Simple Social Icons 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: Simple Social Icons at #3 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.
Simple Social Icons
Display icons linking to your social profiles, via the classic widget or the core Social Icons block variations.
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 #3 in Social Media Plugins.
Both report 100,000+ active installs on WordPress.org.
Social Media Share Buttons & Social Sharing Icons is rated higher: 4.8 out of 5 from 5,334 reviews, against 4.3 from 92 reviews.
Social Media Share Buttons & Social Sharing Icons has more reviews behind its score: 5,334 against 92.
Social Media Share Buttons & Social Sharing Icons 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.
Simple Social Icons
Simple Social Icons 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, the review score matters most to you, you want the score backed by more reviews or you want the one shipping releases most recently.
Simple Social Icons vs Social Media Share Buttons & Social Sharing Icons side by side
| Simple Social Icons | Social Media Share Buttons & Social Sharing Icons | |
|---|---|---|
| Social Media Plugins ranking | #3 | #1 |
| Rating | 4.3 | 4.8 |
| Reviews | 92 | 5,334 |
| Active installs | 100,000+ | 100,000+ |
| Total downloads | 3,349,714 | 12,505,746 |
| Downloads, last 30 days | – | – |
| Last updated | Jul 27, 2026 | Aug 25, 2026 |
| First published | Feb 21, 2012 | Sep 19, 2014 |
| Tested up to WordPress | 7.0.4 | 7.0.4 |
| Requires PHP | 7.4 | – |
| Pricing | Free | Free on WordPress.org |
30-day download figures appear after both plugins have 30 days of tracking.
Simple Social Icons 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 Simple Social Icons 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.
Simple Social Icons vs Social Media Share Buttons & Social Sharing Icons: common questions
Is Simple Social Icons 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 #3 in Social Media Plugins.
Which has more users, Simple Social Icons or Social Media Share Buttons & Social Sharing Icons?
Social Media Share Buttons & Social Sharing Icons ranks higher on WordPress.org: #1 against #3 in Social Media Plugins.
Which is rated higher, Simple Social Icons or Social Media Share Buttons & Social Sharing Icons?
Both report 100,000+ active installs on WordPress.org.
Are Simple Social Icons and Social Media Share Buttons & Social Sharing Icons free?
Both are free to install from WordPress.org. Simple Social Icons is a community plugin with no paid version. Social Media Share Buttons & Social Sharing Icons may also sell a paid version or add-ons.
Alternatives to Simple Social Icons 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.