The tools we rely on to manage our websites need to reflect our values, both professionally and personally.

Recently, Jetpack, a popular WordPress plugin, has changed its usage restrictions, requiring non-profits to pay for features like stats that were once free.

For organizations that have relied on these features for years, this change can feel like a breach of trust and a slap in the face that screams “we need money” more than “we care about you”.

That’s why I’m dancing-in-my-desk excited to introduce Stats for WordPress®, a simple yet powerful analytics plugin designed to put control back into your hands.

With this free plugin, you can track your site’s traffic, referrers, and most popular pages – all without paying unnecessary fees or handing over your data to shady third-party services.

Why I Built Stats for WordPress®

As a software developer and long-time WordPress® community member, I’ve always believed in the power of open source tools to empower individuals and organizations.

When I saw Jetpack’s policy shift, I knew there was a better way – a much better way.

A solution that didn’t force users into paying for features they’ve grown accustomed to and that didn’t compromise data ownership.

Stats for WordPress® is my response.

It’s lightweight, respects your data, and offers the essential analytics features you need, directly within your WordPress® dashboard.

What Stats for WordPress® Can Do

Stats for WordPress® offers all the essential tools you need to understand your site’s performance:

• Track Unique Visits and Page Views: Get detailed insights into how many people are visiting your site and which pages they’re viewing.
• See Top Referrers: Analyze where your traffic is coming from, excluding your own site to keep the data meaningful.
• Focus on What Matters: The plugin excludes bots, crawlers, and non-content requests (like admin pages or assets), giving you a clean and accurate dataset.
• 404 Page Tracking: Identify broken links or missing content by logging visits to 404 pages.
• Export Your Data: Download your stats in a CSV file for further analysis or archiving.
• No More Vendor Lock-in: Your data stays with you, stored securely in your WordPress® database.

How to Get Started

1. Download and Install the Plugin
   Head over to the Stats for WordPress® GitHub page and download the plugin.
2. Activate the Plugin
   Upload the plugin to your WordPress site and activate it from the Plugins menu.
3. View Your Stats
   Navigate to the new Stats menu in your WordPress admin dashboard to view traffic insights, top pages, and referrers.
4. Export Data (Optional)
   Use the “Download CSV” button to save your stats for offline analysis.

Looking Ahead: Future Plans for Stats for WordPress®

This is just the beginning.

Here are some features I’m planning to add in future releases:

• Real-Time Stats: See live traffic data as it happens.
• Customizable Reports: Tailor the data you see to match your goals.
• Role-Based Access: Control who can view and manage your site’s analytics.
• Enhanced Visualization: Add more charts and graphs for deeper insights.
• Custom Tracking: Enable tracking for specific events, such as form submissions or downloads.
• Multi-Site Compatibility: Extend support for WordPress multisite networks.

If there’s a feature you’d love to see, let me know! I want to build a tool that meets your needs 🙏

Why Choose Stats for WordPress®?

There are plenty of analytics tools out there, but few align with the values of the WordPress® community – freedom, simplicity, and control.

Stats for WordPress® is different:

• No Subscription Fees: Unlike Jetpack, Stats for WordPress® is completely free and open source.
• Respect for Your Data: Your stats are stored on your own server, not handed over to third-party services.
• Lightweight and Fast: Designed with performance in mind, it won’t slow down your site.

Get Involved

This project is open-source, and I’d love your help to make it even better.

Whether you’re a developer, designer, or just someone with great ideas, your contributions are welcome.

Check out the GitHub repository to get started 🚀

Stats for WordPress® is my way of giving back to the community that has given me so much.

It’s a small step toward ensuring that we all have the tools to succeed online without compromising our values or breaking the bank in the process.

Let me know what you think in the comments and on Twitter and Bluesky 🤘💯