Metricool vs Simple Social Icons (October 2026)
Updated October 22, 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 Icons at #4. Metricool leads on 3 of the 6 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 Icons
Display icons linking to your social profiles, via the classic widget or the core Social Icons block variations.
Who leads on what
Metricool leads on 3 of the 6 measures we track.
Metricool ranks higher on WordPress.org: #2 against #4 in Social Media Plugins.
Simple Social Icons has more users: 100,000+ active installs against 90,000+.
Not enough reviews to compare ratings fairly: Metricool has 22, Simple Social Icons has 92. We compare ratings only above 50 reviews each.
Simple Social Icons has more reviews behind its score: 92 against 22.
Metricool was updated more recently, on October 13, 2026; Simple Social Icons on September 17, 2026.
Metricool was downloaded more in the last 30 days: 96,201 times against 10,847.
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 one shipping releases most recently or you want the one being installed faster right now.
Simple Social Icons
Pick Simple Social Icons if you want the plugin more sites already run or you want the score backed by more reviews.
Metricool vs Simple Social Icons side by side
| Metricool | Simple Social Icons | |
|---|---|---|
| Social Media Plugins ranking | #2 | #4 |
| Rating | 4.4 | 4.3 |
| Reviews | 22 | 92 |
| Active installs | 90,000+ | 100,000+ |
| Total downloads | 1,094,234 | 3,365,948 |
| Downloads, last 30 days | 96,201 | 10,847 |
| Last updated | Oct 13, 2026 | Sep 17, 2026 |
| First published | Apr 20, 2015 | Feb 21, 2012 |
| Tested up to WordPress | 7.1.3 | 7.1.3 |
| Requires PHP | 7.4 | 7.4 |
| Pricing | Free on WordPress.org | Free |
Downloads per day, last 48 days
Metricool 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 Metricool 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.
Metricool vs Simple Social Icons: common questions
Is Metricool better than Simple Social Icons?
Metricool leads on 3 of the 6 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 #4 in Social Media Plugins.
Which has more users, Metricool or Simple Social Icons?
Metricool ranks higher on WordPress.org: #2 against #4 in Social Media Plugins.
Which is rated higher, Metricool or Simple Social Icons?
Simple Social Icons has more users: 100,000+ active installs against 90,000+.
Are Metricool and Simple Social Icons free?
Both are free to install from WordPress.org. Metricool may also sell a paid version or add-ons. Simple Social Icons is a community plugin with no paid version.
Alternatives to Metricool and Simple Social Icons
Plugins that score close to both in the same WordPress.org rankings and tags.
-
Feed Them Social
20,000+ installs · 4.7 from 639 reviews
-
Social Media Share Buttons & Social Sharing Icons
100,000+ installs · 4.8 from 5,333 reviews
-
Buttonizer
40,000+ installs · 4.8 from 396 reviews
-
Social Media Feather
10,000+ installs · 4.6 from 506 reviews
-
Wp Social
70,000+ installs · 4.6 from 67 reviews
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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.