10 Most Popular WordPress Plugins of All Time (Free)
There are thousands of WordPress plugins all over the internet. Though most of them are really useful in one way or another; only a handful of them have their own legacy. These plugins have contributed massively to the journey of WordPress and helped the platform to become what it is today- adored and respected by the netizens.
If you are wondering what are the most popular WordPress plugins of all time, stay with us. Today, we are going to show you the most popular plugin list and their stats.
So, without any further delay, let's get started!
Note: We have prepared this list based on the WordPress repository- WordPress.org. All these plugins have the free versions listed in the repository.
10 Most Popular WordPress Plugins of All Time
This is the list of the most popular WordPress plugins of all time. First, take a quick look at the list, then we will discuss each of the plugins in detail.
- Yoast SEO
- Elementor
- Contact Form 7
- Classic Editor
- WooCommerce
- Akismet
- WPForms
- Wordfence Security
- All-in-One WP Migration
- Jetpack
Now let's get into the details!
01. Yoast SEO
WordPress was already an SEO-friendly platform but Joost de Valk and his team decided to take it to the next level. They created Yoast SEO plugin that would take care of all the technical optimization aspects of a website.
The impact has been massive since Yoast was introduced in the market. Bloggers now write better content with their SEO copywriting instructions. Webmasters can optimize the pages with meta descriptions and tags easily. XML sitemaps and RSS features are better used for increasing page ranks.
More than 10 million websites actively use Yoast to outperform their competition in the SEO battle. These stats should give you an idea of how popular this plugin is and what a massive legacy it has created in WordPress.
Yoast SEO Stats at a Glance
- Downloads: 700,706,311+
- Active Installs: 10+ Millions
- Average Rating (Out of 5): 4.8
- Number of Reviews: 27,719
Related: Best WordPress SEO Plugins to Boost Your Site Visibility.
02. Elementor
Elementor is a super popular WordPress plugin that makes building websites a breeze, even if you don't know how to code.
With its easy drag-and-drop interface, you can create beautiful, custom web pages by simply moving elements like text, images, and buttons exactly where you want them. Plus, you can see your changes in real-time, so there's no guesswork involved.
One of the best things about Elementor is its huge library of pre-designed templates. Whether you need a stylish homepage, a cool contact page, or anything in between, there's a template for that. It's also compatible with a ton of different themes and plugins, so you can be sure it'll fit right into your existing site.
Elementor Stats at a Glance
- Downloads: 475,308,410+
- Active Installs: 10+ Millions
- Average Rating (Out of 5): 4.6
- Number of Reviews: 6,872
03. Contact Form 7
In the mid-last decade, WordPress author Takayuki Miyoshi released Contact Form 7. It did not take any time to become popular since it was the first-ever complete form plugin that people could use for free.
Its revolutionary success inspired hotshot companies and authors to come up with new form plugins like Ninja Forms, Gravity Forms, WPForms, and the list goes on.
The name “contact form” has become so popular that it has taken over as the generic name for the “form builder plugin”.
In terms of feature, it might not give you a lot but you can easily design multiple contact forms and edit contents with it. If you want to integrate it with other popular services; you need to use 3rd party plugins for that.
Contact Form 7 Stats at a Glance
- Downloads: 344,561,716+
- Active Installs: 10+ Millions
- Average Rating (Out of 5): 4
- Number of Reviews: 2,100
04. Classic Editor
The Classic Editor is a must-have WordPress plugin for those who prefer the old-school way of creating and editing posts. It brings back the familiar WordPress editor interface that many users know and love, making it simple to write and format your content.
With Classic Editor, you get the straightforward, no-frills editing experience that existed before the introduction of the new Gutenberg block editor.
This plugin is perfect for anyone who finds the new block-based editor too complicated or just prefers the traditional way of doing things. It ensures that all your plugins and themes that depend on the old editor will still work seamlessly.
Classic Editor Stats at a Glance
- Downloads: 62,026,413+
- Active Installs: 10+ Millions
- Average Rating (Out of 5): 4.9
- Number of Reviews: 1,180
05. WooCommerce
WooCommerce is the go-to WordPress plugin for anyone looking to turn their website into a fully functional online store. It's packed with features that make setting up and managing your eCommerce site a breeze.
With WooCommerce, you can sell anything from physical products to digital downloads, subscriptions, and even appointments, all while keeping control over your data and customer information.
One of the best things about WooCommerce is its flexibility. It comes with a variety of customization options, allowing you to tailor your store to fit your brand perfectly. Plus, there are tons of extensions and themes available to add extra functionality and style to your shop.
WooCommerce Stats at a Glance
- Downloads: 329,097,510+
- Active Installs: 7+ Millions
- Average Rating (Out of 5): 4.5
- Number of Reviews: 4,347
Also Read: Best Free WooCommerce Plugins for Your Online Store.
