Head-to-head · October 2026
MonsterInsights vs Universal Analytics
MonsterInsights comes out ahead, winning 6 of 7 head-to-head checks against Universal Analytics.
MonsterInsights
With over 3 million active installs, MonsterInsights is the most popular Google Analytics plugin for…
Universal Analytics
With Google’s Universal Analytics officialy out of beta, there is no better time to start using Universal…
| Metric | MonsterInsights | Universal Analytics |
|---|---|---|
| Active installs | 2M+ | 50+ |
| Downloads (30 days) | 2.5M | 86 |
| Download trend | -41.7% | +48.3% |
| Rating | 4.5/5 | 3/5 |
| Reviews | 3,155 | 2 |
| Health score | 97/100 | 26/100 |
| Last updated | 4 weeks ago | 11 years ago |
| Tested up to | WP 7.1.3 | WP 4.4.34 |
| Support resolved | 100% | — |
| Requires PHP | 7.2+ | Any |
| First released | Sep 2007 | May 2014 |
Daily downloads, last 90 days
MonsterInsightsUniversal Analytics
Choose MonsterInsights if…
You care most about active installs, downloads (30 days) and reviews.
- One of the most-used plugins on the web — 2M+ active sites
- Loved by users — 4.5/5 from 3,155 reviews
- Actively developed — last update 4 weeks ago
- Tested with the latest WordPress (7.1)
- Responsive support — 100% of recent threads resolved
Choose Universal Analytics if…
You care most about download trend.
- Small user base (50+ active installs)
- Very few reviews so far
- No update in 10 years
- Only tested up to WordPress 4.4 (latest is 7.1)
Both compete in: analytics
FAQ
MonsterInsights vs Universal Analytics: quick answers
Straight answers, pulled from live WordPress.org data.
Live data from WordPress.org · checked Oct 12, 2026
Which is better, MonsterInsights or Universal Analytics?
MonsterInsights comes out ahead, winning 6 of 7 head-to-head checks against Universal Analytics. Choose MonsterInsights if you care most about active installs, downloads (30 days) and reviews. Choose Universal Analytics if you care most about download trend.
Is MonsterInsights more popular than Universal Analytics?
MonsterInsights is the more popular of the two with 2M+ active installs, compared with 50+ for Universal Analytics.
Can I use MonsterInsights and Universal Analytics together?
Both plugins cover analytics, so most sites only need one. Running two plugins that do the same job can cause conflicts and slow your site down — pick the one that fits best and remove the other.
Are MonsterInsights and Universal Analytics free?
Yes. Both are free to download from the official WordPress.org plugin directory. Either may also offer paid upgrades from its developer.
Powered by PageForge
Want thousands of pages that rank like these? Build them in an afternoon.
This directory runs on the same engine as PageForge. Turn any spreadsheet, CSV or API into thousands of fast, SEO-ready WordPress pages — with schema, internal links and AI-written copy baked in.
- CSV, Google Sheets & API data sources
- AI content, schema & internal links per page
- Works with Elementor, Gutenberg, Yoast & Rank Math
- Free on WordPress.org — no credit card
