Simple Social Icons vs Social Share Icons & Social Share Buttons (October 2026)
Updated October 22, 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 #4 and Social Share Icons & Social Share Buttons at #10. Social Share Icons & Social Share Buttons leads on 4 of the 6 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 Share Icons & Social Share Buttons
Social sharing plugin adding social buttons.
Who leads on what
Social Share Icons & Social Share Buttons leads on 4 of the 6 measures we track.
Simple Social Icons ranks higher on WordPress.org: #4 against #10 in Social Media Plugins.
Simple Social Icons has more users: 100,000+ active installs against 10,000+.
Social Share Icons & Social Share Buttons is rated higher: 4.9 out of 5 from 1,911 reviews, against 4.3 from 92 reviews.
Social Share Icons & Social Share Buttons has more reviews behind its score: 1,911 against 92.
Social Share Icons & Social Share Buttons was updated more recently, on October 10, 2026; Simple Social Icons on September 17, 2026.
Social Share Icons & Social Share Buttons was downloaded more in the last 30 days: 12,977 times against 10,847.
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
Pick Simple Social Icons if you go by where WordPress.org itself puts them or you want the plugin more sites already run.
Social Share Icons & Social Share Buttons
Pick Social Share Icons & Social Share Buttons if the review score matters most to you, you want the score backed by more reviews, you want the one shipping releases most recently or you want the one being installed faster right now.
Simple Social Icons vs Social Share Icons & Social Share Buttons side by side
| Simple Social Icons | Social Share Icons & Social Share Buttons | |
|---|---|---|
| Social Media Plugins ranking | #4 | #10 |
| Rating | 4.3 | 4.9 |
| Reviews | 92 | 1,911 |
| Active installs | 100,000+ | 10,000+ |
| Total downloads | 3,365,948 | 2,686,682 |
| Downloads, last 30 days | 10,847 | 12,977 |
| Last updated | Sep 17, 2026 | Oct 10, 2026 |
| First published | Feb 21, 2012 | Apr 9, 2015 |
| Tested up to WordPress | 7.1.3 | 7.1.3 |
| Requires PHP | 7.4 | – |
| Pricing | Free | Free on WordPress.org |
Downloads per day, last 48 days
Simple Social Icons ratings
Social Share Icons & Social Share Buttons 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 Share Icons & Social Share Buttons 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 Share Icons & Social Share Buttons: common questions
Is Simple Social Icons better than Social Share Icons & Social Share Buttons?
Social Share Icons & Social Share Buttons leads on 4 of the 6 measures we track. Neither is better at everything, and the answer depends on which measure you weigh. Simple Social Icons ranks higher on WordPress.org: #4 against #10 in Social Media Plugins.
Which has more users, Simple Social Icons or Social Share Icons & Social Share Buttons?
Simple Social Icons ranks higher on WordPress.org: #4 against #10 in Social Media Plugins.
Which is rated higher, Simple Social Icons or Social Share Icons & Social Share Buttons?
Simple Social Icons has more users: 100,000+ active installs against 10,000+.
Are Simple Social Icons and Social Share Icons & Social Share Buttons free?
Both are free to install from WordPress.org. Simple Social Icons is a community plugin with no paid version. Social Share Icons & Social Share Buttons may also sell a paid version or add-ons.
Alternatives to Simple Social Icons and Social Share Icons & Social Share Buttons
Plugins that score close to both in the same WordPress.org rankings and tags.
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Weekly · free
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.