Metricool vs Simple Social Media Share Buttons (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: Metricool at #2 and Simple Social Media Share Buttons at #8. Metricool leads on 3 of the 5 measures we track. Every number below comes straight from WordPress.org and is refreshed every day.
Metricool
Metricool – Social media and site statistics
Site metrics and social media analytics for Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, LinkedIn, X Twitter. The single best tool for Social Media Managers!
Simple Social Media Share Buttons
Simple Social Media Share Buttons – Social Sharing for Everyone
This Social Share Plugin adds advanced social media sharing buttons to your WordPress sites, such as Facebook, WhatsApp, X, LinkedIn, & Pinterest.
Who leads on what
Metricool leads on 3 of the 5 measures we track.
Metricool ranks higher on WordPress.org: #2 against #8 in Social Media Plugins.
Metricool has more users: 80,000+ active installs against 20,000+.
Not enough reviews to compare ratings fairly: Metricool has 21, Simple Social Media Share Buttons has 194. We compare ratings only above 50 reviews each.
Simple Social Media Share Buttons has more reviews behind its score: 194 against 21.
Metricool was updated more recently, on August 25, 2026; Simple Social Media Share Buttons on August 4, 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.
Metricool
Pick Metricool if you go by where WordPress.org itself puts them, you want the plugin more sites already run or you want the one shipping releases most recently.
Simple Social Media Share Buttons
Pick Simple Social Media Share Buttons if you want the score backed by more reviews.
Metricool vs Simple Social Media Share Buttons side by side
| Metricool | Simple Social Media Share Buttons | |
|---|---|---|
| Social Media Plugins ranking | #2 | #8 |
| Rating | 4.5 | 4.8 |
| Reviews | 21 | 194 |
| Active installs | 80,000+ | 20,000+ |
| Total downloads | 981,948 | 1,402,868 |
| Downloads, last 30 days | – | – |
| Last updated | Aug 25, 2026 | Aug 4, 2026 |
| First published | Apr 20, 2015 | Sep 22, 2011 |
| Tested up to WordPress | 7.1 | 7.0.4 |
| Requires PHP | 7.4 | 5.6 |
| Pricing | Free on WordPress.org | Free + paid version |
30-day download figures appear after both plugins have 30 days of tracking.
Metricool ratings
Simple Social Media Share Buttons 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 Metricool nor Simple Social Media Share Buttons can pay to appear here: the pair exists only because both plugins reached the Social Media Plugins top 10. Full methodology.
Metricool vs Simple Social Media Share Buttons: common questions
Is Metricool better than Simple Social Media Share Buttons?
Metricool leads on 3 of the 5 measures we track. Neither is better at everything, and the answer depends on which measure you weigh. Metricool ranks higher on WordPress.org: #2 against #8 in Social Media Plugins.
Which has more users, Metricool or Simple Social Media Share Buttons?
Metricool ranks higher on WordPress.org: #2 against #8 in Social Media Plugins.
Which is rated higher, Metricool or Simple Social Media Share Buttons?
Metricool has more users: 80,000+ active installs against 20,000+.
Are Metricool and Simple Social Media Share Buttons free?
Both are free to install from WordPress.org. Metricool may also sell a paid version or add-ons. Simple Social Media Share Buttons is listed as commercial, so a paid version or add-ons exist.
Alternatives to Metricool and Simple Social Media Share Buttons
Plugins that score close to both in the same WordPress.org rankings and tags.
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