Local Google Analytics for WordPress – caches external requests
View on WordPress.orgScores higher than 17% of indexed plugins
About
Plugs in Google Analytics code to your website pages and caches it, so the website loads faster.
What It Does
Simple Google Analytics injects Google's tracking code into your WordPress site's pages and caches the request locally, reducing the external HTTP call that normally slows page rendering. It handles basic analytics configuration through the WordPress admin without requiring you to edit theme files manually. The caching layer is the core differentiator, aimed at shaving milliseconds off the GA loading sequence.
Who It's For
This plugin is aimed at site owners who want a minimal analytics solution and are specifically worried about the performance hit from the standard Google Analytics script. It fits small businesses, local businesses on slow shared hosting, or anyone running a content-heavy site where Core Web Vitals matter. It works for users who do not need dashboards, reports, or SEO data inside their WordPress admin.
Who Should Skip It
If you want in-dashboard analytics, audience reports, Search Console integration, or AdSense data, skip this and use Site Kit or Independent Analytics instead. Anyone running a membership site, e-commerce store, or agency managing multiple clients will find the feature set far too thin.
The Bottom Line
Simple Google Analytics does one thing well: caching the GA script request locally. With an overall quality score of 69.62 out of 100, limited adoption, and zero public support activity, it is a reasonable choice only for users who specifically want this lightweight caching approach and nothing more. For most site owners, Site Kit or Independent Analytics offer far better value with stronger ecosystems.
Related Plugins
Pick Site Kit if you want Google's official plugin with Search Console, AdSense, and Tag Manager integration alongside Analytics.
Choose Burst if you want cookieless, privacy-friendly analytics with no external requests and a dashboard, without relying on Google at all.
Go with Independent Analytics if you want simple, self-hosted Google Analytics-style dashboards without sending data to any third party.
Pick Matomo if you need full-featured, privacy-first analytics with heatmaps, session recordings, and full data ownership.
Choose WP Statistics if you want a mature, privacy-friendly analytics plugin with a large user base and solid documentation.