Metricool vs Social Media Share Buttons & Social Sharing 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 Social Media Share Buttons & Social Sharing Icons at #1. Social Media Share Buttons & Social Sharing Icons leads on 4 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!
Social Media Share Buttons & Social Sharing Icons
Share buttons and pop up share icons for social media sharing
Who leads on what
Social Media Share Buttons & Social Sharing Icons leads on 4 of the 5 measures we track.
Social Media Share Buttons & Social Sharing Icons ranks higher on WordPress.org: #1 against #2 in Social Media Plugins.
Social Media Share Buttons & Social Sharing Icons has more users: 100,000+ active installs against 80,000+.
Not enough reviews to compare ratings fairly: Metricool has 21, Social Media Share Buttons & Social Sharing Icons has 5,334. We compare ratings only above 50 reviews each.
Social Media Share Buttons & Social Sharing Icons has more reviews behind its score: 5,334 against 21.
Social Media Share Buttons & Social Sharing Icons was updated more recently, on August 25, 2026; Metricool on August 25, 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
Metricool does not lead on any measure we track, so pick it only for something these numbers cannot show, such as a feature you need.
Social Media Share Buttons & Social Sharing Icons
Pick Social Media Share Buttons & Social Sharing Icons 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.
Metricool vs Social Media Share Buttons & Social Sharing Icons side by side
| Metricool | Social Media Share Buttons & Social Sharing Icons | |
|---|---|---|
| Social Media Plugins ranking | #2 | #1 |
| Rating | 4.5 | 4.8 |
| Reviews | 21 | 5,334 |
| Active installs | 80,000+ | 100,000+ |
| Total downloads | 981,948 | 12,505,746 |
| Downloads, last 30 days | – | – |
| Last updated | Aug 25, 2026 | Aug 25, 2026 |
| First published | Apr 20, 2015 | Sep 19, 2014 |
| Tested up to WordPress | 7.1 | 7.0.4 |
| 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.
Metricool ratings
Social Media Share Buttons & Social Sharing 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 Social Media Share Buttons & Social Sharing Icons can pay to appear here: the pair exists only because both plugins reached the Social Media Plugins top 10. Full methodology.
Metricool vs Social Media Share Buttons & Social Sharing Icons: common questions
Is Metricool better than Social Media Share Buttons & Social Sharing Icons?
Social Media Share Buttons & Social Sharing Icons leads on 4 of the 5 measures we track. Neither is better at everything, and the answer depends on which measure you weigh. Social Media Share Buttons & Social Sharing Icons ranks higher on WordPress.org: #1 against #2 in Social Media Plugins.
Which has more users, Metricool or Social Media Share Buttons & Social Sharing Icons?
Social Media Share Buttons & Social Sharing Icons ranks higher on WordPress.org: #1 against #2 in Social Media Plugins.
Which is rated higher, Metricool or Social Media Share Buttons & Social Sharing Icons?
Social Media Share Buttons & Social Sharing Icons has more users: 100,000+ active installs against 80,000+.
Are Metricool and Social Media Share Buttons & Social Sharing Icons free?
Both are free to install from WordPress.org. Metricool may also sell a paid version or add-ons. Social Media Share Buttons & Social Sharing Icons may also sell a paid version or add-ons.
Alternatives to Metricool and Social Media Share Buttons & Social Sharing Icons
Plugins that score close to both in the same WordPress.org rankings and tags.
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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.