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Best WordPress Analytics Plugins in 2026

Data from WordPress.org Updated First published 5 min read

Visitor stats in the WordPress dashboard, from Google Analytics bridges to self-hosted tracking.

Analytics plugins either connect WordPress to an external service such as Google Analytics, or count visits themselves and keep the data in your own database. The two approaches differ in what they cost you: one in privacy paperwork, the other in server load.

Together these 10 plugins run on more than 8,860,000 active WordPress sites. Ranked from both WordPress.org orderings for "analytics", its tag listing and its search results.

On this page
  1. Best for each measure
  2. Quick comparison
  3. The top 10
  4. What moved
  5. How to choose
  6. Head-to-head
  7. How this list is ranked
  8. FAQ
  9. Conclusion
  10. Other rankings

Best Analytics Plugin for each measure

One plugin per measure, taken from the same WordPress.org figures as the ranking. A measure with nothing behind it is left out rather than guessed.

Most installed
Site Kit by Google

5 million+, active installs reported by WordPress.org

Highest rated
Koko Analytics

5.0 out of 5, from 244 reviews, counting only plugins with at least 50

Most reviewed
MonsterInsights

3,151 reviews, the largest body of feedback behind a score

Most recently updated
Burst Statistics

September 28, 2026, the latest release in this list

Longest established
MonsterInsights

September 14, 2007, first published on WordPress.org

Best support record
Burst Statistics

14 of 14 resolved, recent threads on the WordPress.org support forum

Most languages
Site Kit by Google

14 languages, translated to 90% or more on translate.wordpress.org

Analytics Plugins compared: rating, reviews, installs

# Plugin Rating Reviews Active installs
1 Site Kit by Google 4.2 1,009 5 million+
2 MonsterInsights 4.5 3,151 2 million+
3 GA Google Analytics 4.9 159 400,000+
4 Burst Statistics 4.9 185 200,000+
5 WP Statistics 4.1 758 600,000+
6 Google Analytics for WooCommerce 2.8 119 100,000+
7 ExactMetrics 2.5 1,546 300,000+
8 Independent Analytics 4.8 166 100,000+
9 Koko Analytics 5.0 244 60,000+
10 Matomo Analytics 4.6 177 100,000+

The 10 best Analytics Plugins, ranked by WordPress.org

Ranked from both WordPress.org orderings for "analytics", its tag listing and its search results. Arrows show movement against the previous snapshot.

  1. Site Kit by Google – Analytics, Search Console, AdSense, Speed

    4.2 (1,009) 5 million+ active installs Updated Sep 21, 2026 Tested up to 7.1.2

    Site Kit is a one-stop solution for WordPress users to use everything Google has to offer to make them successful on the web.

    5,843,563 downloads in 25 days
  2. MonsterInsights – Google Analytics Dashboard for WordPress (Website Stats Made Easy)

    4.5 (3,151) 2 million+ active installs Updated Sep 16, 2026 Tested up to 7.1.2

    The best free Google Analytics plugin for WordPress. See how visitors find and use your website so you can grow your business with powerful analytics.

    4,105,750 downloads in 25 days
  3. GA Google Analytics – Connect Google Analytics to WordPress

    4.9 (159) 400,000+ active installs Updated Aug 10, 2026 Tested up to 7.1.2

    Adds Google Analytics tracking code to your WordPress site. Supports many tracking features.

    38,264 downloads in 25 days
  4. Burst Statistics – Simple WordPress Analytics (Google Analytics Alternative)

    4.9 (185) 200,000+ active installs Updated Sep 28, 2026 Tested up to 7.1.2

    Simple, lightweight WordPress analytics with privacy-friendly visitor tracking. Cookieless and GDPR-ready. Setup in seconds, no cookie banner needed.

    239,921 downloads in 25 days
  5. WP Statistics – Simple, privacy-friendly Google Analytics alternative

    4.1 (758) 600,000+ active installs Updated Sep 19, 2026 Tested up to 7.1.2

    Get website traffic insights with GDPR/CCPA compliant, privacy-friendly analytics. Includes visitor data, stunning graphs, and no data sharing.

    508,849 downloads in 25 days
  6. 2.8 (119) 100,000+ active installs Updated Sep 9, 2026 Tested up to 7.1.2

    Provides integration between Google Analytics and WooCommerce.

    101,342 downloads in 25 days
  7. ExactMetrics – Google Analytics Dashboard for WordPress (Website Stats Plugin)

    2.5 (1,546) 300,000+ active installs Updated Sep 16, 2026 Tested up to 7.1.2

    Connects Google Analytics with your WordPress site. Displays stats to help you understand your users and site content on a whole new level!

