WPML Multilingual for BuddyPress and BuddyBoss vs Polylang (September 2026)
Updated September 7, 2026 · Data from WordPress.org, refreshed daily · How this works
Both rank in the WordPress.org Translation Plugins top 10: WPML Multilingual for BuddyPress and BuddyBoss at #9 and Polylang at #7. Polylang leads on 3 of the 5 measures we track. Every number below comes straight from WordPress.org and is refreshed every day.
WPML Multilingual for BuddyPress and BuddyBoss
WPML Multilingual for BuddyPress and BuddyBoss allows BuddyPress and BuddyBoss sites to run fully multilingual using the WPML plugin.
Polylang
Go multilingual in a simple and efficient way. Keep writing posts and taxonomy terms as usual while defining their languages all at once.
Who leads on what
Polylang leads on 3 of the 5 measures we track.
Polylang ranks higher on WordPress.org: #7 against #9 in Translation Plugins.
Polylang has more users: 800,000+ active installs against 6,000+.
Not enough reviews to compare ratings fairly: WPML Multilingual for BuddyPress and BuddyBoss has 37, Polylang has 2,984. We compare ratings only above 50 reviews each.
Polylang has more reviews behind its score: 2,984 against 37.
WPML Multilingual for BuddyPress and BuddyBoss was updated more recently, on August 20, 2026; Polylang on August 17, 2026.
Which one to pick
Each plugin is the better answer for the measure it actually leads on. Nothing here is a recommendation we invented.
WPML Multilingual for BuddyPress and BuddyBoss
Pick WPML Multilingual for BuddyPress and BuddyBoss if you want the one shipping releases most recently.
Polylang
Pick Polylang if you go by where WordPress.org itself puts them, you want the plugin more sites already run or you want the score backed by more reviews.
WPML Multilingual for BuddyPress and BuddyBoss vs Polylang side by side
| WPML Multilingual for BuddyPress and BuddyBoss | Polylang | |
|---|---|---|
| Translation Plugins ranking | #9 | #7 |
| Rating | 4.6 | 4.7 |
| Reviews | 37 | 2,984 |
| Active installs | 6,000+ | 800,000+ |
| Total downloads | 167,790 | 28,576,140 |
| Downloads, last 30 days | – | – |
| Last updated | Aug 20, 2026 | Aug 17, 2026 |
| First published | Oct 5, 2009 | Sep 22, 2011 |
| Tested up to WordPress | 7.1 | 7.1 |
| Requires PHP | 7.4 | 7.4 |
| Pricing | Free on WordPress.org | Free on WordPress.org |
30-day download figures appear after both plugins have 30 days of tracking.
WPML Multilingual for BuddyPress and BuddyBoss ratings
Polylang ratings
How we compare these two
Every figure here is pulled from the WordPress.org plugin API every day at 03:00 UTC, for both plugins in the same run, so the two are always read on the same day. We compare only what the directory reports: active installs, the rating and how many reviews stand behind it, the last release date and, once we have a month of history, downloads over the last 30 days. Ratings are only called a win above 50 reviews each, because a handful of five-star reviews is not evidence. Nothing is weighted into an overall score, no measure is worth more than another, and neither WPML Multilingual for BuddyPress and BuddyBoss nor Polylang can pay to appear here: the pair exists only because both plugins reached the Translation Plugins top 10. Full methodology.
WPML Multilingual for BuddyPress and BuddyBoss vs Polylang: common questions
Is WPML Multilingual for BuddyPress and BuddyBoss better than Polylang?
Polylang leads on 3 of the 5 measures we track. Neither is better at everything, and the answer depends on which measure you weigh. Polylang ranks higher on WordPress.org: #7 against #9 in Translation Plugins.
Which has more users, WPML Multilingual for BuddyPress and BuddyBoss or Polylang?
Polylang ranks higher on WordPress.org: #7 against #9 in Translation Plugins.
Which is rated higher, WPML Multilingual for BuddyPress and BuddyBoss or Polylang?
Polylang has more users: 800,000+ active installs against 6,000+.
Are WPML Multilingual for BuddyPress and BuddyBoss and Polylang free?
Both are free to install from WordPress.org. WPML Multilingual for BuddyPress and BuddyBoss may also sell a paid version or add-ons. Polylang may also sell a paid version or add-ons.
Alternatives to WPML Multilingual for BuddyPress and BuddyBoss and Polylang
Plugins that score close to both in the same WordPress.org rankings and tags.
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WP Multilang
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Universally
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