Social Media Feather 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: Social Media Feather at #7 and Social Media Share Buttons & Social Sharing Icons at #1. Social Media Share Buttons & Social Sharing Icons leads on all 5 measures we track. Every number below comes straight from WordPress.org and is refreshed every day.
Social Media Feather
Lightweight social sharing and follow buttons for WordPress. Fast, flexible, and easy to use.
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 all 5 measures we track.
Social Media Share Buttons & Social Sharing Icons ranks higher on WordPress.org: #1 against #7 in Social Media Plugins.
Social Media Share Buttons & Social Sharing Icons has more users: 100,000+ active installs against 10,000+.
Social Media Share Buttons & Social Sharing Icons is rated higher: 4.8 out of 5 from 5,334 reviews, against 4.6 from 506 reviews.
Social Media Share Buttons & Social Sharing Icons has more reviews behind its score: 5,334 against 506.
Social Media Share Buttons & Social Sharing Icons was updated more recently, on August 25, 2026; Social Media Feather on August 20, 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.
Social Media Feather
Social Media Feather 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, you want the plugin more sites already run, the review score matters most to you, you want the score backed by more reviews or you want the one shipping releases most recently.
Social Media Feather vs Social Media Share Buttons & Social Sharing Icons side by side
| Social Media Feather | Social Media Share Buttons & Social Sharing Icons | |
|---|---|---|
| Social Media Plugins ranking | #7 | #1 |
| Rating | 4.6 | 4.8 |
| Reviews | 506 | 5,334 |
| Active installs | 10,000+ | 100,000+ |
| Total downloads | 2,045,530 | 12,505,746 |
| Downloads, last 30 days | – | – |
| Last updated | Aug 20, 2026 | Aug 25, 2026 |
| First published | Dec 21, 2012 | Sep 19, 2014 |
| Tested up to WordPress | 7.1 | 7.0.4 |
| Requires PHP | – | – |
| Pricing | Free on WordPress.org | Free on WordPress.org |
30-day download figures appear after both plugins have 30 days of tracking.
Social Media Feather 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 Social Media Feather 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.
Social Media Feather vs Social Media Share Buttons & Social Sharing Icons: common questions
Is Social Media Feather better than Social Media Share Buttons & Social Sharing Icons?
Social Media Share Buttons & Social Sharing Icons leads on all 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 #7 in Social Media Plugins.
Which has more users, Social Media Feather or Social Media Share Buttons & Social Sharing Icons?
Social Media Share Buttons & Social Sharing Icons ranks higher on WordPress.org: #1 against #7 in Social Media Plugins.
Which is rated higher, Social Media Feather or Social Media Share Buttons & Social Sharing Icons?
Social Media Share Buttons & Social Sharing Icons has more users: 100,000+ active installs against 10,000+.
Are Social Media Feather and Social Media Share Buttons & Social Sharing Icons free?
Both are free to install from WordPress.org. Social Media Feather may also sell a paid version or add-ons. Social Media Share Buttons & Social Sharing Icons may also sell a paid version or add-ons.
Alternatives to Social Media Feather 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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