06. Akismet
The Akismet plugin is developed by Matt Mullenweg's Automattic team, the same company that owns WordPress.
Akismet uses a web service powered by cloud servers that test comments for spam. All comments posted on your site are automatically sent to Akismet’s servers. If its highly specialized algorithm detects spam comments, it moves it to the spam queue. Otherwise, it stores the comment in the moderation queue and you get to decide its fate manually.
Akismet is free for personal and non-commercial use with up to 50,000 spam checks monthly. For commercial uses, you have to go for the premium plans.
Akismet Stats at a Glance
- Downloads: 328,430,417+
- Active Installs: 6+ Millions
- Average Rating (Out of 5): 4.7
- Number of Reviews: 1,021
07. WPForms
WPForms is like a magic tool for building forms on your website without needing to know any fancy computer stuff. Imagine you want to create a contact form, a survey, or even a way for people to pay you online. Instead of hiring a programmer, you can use WPForms to drag and drop different parts of your form together, like building with blocks
It's super easy to use and comes with lots of cool features. You can make your forms look exactly how you want, send yourself emails when someone fills it out, and even connect it to other tools to do more things. It's like having a personal assistant helping you build forms that actually work.
WPForms Stats at a Glance
- Downloads: 215,853,695+
- Active Installs: 6+ Millions
- Average Rating (Out of 5): 4.9
- Number of Reviews: 13,875
08. Wordfence Security
Wordfence is the most downloaded security plugin for WordPress. It comes with vital security features like IP blocking, security scanning, firewall, login security, and overall security monitoring for your website.
You do not need to do any kind of coding to use the plugin interface. After installation, you can do a deep server scan with WordFence. It checks your website's source code for any infection or malicious element.
WordFence lets you block IP addresses, enforce strong passwords, create custom alerts, threat defense feeds, and many other things.
Wordfence Stats at a Glance
- Downloads: 354,482,357+
- Active Installs: 5+ Millions
- Average Rating (Out of 5): 4.7
- Number of Reviews: 4,264
Related: Best WordPress Security Plugins for Your Website (FREE).
09. All-in-One WP Migration
All in One WP Migration is an incredibly handy WordPress plugin that makes moving your website to a new host or domain super easy. With just a few clicks, you can export your entire site, including the database, media files, plugins, and themes. Then, simply import the file to your new location, and voilà—your site is up and running without any hassle.
What sets All in One WP Migration apart is its user-friendly interface and reliability. It handles large sites with ease, breaking them into manageable chunks during the export and import process. Plus, it bypasses the usual upload size restrictions that can trip you up when transferring big sites.
All in One WP Migration and Backup Stats at a Glance
- Downloads: 129,204,540+
- Active Installs: 5+ Millions
- Average Rating (Out of 5): 4.5
- Number of Reviews: 7,435
Also Read: BlogVault Review: Is It the Best WordPress Backup Plugin?
10. Jetpack
Jetpack is a versatile WordPress plugin that brings a suite of powerful features to your website, enhancing security, performance, and site management. Created by the team behind WordPress.com, Jetpack offers a range of tools to help you optimize and protect your site.
From automatic backups and malware scanning to performance enhancements like image optimization and lazy loading, Jetpack ensures your site runs smoothly and securely.
One of Jetpack's standout features is its comprehensive site analytics, giving you insights into your traffic and user engagement without needing to install additional plugins. It also includes social media tools to help you promote your content and engage with your audience.
Jetpack Stats at a Glance
- Downloads: 414,056,045+
- Active Installs: 4+ Millions
- Average Rating (Out of 5): 3.7
- Number of Reviews: 2,115
Which Popular WordPress Plugin Do You Like Most?
Now you know which plugins are the most popular WordPress plugins in terms of active users. That being said, here is a quick recap of the most popular WordPress plugins:
- Yoast SEO – Best WordPress SEO Plugin
- Elementor – Ultimate Drag-and-Drop Page Builder
- Contact Form 7 – Simplest Contact Form Plugin
- Classic Editor – Bringing Back the Old WordPress Editor
- WooCommerce – Powerful eCommerce Solution for WordPress
- Akismet – Trusted Spam Protection for Your Blog
- WPForms – Beginner-Friendly Form Builder
- Wordfence Security – Comprehensive Security for WordPress
- All-in-One WP Migration – Easiest Way to Move Your WordPress Site
- Jetpack – All-in-One Security, Performance, and Site Management
So, which plugin do you like most? Share your thoughts using the comment box below. We are looking forward to your feedback.
Meanwhile, you can check our other interesting blogs like best WordPress blog themes, must have WordPress plugins, and best plugins for content marketing. Thank you!
