SEO tools

Best WordPress SEO plugins: Rank Math vs Yoast vs AIOSEO (plus speed plugins)

A WordPress SEO plugin handles titles, sitemaps, schema and redirects. Three dominate. Here is how they compare, what they cost and the performance plugins that matter just as much.

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Quick answer

Free

Rank Math and Yoast free versions

$59.95/yr

WP Rocket for caching

$29.95/yr

Perfmatters for bloat removal

Scroll for the full shortlist with free tiers and prices.

The shortlist

WordPress plugins for SEO

SEO plugins first, then the caching, image and performance plugins that move Core Web Vitals.

Prices are as shown on vendor sites on 19 October 2026 and change often; we have no commercial relationship with any tool listed.

Rank Math

Best for: Most features free

WordPress SEO plugin with schema, redirects, 404 monitor and analytics; generous free tier. What this site runs.

Free: Free pluginPrice: PRO from €7.99/mo billed annually

Yoast SEO

Best for: Beginners wanting the most documentation

The longest-established WordPress SEO plugin with readability analysis and a huge ecosystem.

Free: Free pluginPrice: Premium $69 (per site, per year)

All in One SEO

Best for: Simple setup

WordPress SEO plugin with a simple setup wizard.

Free: Free Lite pluginPrice: €49.50/yr first year (Basic)

SEOPress

Best for: Agencies wanting white-label

White-label WordPress SEO plugin with no ads or upsells.

Free: Free pluginPrice: $49/yr (PRO, 1 site)

WP Rocket

Best for: Speed without configuration pain

Caching and performance plugin — the biggest Core Web Vitals lever on most WordPress sites.

Free: No free versionPrice: $59.95/yr (1 site)

Imagify

Best for: Image weight reduction

Image compression with WebP/AVIF conversion.

Free: Free 20MB/monthPrice: $5.99/mo (Growth)

Perfmatters

Best for: Removing plugin and theme bloat

Lightweight performance plugin: script manager, bloat removal, delayed JavaScript.

Free: No free versionPrice: $29.95/yr (1 site)

Redirection

Best for: Redirects if your SEO plugin lacks them

Free redirect and 404 manager.

Free: FreePrice: Free

Plugin discipline

Every plugin adds code, requests and risk. Audit plugins quarterly, remove what is unused and keep everything updated. A well-run WordPress site needs 10–20 plugins, not 50. This site runs Rank Math, WP Rocket, Perfmatters and Imagify. See WordPress SEO services.

FAQ

Questions we get asked

Is Rank Math better than Yoast?

Both are excellent. Rank Math offers more in its free version; Yoast has the larger ecosystem.

Do I need a paid SEO plugin?

Usually not. The ranking-relevant essentials are free in both.

Can I use two SEO plugins?

No — they conflict. Choose one.

Does an SEO plugin improve rankings by itself?

No. It makes the technical basics easy; rankings come from content, structure and authority.

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Our free growth plan uses all of these on your site. You get the findings; we only get paid if you hire us.

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