XML Sitemap Generator for Google vs Simple Sitemap (September 2026)
Updated September 7, 2026 · Data from WordPress.org, refreshed daily · How this works
Both rank in the WordPress.org Sitemap Plugins top 10: XML Sitemap Generator for Google at #1 and Simple Sitemap at #4. XML Sitemap Generator for Google leads on 4 of the 5 measures we track. Every number below comes straight from WordPress.org and is refreshed every day.
XML Sitemap Generator for Google
Generate multiple types of sitemaps to improve SEO and get your website indexed quickly.
Simple Sitemap
Simple Sitemap – Responsive HTML Sitemap for WordPress
Build a responsive HTML sitemap in the block editor with live preview, flexible sorting, tabs, and shortcode support.
Who leads on what
XML Sitemap Generator for Google leads on 4 of the 5 measures we track.
XML Sitemap Generator for Google ranks higher on WordPress.org: #1 against #4 in Sitemap Plugins.
XML Sitemap Generator for Google has more users: 1 million+ active installs against 60,000+.
XML Sitemap Generator for Google is rated higher: 4.8 out of 5 from 2,233 reviews, against 3.9 from 72 reviews.
XML Sitemap Generator for Google has more reviews behind its score: 2,233 against 72.
Simple Sitemap was updated more recently, on September 1, 2026; XML Sitemap Generator for Google on May 31, 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.
XML Sitemap Generator for Google
Pick XML Sitemap Generator for Google if you go by where WordPress.org itself puts them, you want the plugin more sites already run, the review score matters most to you or you want the score backed by more reviews.
Simple Sitemap
Pick Simple Sitemap if you want the one shipping releases most recently.
XML Sitemap Generator for Google vs Simple Sitemap side by side
| XML Sitemap Generator for Google | Simple Sitemap | |
|---|---|---|
| Sitemap Plugins ranking | #1 | #4 |
| Rating | 4.8 | 3.9 |
| Reviews | 2,233 | 72 |
| Active installs | 1 million+ | 60,000+ |
| Total downloads | 43,757,408 | 1,834,571 |
| Downloads, last 30 days | – | – |
| Last updated | May 31, 2026 | Sep 1, 2026 |
| First published | Jun 16, 2005 | Jun 30, 2010 |
| Tested up to WordPress | 7.0.4 | 7.1 |
| Requires PHP | 5.0 | 7.4 |
| Pricing | Free + paid version | Free on WordPress.org |
30-day download figures appear after both plugins have 30 days of tracking.
XML Sitemap Generator for Google ratings
Simple Sitemap 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 XML Sitemap Generator for Google nor Simple Sitemap can pay to appear here: the pair exists only because both plugins reached the Sitemap Plugins top 10. Full methodology.
XML Sitemap Generator for Google vs Simple Sitemap: common questions
Is XML Sitemap Generator for Google better than Simple Sitemap?
XML Sitemap Generator for Google leads on 4 of the 5 measures we track. Neither is better at everything, and the answer depends on which measure you weigh. XML Sitemap Generator for Google ranks higher on WordPress.org: #1 against #4 in Sitemap Plugins.
Which has more users, XML Sitemap Generator for Google or Simple Sitemap?
XML Sitemap Generator for Google ranks higher on WordPress.org: #1 against #4 in Sitemap Plugins.
Which is rated higher, XML Sitemap Generator for Google or Simple Sitemap?
XML Sitemap Generator for Google has more users: 1 million+ active installs against 60,000+.
Are XML Sitemap Generator for Google and Simple Sitemap free?
Both are free to install from WordPress.org. XML Sitemap Generator for Google is listed as commercial, so a paid version or add-ons exist. Simple Sitemap may also sell a paid version or add-ons.
Alternatives to XML Sitemap Generator for Google and Simple Sitemap
Plugins that score close to both in the same WordPress.org rankings and tags.
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Hierarchical HTML Sitemap
4,000+ installs · 5.0 from 12 reviews
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HTML Page Sitemap
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200,000+ installs · 4.8 from 205 reviews
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Kwayy HTML Sitemap
6,000+ installs · 4.7 from 18 reviews
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Companion Sitemap Generator
7,000+ installs · 4.7 from 55 reviews
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