics Alternative 60+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #19 5 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.