Polylang vs WP Multilang (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 WP Multilang at #8. Polylang leads on 4 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.
WP Multilang
WP Multilang – Translation and Multilingual Plugin
Multilingual plugin for WordPress. Go Multilingual in minutes with full WordPress support. Translate your site easily with this localization plugin.
Who leads on what
Polylang leads on 4 of the 5 measures we track.
Polylang ranks higher on WordPress.org: #7 against #8 in Translation Plugins.
Polylang has more users: 800,000+ active installs against 10,000+.
Polylang is rated higher: 4.7 out of 5 from 2,984 reviews, against 4.3 from 100 reviews.
Polylang has more reviews behind its score: 2,984 against 100.
WP Multilang was updated more recently, on September 3, 2026; Polylang on August 17, 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 go by where WordPress.org itself puts them, you want the plugin more sites already run, the review score matters most to you or you want the score backed by more reviews.
WP Multilang
Pick WP Multilang if you want the one shipping releases most recently.
Polylang vs WP Multilang side by side
| Polylang | WP Multilang | |
|---|---|---|
| Translation Plugins ranking | #7 | #8 |
| Rating | 4.7 | 4.3 |
| Reviews | 2,984 | 100 |
| Active installs | 800,000+ | 10,000+ |
| Total downloads | 28,576,140 | 281,213 |
| Downloads, last 30 days | – | – |
| Last updated | Aug 17, 2026 | Sep 3, 2026 |
| First published | Sep 22, 2011 | May 24, 2017 |
| Tested up to WordPress | 7.1 | 7.1 |
| Requires PHP | 7.4 | 5.6.20 |
| Pricing | Free on WordPress.org | Free on WordPress.org |
30-day download figures appear after both plugins have 30 days of tracking.
Polylang ratings
WP Multilang 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 WP Multilang can pay to appear here: the pair exists only because both plugins reached the Translation Plugins top 10. Full methodology.
Polylang vs WP Multilang: common questions
Is Polylang better than WP Multilang?
Polylang leads on 4 of the 5 measures we track. Neither is better at everything, and the answer depends on which measure you weigh. Polylang ranks higher on WordPress.org: #7 against #8 in Translation Plugins.
Which has more users, Polylang or WP Multilang?
Polylang ranks higher on WordPress.org: #7 against #8 in Translation Plugins.
Which is rated higher, Polylang or WP Multilang?
Polylang has more users: 800,000+ active installs against 10,000+.
Are Polylang and WP Multilang free?
Both are free to install from WordPress.org. Polylang may also sell a paid version or add-ons. WP Multilang may also sell a paid version or add-ons.
Alternatives to Polylang and WP Multilang
Plugins that score close to both in the same WordPress.org rankings and tags.
-
Translate WordPress with GTranslate
900,000+ installs · 4.9 from 4,951 reviews
-
Universally
20,000+ installs · 5.0 from 1 reviews
-
Translate WordPress with Weglot
50,000+ installs · 4.8 from 1,934 reviews
-
TranslatePress
400,000+ installs · 4.7 from 1,654 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.