Sitemap Generator 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: Sitemap Generator at #11 and Simple Sitemap at #4. Simple Sitemap leads on 4 of the 5 measures we track. Every number below comes straight from WordPress.org and is refreshed every day.
Sitemap Generator
An easy to use XML sitemap generator with support for image and video sitemaps for WordPress.
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
Simple Sitemap leads on 4 of the 5 measures we track.
Simple Sitemap ranks higher on WordPress.org: #4 against #11 in Sitemap Plugins.
Simple Sitemap has more users: 60,000+ active installs against 3,000+.
Not enough reviews to compare ratings fairly: Sitemap Generator has 23, Simple Sitemap has 72. We compare ratings only above 50 reviews each.
Simple Sitemap has more reviews behind its score: 72 against 23.
Simple Sitemap was updated more recently, on September 1, 2026; Sitemap Generator 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.
Sitemap Generator
Sitemap Generator 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 Sitemap
Pick Simple Sitemap 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.
Sitemap Generator vs Simple Sitemap side by side
| Sitemap Generator | Simple Sitemap | |
|---|---|---|
| Sitemap Plugins ranking | #11 | #4 |
| Rating | 3.7 | 3.9 |
| Reviews | 23 | 72 |
| Active installs | 3,000+ | 60,000+ |
| Total downloads | 206,064 | 1,834,571 |
| Downloads, last 30 days | – | – |
| Last updated | Aug 17, 2026 | Sep 1, 2026 |
| First published | May 11, 2015 | Jun 30, 2010 |
| Tested up to WordPress | 7.1 | 7.1 |
| Requires PHP | – | 7.4 |
| Pricing | Free on WordPress.org | Free on WordPress.org |
30-day download figures appear after both plugins have 30 days of tracking.
Sitemap Generator 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 Sitemap Generator nor Simple Sitemap can pay to appear here: the pair exists only because both plugins reached the Sitemap Plugins top 10. Full methodology.
Sitemap Generator vs Simple Sitemap: common questions
Is Sitemap Generator better than Simple Sitemap?
Simple Sitemap leads on 4 of the 5 measures we track. Neither is better at everything, and the answer depends on which measure you weigh. Simple Sitemap ranks higher on WordPress.org: #4 against #11 in Sitemap Plugins.
Which has more users, Sitemap Generator or Simple Sitemap?
Simple Sitemap ranks higher on WordPress.org: #4 against #11 in Sitemap Plugins.
Which is rated higher, Sitemap Generator or Simple Sitemap?
Simple Sitemap has more users: 60,000+ active installs against 3,000+.
Are Sitemap Generator and Simple Sitemap free?
Both are free to install from WordPress.org. Sitemap Generator may also sell a paid version or add-ons. Simple Sitemap may also sell a paid version or add-ons.
Alternatives to Sitemap Generator and Simple Sitemap
Plugins that score close to both in the same WordPress.org rankings and tags.
-
Dynamic XML Sitemaps Generator for Google
20,000+ installs · 4.7 from 46 reviews
-
HTML Page Sitemap
10,000+ installs · 4.4 from 24 reviews
-
WP Sitemap Page
200,000+ installs · 4.8 from 205 reviews
-
XML Sitemap Generator for Google
1 million+ installs · 4.8 from 2,233 reviews
-
Companion Sitemap Generator
7,000+ installs · 4.7 from 55 reviews
More Sitemap Plugins comparisons
- Companion Sitemap Generator vs Sitemap Generator
- Companion Sitemap Generator vs Simple Sitemap
- Disable WP Sitemaps vs Sitemap Generator
- Disable WP Sitemaps vs Simple Sitemap
- XML Sitemap Generator for Google vs Sitemap Generator
- XML Sitemap Generator for Google vs Simple Sitemap
- Hierarchical HTML Sitemap vs Sitemap Generator
- Hierarchical HTML Sitemap vs Simple Sitemap
- HTML Page Sitemap vs Sitemap Generator
- HTML Page Sitemap vs Simple Sitemap
- Kwayy HTML Sitemap vs Simple Sitemap
- Sitemap Generator vs WP Sitemap Page
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.