    288,320 downloads in 25 days
  8. Independent Analytics – WordPress Analytics Plugin

    4.8 (166) 100,000+ active installs Updated Aug 20, 2026 Tested up to 7.1.2

    A simple, yet powerful WordPress analytics plugin that gives you privacy-friendly stats to grow your website. A Google Analytics alternative.

    18,691 downloads in 25 days
  9. Koko Analytics – Privacy-Friendly WordPress Analytics

    5.0 (244) 60,000+ active installs Updated Sep 24, 2026 Tested up to 7.1.2

    Privacy-friendly and lightweight Google Analytics alternative for WordPress sites. No cookies, just insights.

    38,481 downloads in 25 days
  10. Matomo Analytics – Powerful, Privacy-First Insights for WordPress

    4.6 (177) 100,000+ active installs Updated Sep 15, 2026 Tested up to 7.1.0

    Privacy friendly, GDPR compliant and self-hosted. Matomo is the #1 Google Analytics alternative that gives you control of your data. Free and secure.

    69,063 downloads in 25 days

What changed in the Analytics Plugins ranking

How to choose a Analytics Plugin for WordPress

  1. 1

    Decide where the data should live

    A bridge to an external service is light on your server but sends visitor data to a third party. Self-hosted tracking keeps the data yours and writes every hit to your database.

  2. 2

    Check the consent story

    If you serve visitors in the EU, tracking usually needs consent. Plugins that integrate with a consent banner save you wiring it yourself.

  3. 3

    Look at what the dashboard actually shows

    Most of these plugins put a summary inside WordPress. Decide whether you will read it there or in the service itself, and pick accordingly.

  4. 4

    Watch the database on a busy site

    Self-hosted stats grow a table on every visit. Check whether the plugin prunes old rows before your database doubles in size.

Analytics Plugin comparisons: side by side

The top four against each other on installs, ratings, reviews and updates. Each measure names its own leader; there is no overall winner.

How we rank Analytics Plugins

WordPress.org publishes two orderings for "analytics" and neither is reliable alone. The tag listing covers every tag the directory files these plugins under, "analytics", "statistics", "stats" and "google-analytics", and is sorted by active installs, which lets a large plugin carrying one of them loosely sit above the ones the category is about. Its search results are sorted by relevance and carry their own noise. So a plugin is placed here by where it sits across both lists: high in each one lifts it, high in only one does not. We fetch both every day at 03:00 UTC, keep every day's snapshot, and add nothing of our own. No plugin is inserted, removed or sponsored, and each entry shows its position in both lists on its own page. Full methodology.

Analytics Plugins FAQ

What is the best Analytics Plugin for WordPress?

On WordPress.org's own ranking for "analytics", Site Kit by Google is #1 as of September 29, 2026, with 5 million+ active installs and a 4.2 out of 5 rating. By rating, Koko Analytics scores 5.0 out of 5 from 244 reviews.

Which Analytics Plugin has the most active installs?

Site Kit by Google, with 5 million+ active installs reported by WordPress.org as of September 29, 2026. It ranks #1 in this list.

Which Analytics Plugin has the highest rating?

Koko Analytics, rated 5.0 out of 5 by 244 reviewers on WordPress.org. Only plugins with at least 50 reviews are counted, so a single 5-star review does not win.

Which Analytics Plugin was updated most recently?

Burst Statistics shipped its latest release on September 28, 2026. 10 of the 10 plugins in this list were updated in the last 90 days, which is the usual sign of active maintenance.

How many Analytics Plugins are there on WordPress.org?

WordPress.org lists 1,393 plugins tagged "analytics", "statistics", "stats" and "google-analytics" as of September 29, 2026. This page shows the top 10 in the directory's own order.

Do I need an Analytics Plugin if I already use Google Analytics?

No, the tracking code can go in your theme or a tag manager. A plugin is worth it for what surrounds the code: it adds the script correctly on every page, handles consent, tracks downloads and outbound clicks, and shows a summary inside WordPress so you do not open another tab.

Which Analytics Plugins work without cookie consent?

The self-hosted ones that count visits without cookies or personal identifiers generally do, and several advertise exactly that. Anything that connects to Google Analytics needs consent in the EU. The plugin's own documentation is the place to confirm this; treat marketing claims about it carefully.

Analytics Plugins: the bottom line

As of September 29, 2026, Site Kit by Google holds the #1 spot for "analytics" on WordPress.org, followed by MonsterInsights and GA Google Analytics. If install base matters most, Site Kit by Google leads with 5 million+ active installs. If ratings matter most, Koko Analytics scores 5.0 out of 5 across 244 reviews.

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