Jetpack Social vs Simple Social Icons (September 2026)
Updated September 7, 2026 · Data from WordPress.org, refreshed daily · How this works
Both rank in the WordPress.org Social Media Plugins top 10: Jetpack Social at #5 and Simple Social Icons at #3. Simple Social Icons leads on all 5 measures we track. Every number below comes straight from WordPress.org and is refreshed every day.
Jetpack Social
Write once, publish everywhere. Reach your target audience by sharing your content with Jetpack Social!
Simple Social Icons
Display icons linking to your social profiles, via the classic widget or the core Social Icons block variations.
Who leads on what
Simple Social Icons leads on all 5 measures we track.
Simple Social Icons ranks higher on WordPress.org: #3 against #5 in Social Media Plugins.
Simple Social Icons has more users: 100,000+ active installs against 30,000+.
Simple Social Icons is rated higher: 4.3 out of 5 from 92 reviews, against 3.3 from 74 reviews.
Simple Social Icons has more reviews behind its score: 92 against 74.
Simple Social Icons was updated more recently, on July 27, 2026; Jetpack Social on June 26, 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.
Jetpack Social
Jetpack Social does not lead on any measure we track, so pick it only for something these numbers cannot show, such as a feature you need.
Simple Social Icons
Pick Simple Social Icons 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, you want the score backed by more reviews or you want the one shipping releases most recently.
Jetpack Social vs Simple Social Icons side by side
| Jetpack Social | Simple Social Icons | |
|---|---|---|
| Social Media Plugins ranking | #5 | #3 |
| Rating | 3.3 | 4.3 |
| Reviews | 74 | 92 |
| Active installs | 30,000+ | 100,000+ |
| Total downloads | 993,281 | 3,349,714 |
| Downloads, last 30 days | – | – |
| Last updated | Jun 26, 2026 | Jul 27, 2026 |
| First published | May 31, 2022 | Feb 21, 2012 |
| Tested up to WordPress | 7.0.4 | 7.0.4 |
| Requires PHP | 7.2 | 7.4 |
| Pricing | Free on WordPress.org | Free |
30-day download figures appear after both plugins have 30 days of tracking.
Jetpack Social ratings
Simple Social Icons 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 Jetpack Social nor Simple Social Icons can pay to appear here: the pair exists only because both plugins reached the Social Media Plugins top 10. Full methodology.
Jetpack Social vs Simple Social Icons: common questions
Is Jetpack Social better than Simple Social Icons?
Simple Social Icons leads on all 5 measures we track. Neither is better at everything, and the answer depends on which measure you weigh. Simple Social Icons ranks higher on WordPress.org: #3 against #5 in Social Media Plugins.
Which has more users, Jetpack Social or Simple Social Icons?
Simple Social Icons ranks higher on WordPress.org: #3 against #5 in Social Media Plugins.
Which is rated higher, Jetpack Social or Simple Social Icons?
Simple Social Icons has more users: 100,000+ active installs against 30,000+.
Are Jetpack Social and Simple Social Icons free?
Both are free to install from WordPress.org. Jetpack Social may also sell a paid version or add-ons. Simple Social Icons is a community plugin with no paid version.
Alternatives to Jetpack Social and Simple Social Icons
Plugins that score close to both in the same WordPress.org rankings and tags.
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Social Media Feather
10,000+ installs · 4.6 from 506 reviews
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Social Media Share Buttons & Social Sharing Icons
100,000+ installs · 4.8 from 5,334 reviews
-
Buttonizer
40,000+ installs · 4.8 from 396 reviews
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Simple Social Media Share Buttons
20,000+ installs · 4.8 from 194 reviews
-
WPZOOM Connect
90,000+ installs · 4.9 from 144 reviews
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Weekly · free
What moved this week
One email a week, built from the same daily snapshots these rankings come from: the plugins that climbed, what launched, and one ranking worth a look.