Simple Social Media Share Buttons vs Social Media Feather (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: Simple Social Media Share Buttons at #8 and Social Media Feather at #7. Social Media Feather leads on 3 of the 5 measures we track. Every number below comes straight from WordPress.org and is refreshed every day.
Simple Social Media Share Buttons
Simple Social Media Share Buttons – Social Sharing for Everyone
This Social Share Plugin adds advanced social media sharing buttons to your WordPress sites, such as Facebook, WhatsApp, X, LinkedIn, & Pinterest.
Social Media Feather
Lightweight social sharing and follow buttons for WordPress. Fast, flexible, and easy to use.
Who leads on what
Social Media Feather leads on 3 of the 5 measures we track.
Social Media Feather ranks higher on WordPress.org: #7 against #8 in Social Media Plugins.
Simple Social Media Share Buttons has more users: 20,000+ active installs against 10,000+.
Simple Social Media Share Buttons is rated higher: 4.8 out of 5 from 194 reviews, against 4.6 from 506 reviews.
Social Media Feather has more reviews behind its score: 506 against 194.
Social Media Feather was updated more recently, on August 20, 2026; Simple Social Media Share Buttons on August 4, 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.
Simple Social Media Share Buttons
Pick Simple Social Media Share Buttons if you want the plugin more sites already run or the review score matters most to you.
Social Media Feather
Pick Social Media Feather if you go by where WordPress.org itself puts them, you want the score backed by more reviews or you want the one shipping releases most recently.
Simple Social Media Share Buttons vs Social Media Feather side by side
| Simple Social Media Share Buttons | Social Media Feather | |
|---|---|---|
| Social Media Plugins ranking | #8 | #7 |
| Rating | 4.8 | 4.6 |
| Reviews | 194 | 506 |
| Active installs | 20,000+ | 10,000+ |
| Total downloads | 1,402,868 | 2,045,530 |
| Downloads, last 30 days | – | – |
| Last updated | Aug 4, 2026 | Aug 20, 2026 |
| First published | Sep 22, 2011 | Dec 21, 2012 |
| Tested up to WordPress | 7.0.4 | 7.1 |
| Requires PHP | 5.6 | – |
| Pricing | Free + paid version | Free on WordPress.org |
30-day download figures appear after both plugins have 30 days of tracking.
Simple Social Media Share Buttons ratings
Social Media Feather 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 Simple Social Media Share Buttons nor Social Media Feather can pay to appear here: the pair exists only because both plugins reached the Social Media Plugins top 10. Full methodology.
Simple Social Media Share Buttons vs Social Media Feather: common questions
Is Simple Social Media Share Buttons better than Social Media Feather?
Social Media Feather leads on 3 of the 5 measures we track. Neither is better at everything, and the answer depends on which measure you weigh. Social Media Feather ranks higher on WordPress.org: #7 against #8 in Social Media Plugins.
Which has more users, Simple Social Media Share Buttons or Social Media Feather?
Social Media Feather ranks higher on WordPress.org: #7 against #8 in Social Media Plugins.
Which is rated higher, Simple Social Media Share Buttons or Social Media Feather?
Simple Social Media Share Buttons has more users: 20,000+ active installs against 10,000+.
Are Simple Social Media Share Buttons and Social Media Feather free?
Both are free to install from WordPress.org. Simple Social Media Share Buttons is listed as commercial, so a paid version or add-ons exist. Social Media Feather may also sell a paid version or add-ons.
Alternatives to Simple Social Media Share Buttons and Social Media Feather
Plugins that score close to both in the same WordPress.org rankings and tags.
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WPZOOM Connect
90,000+ installs · 4.9 from 144 reviews
-
Buttonizer
40,000+ installs · 4.8 from 396 reviews
-
Jetpack Social
30,000+ installs · 3.3 from 74 reviews
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Wp Social
80,000+ installs · 4.6 from 67 reviews
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Social Media Share Buttons & Social Sharing Icons
100,000+ installs · 4.8 from 5,334 reviews
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