WP Statistics – Simple, privacy-friendly… vs GA Google Analytics – Connect Google… (2026)
Detailed side-by-side comparison of two WordPress plugins, based on real-time data from WordPress.org.
WP Statistics – Simple, privacy-friendly…
600K+ active installs
Free
GA Google Analytics – Connect Google…
400K+ active installs
Free
Quick Verdict
As of April 2026, GA Google Analytics – Connect Google… has a higher user rating (4.9/5 from 158 reviews) while WP Statistics – Simple, privacy-friendly… leads in active installations (600K+ vs 400K+). Both are free WordPress plugins. WP Statistics – Simple, privacy-friendly… has accumulated 35M+ total downloads while GA Google Analytics – Connect Google… has 9.8M+. GA Google Analytics – Connect Google… has a higher support resolution rate (50% vs 47%).
Expert Insight
As of February 2026, WP Statistics and GA Google Analytics target fundamentally different needs: full local analytics vs. Google-powered tracking. WP Statistics (600,000+ installs, 4.1/5 rating) offers built‑in, cookie‑less analytics stored within WordPress and advanced GDPR compliance. It’s free, with premium tiers from $119/year for one site adding campaign analytics, REST API endpoints, and Search Console integration. GA Google Analytics (400,000 installs, 4.9/5 rating) focuses purely on embedding Google Analytics tracking IDs, offering simplicity and excellent stability for just $20/year at the entry level. WP Statistics earns praise for privacy and depth but faces occasional performance issues on high‑traffic hosts like GoDaddy. GA Google Analytics, meanwhile, is adored for its lightweight footprint and reliability. Choose WP Statistics for privacy‑first sites or internal analytics, and GA Google Analytics for seamless GA4 integration and minimal maintenance overhead.
Analysis by PluginSift editorial team
Who Should Use Which?
Overall Recommendation
WP Statistics – Best for privacy‑focused or EU‑based sites seeking local analytics control. GA Google Analytics wins for minimalism and Google ecosystem integration.
Best for Beginners
GA Google Analytics – Easy to configure, faster to set up, and seamlessly connects to GA4 with minimal steps.
Best for Developers
WP Statistics – Offers REST API endpoints, custom post type tracking, and full data ownership for programmatic analytics.
Best for Budget
GA Google Analytics – Starts at just $20/year versus $119/year for WP Statistics Premium, offering better cost efficiency.
Best for WooCommerce
WP Statistics – Though not dedicated to eCommerce, it supports content analytics and referral tracking that work across post types, useful for store behavior insights.
Pricing Comparison
WP Statistics offers a free core plugin with upsells starting at $119/year for a single‑site premium license, scaling to $449/year for unlimited sites. It adds campaign analytics, real‑time monitoring, and Search Console integration. GA Google Analytics’ premium starts much lower at $20/year, or $340 for 300 sites, providing multi‑code management and opt‑out options. For budget users, GA Google Analytics is more cost‑effective, while WP Statistics delivers more advanced analytics depth per site.
Pricing verified as of April 2026
Feature Comparison
WP Statistics delivers complete in‑WordPress tracking — including device, referral, and author analytics, plus privacy audit tools — operating fully GDPR compliant and cookie‑less. Premium adds events, UTMs, and REST API integration. GA Google Analytics primarily adds GA tracking code, supporting GA4 and Enhanced Link Attribution with optional pro features like multiple codes and exclusion rules. WP Statistics emphasizes self‑hosting and privacy; GA Google Analytics prioritizes Google ecosystem precision and performance simplicity.
Compatibility Notes
WP Statistics supports WordPress Multisite, the Gutenberg editor, multilingual sites, and exposes analytics via REST API. GA Google Analytics works universally, including older WordPress versions (4.7+) and all page builders. WP Statistics offers broader integration for multilingual and consent APIs, making it more versatile for modern setups.
Detailed Comparison
| Metric | WP Statistics – Simple, privacy-friendly… | GA Google Analytics – Connect Google… | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rating | 4.1/5 | ► | 4.9/5 |
| Total Reviews | 750 | ◄ | 158 |
| Active Installs | 600K+ | ◄ | 400K+ |
| Total Downloads | 35M+ | ◄ | 9.8M+ |
| Support Resolution | 47% | ► | 50% |
| Last Updated | 2 weeks ago | ► | 1 week ago |
| First Released | 2011 | 2012 | |
| Age | 15 years | 14 years | |
| WP Requires | 6.6+ | 4.7+ | |
| PHP Requires | 7.4+ | 5.6.20+ | |
| Business Model | Free | Free | |
| Latest Version | 14.16.4 | 20260209 |
Rating Breakdown
WP Statistics – Simple, privacy-friendly…
GA Google Analytics – Connect Google…
Download Trends
Over the past 30 days, WP Statistics – Simple, privacy-friendly… averaged approximately 10,538 daily downloads while GA Google Analytics – Connect Google… averaged 2,189.
Recent Reviews
WP Statistics – Simple, privacy-friendly… Reviews
Thank you
I like it, just what I wanted, you cannot expect more for free!
Great Analytics Plugin
I have been using this since 2025, even on big websites. It is easy to set up and privacy-friendly. You can use it without cookie and without cookie-opt-in. Currently I would choose this over Matomo.
very good
very good
GA Google Analytics – Connect Google… Reviews
Disappointing Experience – Doesn’t Work as Expected
I installed the plugin hoping for a seamless solution to handle Google Analytics tracking and GDPR/EU consent management. Unfortunately, the plugin failed to deliver on multiple fronts: Connection
Lost
😀
It just works
Great plugin. It just adds the Google tracking code. No bloat. No junk. Awesome.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is WP Statistics – Simple, privacy-friendly… or GA Google Analytics – Connect Google… more popular?
Which has better ratings — WP Statistics – Simple, privacy-friendly… or GA Google Analytics – Connect Google…?
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Which plugin has better support — WP Statistics – Simple, privacy-friendly… or GA Google Analytics – Connect Google…?
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What is the main difference between WP Statistics and GA Google Analytics?
Plugin data sourced from WordPress.org. Comparison and analysis by PluginSift.