ExactMetrics vs Burst Statistics

At a glance

Plugin A

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!

Rating

2.5/5

Active Installs 300K+

Author Syed Balkhi

Version v9.2.2

Last Updated May 2026

Source WordPress.org ↗

Plugin B

Burst Statistics – Simple WordPress Analytics (Google Analytics Alternative)

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

Rating

4.9/5

Active Installs 200K+

Author Burst Statistics B.V.

Version v3.6.0.1

Last Updated Jun 2026

Source WordPress.org ↗

Full Comparison

📊 Data-Driven Review

Technical Specs

ExactMetrics vs Burst Statistics: Key Statistics
Metric	ExactMetrics	Burst Statistics
Requires WP	5.6.0+	6.6+
Requires PHP	7.2+	8.0+
Tested up to WP	7.0.0	7.0
Plugin age	13 yrs	4 yrs

Quick Verdict

Burst Statistics wins. 94% of its 5-star reviews versus ExactMetrics' 35% tells you where the community trust lies. For e-commerce teams who need GDPR-compliant tracking without cookie banners, Burst Statistics delivers cookieless analytics that works when consent is declined. ExactMetrics has 1.5x more installs, but its 60% 1-star rate signals fundamental issues with reliability and support.

Feature Comparison: ExactMetrics vs Burst Statistics

Core feature comparison for e-commerce analytics plugins
Feature	ExactMetrics	Burst Statistics
GA4 event tracking depth	Pageview + ecommerce events + custom events via Google Analytics dashboard	Pageview + visitor sessions; no GA4 dependency
Google Tag Manager support	Built-in GTM integration for deploying tags	Not supported; uses native WordPress hooks
GDPR consent mode v2 compatibility	Requires separate consent plugin integration with GA4	Cookieless by design; no consent banner required
WooCommerce purchase tracking	Automatic purchase and add-to-cart event firing via GA4	Tracks visitor sessions on WooCommerce pages; no purchase event
Server-side tracking support	Via GA4 Measurement Protocol and GTM server container	Not available; all tracking is client-side
Admin reporting dashboard inside WordPress	Full GA4 stats displayed in WordPress admin panel	Built-in dashboard with visitor stats, no external service needed
Cookieless tracking	Not supported; relies on GA4 cookies	Native cookieless tracking via fingerprinting
Setup time	Connect Google Analytics account, configure tracking	Activate plugin, tracking starts immediately

Who Should Use ExactMetrics

Teams already invested in the Google ecosystem who need automatic WooCommerce purchase and add-to-cart event firing to GA4 without manual GTM configuration.
Developers who want a google analytics dashboard for WordPress inside the admin panel, pulling real-time GA4 reports without leaving the CMS.
Agencies managing multiple client sites who rely on Google Tag Manager server-side containers for conversion attribution and want a plugin that connects directly to GA4.

Who Should Use Burst Statistics

Shop owners who need gdpr compliant analytics wordpress tracking that works when a visitor declines consent, Burst Statistics runs cookieless, so no data gaps exist.
Anyone who values a 94% 5-star rating and a 100% support resolution rate over the past 2 months, with 10 threads all resolved.
Developers building lightweight sites where every millisecond matters, Burst Statistics skips external HTTP calls to Google servers and logs visitor data locally.

Community & Support

Burst Statistics shows a 100% resolution rate on 10 support threads over the past 2 months. Its rating distribution is clean: 94% five-star, only 2% one-star. ExactMetrics has 0 open threads in the same period, but its 60% one-star rating across all reviews indicates a significant portion of users encountered problems severe enough to leave the lowest score. The 35% five-star rate on ExactMetrics suggests the plugin works well for a minority of users, but not reliably for the majority.

Verdict: ExactMetrics or Burst Statistics for GDPR-compliant ecommerce tracking and conversion attribution?

Pick ExactMetrics if you need deep GA4 event tracking, GTM server-side support, and a google analytics dashboard for WordPress that shows ecommerce conversion data. It works for teams who accept the 60% one-star risk for the sake of Google-native integration.

Pick Burst Statistics if you cannot afford data gaps when consent is declined. Its cookieless design means every visitor is counted, even without a cookie banner. The 94% five-star rating and 100% support resolution rate confirm it delivers on that promise. For GDPR-compliant ecommerce tracking where consent mode v2 compliance is non-negotiable, Burst Statistics is the safer choice.

How this comparison was made

This comparison is AI-generated from live WordPress.org data. Install counts, ratings, versions and support statistics sync weekly, so the numbers on this page stay current. Content passes automated quality checks before publishing, and pages below our quality threshold are held for human review.

Read our full methodology

Frequently Asked Questions

Q How many people use ExactMetrics compared to Burst Statistics?

ExactMetrics has 300K+ active installs while Burst Statistics has 200K+, meaning ExactMetrics is used on more sites.

Q Which has better user ratings — ExactMetrics or Burst Statistics?

Burst Statistics averages 4.9/5 from 182 reviews, while ExactMetrics averages 2.5/5 from 1,546 reviews — Burst Statistics has the higher average rating.

Q Which is more actively maintained — ExactMetrics or Burst Statistics?

Burst Statistics was last updated on Jun 3, 2026 and ExactMetrics on May 29, 2026, so Burst Statistics received the more recent update.

Q Are ExactMetrics and Burst Statistics both free?

Yes — both ExactMetrics and Burst Statistics are free to install from the official WordPress.org plugin directory. Some features may require a paid upgrade offered by the plugin author.

Q Is ExactMetrics or Burst Statistics better for GDPR-compliant ecommerce tracking and conversion attribution?

ExactMetrics is the better choice for GDPR-compliant ecommerce tracking because it directly integrates with Google Analytics, which is the standard tool for conversion attribution and ecommerce data. Burst Statistics focuses on cookieless analytics and privacy, but it lacks the deep ecommerce tracking and attribution models that Google Analytics provides through ExactMetrics. If you need to track sales funnels and attribute conversions accurately, ExactMetrics is the clear winner.

Q Which is easier to set up for a WordPress beginner — ExactMetrics or Burst Statistics?

Burst Statistics is easier for a WordPress beginner because it works out of the box without needing a Google account, API keys, or any external service setup. ExactMetrics requires you to create a Google Analytics property and connect it, which adds a few steps for a new user. Most beginners find Burst Statistics faster to get running with zero configuration.

Q What is the biggest feature difference between ExactMetrics and Burst Statistics?

The biggest difference is that ExactMetrics requires Google Analytics to function and gives you full access to Google's tracking ecosystem, while Burst Statistics is a self-contained, cookieless analytics plugin that does not use Google at all. This means ExactMetrics offers advanced features like event tracking and user behavior reports, whereas Burst Statistics prioritizes privacy by not collecting personal data. Your choice depends on whether you want Google's depth or a privacy-first approach.

Q Can you switch from ExactMetrics to Burst Statistics (or the other way) without losing data?

You cannot switch between these plugins without losing historical data because they store analytics data in completely different systems. ExactMetrics stores data in your Google Analytics account, while Burst Statistics stores data locally in your WordPress database. To switch, you would need to start fresh with the new plugin and accept that past statistics from the old plugin will not carry over.

Q Which type of site should choose ExactMetrics, and which should choose Burst Statistics?

ExactMetrics is best for sites that rely on Google Analytics for detailed marketing reports, ecommerce tracking, and conversion optimization. Burst Statistics is ideal for privacy-conscious sites, blogs, or small businesses that want simple visitor counts without cookies or third-party services. If you need to impress clients with Google Analytics dashboards, pick ExactMetrics; if you want a lightweight, GDPR-friendly solution, pick Burst Statistics.