ExactMetrics vs MonsterInsights (September 2026)
Updated September 7, 2026 · Data from WordPress.org, refreshed daily · How this works
Both rank in the WordPress.org Analytics Plugins top 10: ExactMetrics at #8 and MonsterInsights at #2. MonsterInsights leads on 4 of the 5 measures we track. Every number below comes straight from WordPress.org and is refreshed every day.
ExactMetrics
ExactMetrics – Google Analytics Dashboard for WordPress (Website Stats Plugin)
Connects Google Analytics with your WordPress site. Displays stats to help you understand your users and site content on a whole new level!
MonsterInsights
MonsterInsights – Google Analytics Dashboard for WordPress (Website Stats Made Easy)
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.
Who leads on what
MonsterInsights leads on 4 of the 5 measures we track.
MonsterInsights ranks higher on WordPress.org: #2 against #8 in Analytics Plugins.
MonsterInsights has more users: 2 million+ active installs against 300,000+.
MonsterInsights is rated higher: 4.5 out of 5 from 3,150 reviews, against 2.5 from 1,546 reviews.
MonsterInsights has more reviews behind its score: 3,150 against 1,546.
ExactMetrics was updated more recently, on September 3, 2026; MonsterInsights on September 3, 2026.
Which one to pick
Each plugin is the better answer for the measure it actually leads on. Nothing here is a recommendation we invented.
ExactMetrics
Pick ExactMetrics if you want the one shipping releases most recently.
MonsterInsights
Pick MonsterInsights if you go by where WordPress.org itself puts them, you want the plugin more sites already run, the review score matters most to you or you want the score backed by more reviews.
ExactMetrics vs MonsterInsights side by side
| ExactMetrics | MonsterInsights | |
|---|---|---|
| Analytics Plugins ranking | #8 | #2 |
| Rating | 2.5 | 4.5 |
| Reviews | 1,546 | 3,150 |
| Active installs | 300,000+ | 2 million+ |
| Total downloads | 52,541,214 | 278,968,850 |
| Downloads, last 30 days | – | – |
| Last updated | Sep 3, 2026 | Sep 3, 2026 |
| First published | Mar 12, 2013 | Sep 14, 2007 |
| Tested up to WordPress | 7.1 | 7.1 |
| Requires PHP | 7.2 | 7.2 |
| Pricing | Free on WordPress.org | Free on WordPress.org |
30-day download figures appear after both plugins have 30 days of tracking.
ExactMetrics ratings
MonsterInsights ratings
How we compare these two
Every figure here is pulled from the WordPress.org plugin API every day at 03:00 UTC, for both plugins in the same run, so the two are always read on the same day. We compare only what the directory reports: active installs, the rating and how many reviews stand behind it, the last release date and, once we have a month of history, downloads over the last 30 days. Ratings are only called a win above 50 reviews each, because a handful of five-star reviews is not evidence. Nothing is weighted into an overall score, no measure is worth more than another, and neither ExactMetrics nor MonsterInsights can pay to appear here: the pair exists only because both plugins reached the Analytics Plugins top 10. Full methodology.
ExactMetrics vs MonsterInsights: common questions
Is ExactMetrics better than MonsterInsights?
MonsterInsights leads on 4 of the 5 measures we track. Neither is better at everything, and the answer depends on which measure you weigh. MonsterInsights ranks higher on WordPress.org: #2 against #8 in Analytics Plugins.
Which has more users, ExactMetrics or MonsterInsights?
MonsterInsights ranks higher on WordPress.org: #2 against #8 in Analytics Plugins.
Which is rated higher, ExactMetrics or MonsterInsights?
MonsterInsights has more users: 2 million+ active installs against 300,000+.
Are ExactMetrics and MonsterInsights free?
Both are free to install from WordPress.org. ExactMetrics may also sell a paid version or add-ons. MonsterInsights may also sell a paid version or add-ons.
Alternatives to ExactMetrics and MonsterInsights
Plugins that score close to both in the same WordPress.org rankings and tags.
-
Independent Analytics
100,000+ installs · 4.8 from 167 reviews
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Google Analytics for WooCommerce
100,000+ installs · 2.8 from 119 reviews
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Burst Statistics
200,000+ installs · 4.9 from 183 reviews
-
GA Google Analytics
400,000+ installs · 4.9 from 158 reviews
-
WP Statistics
600,000+ installs · 4.1 from 757 reviews
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What moved this week
One email a week, built from the same daily snapshots these rankings come from: the plugins that climbed, what launched, and one ranking worth a look.