Simple Social Icons vs Wp Social (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 Wp Social at #3. Wp Social 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.
Wp Social
Wp Social Login and Register Social Counter
Wp social lets you add social login, social counter, and social share buttons of different styles to your WordPress website.
Who leads on what
Wp Social leads on 4 of the 6 measures we track.
Wp Social ranks higher on WordPress.org: #3 against #4 in Social Media Plugins.
Simple Social Icons has more users: 100,000+ active installs against 70,000+.
Wp Social is rated higher: 4.6 out of 5 from 67 reviews, against 4.3 from 92 reviews.
Simple Social Icons has more reviews behind its score: 92 against 67.
Wp Social was updated more recently, on October 18, 2026; Simple Social Icons on September 17, 2026.
Wp Social was downloaded more in the last 30 days: 46,197 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 want the plugin more sites already run or you want the score backed by more reviews.
Wp Social
Pick Wp Social if you go by where WordPress.org itself puts them, the review score matters most to you, you want the one shipping releases most recently or you want the one being installed faster right now.
Simple Social Icons vs Wp Social side by side
| Simple Social Icons | Wp Social | |
|---|---|---|
| Social Media Plugins ranking | #4 | #3 |
| Rating | 4.3 | 4.6 |
| Reviews | 92 | 67 |
| Active installs | 100,000+ | 70,000+ |
| Total downloads | 3,365,948 | 1,094,349 |
| Downloads, last 30 days | 10,847 | 46,197 |
| Last updated | Sep 17, 2026 | Oct 18, 2026 |
| First published | Feb 21, 2012 | Aug 19, 2010 |
| Tested up to WordPress | 7.1.3 | 7.1.3 |
| Requires PHP | 7.4 | 7.4 |
| Pricing | Free | Free on WordPress.org |
Downloads per day, last 48 days
Simple Social Icons ratings
Wp Social 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 Wp Social 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 Wp Social: common questions
Is Simple Social Icons better than Wp Social?
Wp Social leads on 4 of the 6 measures we track. Neither is better at everything, and the answer depends on which measure you weigh. Wp Social ranks higher on WordPress.org: #3 against #4 in Social Media Plugins.
Which has more users, Simple Social Icons or Wp Social?
Wp Social ranks higher on WordPress.org: #3 against #4 in Social Media Plugins.
Which is rated higher, Simple Social Icons or Wp Social?
Simple Social Icons has more users: 100,000+ active installs against 70,000+.
Are Simple Social Icons and Wp Social free?
Both are free to install from WordPress.org. Simple Social Icons is a community plugin with no paid version. Wp Social may also sell a paid version or add-ons.
Alternatives to Simple Social Icons and Wp Social
Plugins that score close to both in the same WordPress.org rankings and tags.
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Social Media Share Buttons & Social Sharing Icons
100,000+ installs · 4.8 from 5,333 reviews
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Buttonizer
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Social Media Feather
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Simple Social Media Share Buttons
20,000+ installs · 4.8 from 194 reviews
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Feed Them Social
20,000+ installs · 4.7 from 639 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.