XML Sitemap Generator for Google vs Yoast SEO (September 2026)
Updated September 7, 2026 · Data from WordPress.org, refreshed daily · How this works
Both rank in the WordPress.org SEO Plugins top 10: XML Sitemap Generator for Google at #31 and Yoast SEO at #1. Yoast SEO 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.
Yoast SEO
Yoast SEO – Advanced SEO with real-time guidance and built-in AI
Real-time SEO guidance, schema, and AI built in. Help search engines and AI systems understand your content. All AI tools included, no hidden fees.
Who leads on what
Yoast SEO leads on 4 of the 5 measures we track.
Yoast SEO ranks higher on WordPress.org: #1 against #31 in SEO Plugins.
Yoast SEO has more users: 10 million+ active installs against 1 million+.
Both are rated 4.8 out of 5 (2,233 and 27,819 reviews).
Yoast SEO has more reviews behind its score: 27,819 against 2,233.
Yoast SEO 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
XML Sitemap Generator for Google does not lead on any measure we track, so pick it only for something these numbers cannot show, such as a feature you need.
Yoast SEO
Pick Yoast SEO if you go by where WordPress.org itself puts them, you want the plugin more sites already run, you want the score backed by more reviews or you want the one shipping releases most recently.
XML Sitemap Generator for Google vs Yoast SEO side by side
| XML Sitemap Generator for Google | Yoast SEO | |
|---|---|---|
| SEO Plugins ranking | #31 | #1 |
| Rating | 4.8 | 4.8 |
| Reviews | 2,233 | 27,819 |
| Active installs | 1 million+ | 10 million+ |
| Total downloads | 43,757,408 | 996,319,208 |
| Downloads, last 30 days | – | – |
| Last updated | May 31, 2026 | Sep 1, 2026 |
| First published | Jun 16, 2005 | Oct 11, 2010 |
| Tested up to WordPress | 7.0.4 | 7.1 |
| Requires PHP | 5.0 | 7.4 |
| Pricing | Free + paid version | Free + paid version |
30-day download figures appear after both plugins have 30 days of tracking.
XML Sitemap Generator for Google ratings
Yoast SEO 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 Yoast SEO can pay to appear here: the pair exists only because both plugins reached the SEO Plugins top 10. Full methodology.
XML Sitemap Generator for Google vs Yoast SEO: common questions
Is XML Sitemap Generator for Google better than Yoast SEO?
Yoast SEO leads on 4 of the 5 measures we track. Neither is better at everything, and the answer depends on which measure you weigh. Yoast SEO ranks higher on WordPress.org: #1 against #31 in SEO Plugins.
Which has more users, XML Sitemap Generator for Google or Yoast SEO?
Yoast SEO ranks higher on WordPress.org: #1 against #31 in SEO Plugins.
Which is rated higher, XML Sitemap Generator for Google or Yoast SEO?
Yoast SEO has more users: 10 million+ active installs against 1 million+.
Are XML Sitemap Generator for Google and Yoast SEO 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. Yoast SEO is listed as commercial, so a paid version or add-ons exist.
Alternatives to XML Sitemap Generator for Google and Yoast SEO
Plugins that score close to both in the same WordPress.org rankings and tags.
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