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wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “utm source”

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 source”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 15 of the top 20. 4 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

UTM Tracker for Contact Form 7 shows at wp.org #6 but places #15 on merit, a gap of 9 places. Its 400+ 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

Product Feed PRO for WooCommerce by AdTribes – Product Feeds for WooCommerce places #8 on merit, 4.7★ from 1071 reviews, but shows at wp.org #22. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin wp.org
1 HandL UTM Grabber / Tracker 10K+ · 4.8★ (146) wp.org #1 2 Burst Statistics – Simple WordPress Analytics (Google Analytics Alternative) 200K+ · 4.9★ (186) wp.org #3 ↑2 1 too low 3 WP Statistics – Simple, privacy-friendly Google Analytics alternative 500K+ · 4.1★ (758) wp.org #5 ↓1 2 too low 4 Poptin – Email Marketing Automation, Newsletter & Exit Pop Ups, Email Popups 20K+ · 4.9★ (701) wp.org #14 10 too low 5 Independent Analytics – WordPress Analytics Plugin 100K+ · 4.8★ (167) wp.org #11 ↑2 6 too low 6 UTM Event Tracker and Analytics, UTM Grabber 800+ · 5.0★ (6) wp.org #2 4 too high 7 MonsterInsights – Google Analytics Dashboard for WordPress (Website Stats Made Easy) 2M+ · 4.5★ (3157) wp.org #9 ↑1 2 too low 8 Product Feed PRO for WooCommerce by AdTribes – Product Feeds for WooCommerce 80K+ · 4.7★ (1071) wp.org #22 ↓3 14 too low 9 Koko Analytics – Privacy-Friendly WordPress Analytics 70K+ · 5.0★ (245) wp.org #19 ↑2 10 too low 10 E Easy UTM tracking with contact form 7 2K+ · 4.5★ (8) wp.org #4 ↓1 6 too high 11 Customer Engagement System – Popup Builder, Forms, CRM & Email Marketing Automation 9K+ · 4.5★ (340) wp.org #24 ↓1 13 too low 12 PixelYourSite – Your smart PIXEL (TAG) & API Manager 400K+ · 4.3★ (281) wp.org #23 11 too low 13 BaseCloud UTM Tracker 90+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #7 6 too high 14 Source Medium Tracker for Contact Form 7 200+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #8 6 too high 15 UTM Tracker for Contact Form 7 400+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #6 9 too high 16 LeadSource – UTM Tracking & Lead Source Attribution for Forms 100+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #10 ↓1 6 too high 17 utm.codes 400+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #13 ↓1 4 too high 18 UTM for Woocommerce 700+ · 4.3★ (3) wp.org #17 ↓1 1 too high 19 Easy UTM Builder 400+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #15 4 too high 20 UTM Tracker for Gravity Forms 100+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #12 ↓1 8 too high 21 Cal.com 2K+ · 3.7★ (3) wp.org #21 ↑1 22 WhatsLink Click Tracker 400+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #16 ↑1 6 too high 23 Shulman UTM Attribution for Elementor 20+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #18 5 too high 24 UTM Manager – UTM Tracking, Lead Attribution & Campaign Analytics 100+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #20 4 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.