Polylang vs Universally (September 2026)
Updated September 7, 2026 · Data from WordPress.org, refreshed daily · How this works
Both rank in the WordPress.org Translation Plugins top 10: Polylang at #7 and Universally at #5. Polylang leads on 3 of the 5 measures we track. Every number below comes straight from WordPress.org and is refreshed every day.
Polylang
Go multilingual in a simple and efficient way. Keep writing posts and taxonomy terms as usual while defining their languages all at once.
Universally
Universally – AI Translation & Multilingual SEO: Translate Your Site into 110+ Languages
Translate WordPress into 110+ languages with AI. Multilingual plugin with SEO-friendly URLs, hreflang tags, language switcher, and glossary rules.
Who leads on what
Polylang leads on 3 of the 5 measures we track.
Universally ranks higher on WordPress.org: #5 against #7 in Translation Plugins.
Polylang has more users: 800,000+ active installs against 20,000+.
Not enough reviews to compare ratings fairly: Polylang has 2,984, Universally has 1. We compare ratings only above 50 reviews each.
Polylang has more reviews behind its score: 2,984 against 1.
Polylang was updated more recently, on August 17, 2026; Universally on July 6, 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.
Polylang
Pick Polylang if 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.
Universally
Pick Universally if you go by where WordPress.org itself puts them.
Polylang vs Universally side by side
| Polylang | Universally | |
|---|---|---|
| Translation Plugins ranking | #7 | #5 |
| Rating | 4.7 | 5.0 |
| Reviews | 2,984 | 1 |
| Active installs | 800,000+ | 20,000+ |
| Total downloads | 28,576,140 | 46,625 |
| Downloads, last 30 days | – | – |
| Last updated | Aug 17, 2026 | Jul 6, 2026 |
| First published | Sep 22, 2011 | May 14, 2026 |
| Tested up to WordPress | 7.1 | 7.0.4 |
| Requires PHP | 7.4 | 7.4 |
| Pricing | Free on WordPress.org | Free on WordPress.org |
30-day download figures appear after both plugins have 30 days of tracking.
Polylang ratings
Universally 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 Polylang nor Universally can pay to appear here: the pair exists only because both plugins reached the Translation Plugins top 10. Full methodology.
Polylang vs Universally: common questions
Is Polylang better than Universally?
Polylang leads on 3 of the 5 measures we track. Neither is better at everything, and the answer depends on which measure you weigh. Universally ranks higher on WordPress.org: #5 against #7 in Translation Plugins.
Which has more users, Polylang or Universally?
Universally ranks higher on WordPress.org: #5 against #7 in Translation Plugins.
Which is rated higher, Polylang or Universally?
Polylang has more users: 800,000+ active installs against 20,000+.
Are Polylang and Universally free?
Both are free to install from WordPress.org. Polylang may also sell a paid version or add-ons. Universally may also sell a paid version or add-ons.
Alternatives to Polylang and Universally
Plugins that score close to both in the same WordPress.org rankings and tags.
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Translate WordPress with GTranslate
900,000+ installs · 4.9 from 4,951 reviews
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TranslatePress
400,000+ installs · 4.7 from 1,654 reviews
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WP Multilang
10,000+ installs · 4.3 from 100 reviews
-
Translate WordPress with Weglot
50,000+ installs · 4.8 from 1,934 reviews
-
Multilingual Contact Form 7 with Polylang
9,000+ installs · 4.9 from 17 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.