Metricool 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: Metricool at #2 and Simple Social Icons at #3. They split the 5 measures we track, so the choice comes down to which one you weigh most. 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
They split the 5 measures we track, so the choice comes down to which one you weigh most.
Metricool ranks higher on WordPress.org: #2 against #3 in Social Media Plugins.
Simple Social Icons has more users: 100,000+ active installs against 80,000+.
Not enough reviews to compare ratings fairly: Metricool has 21, Simple Social Icons has 92. We compare ratings only above 50 reviews each.
Simple Social Icons has more reviews behind its score: 92 against 21.
Metricool was updated more recently, on August 25, 2026; Simple Social Icons on July 27, 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 or you want the one shipping releases most recently.
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 | #3 |
| Rating | 4.5 | 4.3 |
| Reviews | 21 | 92 |
| Active installs | 80,000+ | 100,000+ |
| Total downloads | 981,948 | 3,349,714 |
| Downloads, last 30 days | – | – |
| Last updated | Aug 25, 2026 | Jul 27, 2026 |
| First published | Apr 20, 2015 | Feb 21, 2012 |
| Tested up to WordPress | 7.1 | 7.0.4 |
| Requires PHP | 7.4 | 7.4 |
| Pricing | Free on WordPress.org | Free |
30-day download figures appear after both plugins have 30 days of tracking.
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?
They split the 5 measures we track, so the choice comes down to which one you weigh most. Neither is better at everything, and the answer depends on which measure you weigh. Metricool ranks higher on WordPress.org: #2 against #3 in Social Media Plugins.
Which has more users, Metricool or Simple Social Icons?
Metricool ranks higher on WordPress.org: #2 against #3 in Social Media Plugins.
Which is rated higher, Metricool or Simple Social Icons?
Simple Social Icons has more users: 100,000+ active installs against 80,000+.
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 638 reviews
-
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
-
Social Media Feather
10,000+ installs · 4.6 from 506 reviews
-
Wp Social
80,000+ installs · 4.6 from 67 reviews
More Social Media Plugins comparisons
- Buttonizer vs Metricool
- Buttonizer vs Simple Social Icons
- Feed Them Social vs Metricool
- Feed Them Social vs Simple Social Icons
- Jetpack Social vs Metricool
- Jetpack Social vs Simple Social Icons
- Metricool vs Simple Social Media Share Buttons
- Metricool vs WPZOOM Connect
- Metricool vs Social Media Feather
- Metricool vs Social Media Share Buttons & Social Sharing Icons
- Metricool vs Wp Social
- Simple Social Media Share Buttons vs Simple Social Icons
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.