Social Share Icons & Social Share Buttons 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: Social Share Icons & Social Share Buttons at #10 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.
Social Share Icons & Social Share Buttons
Social sharing plugin adding social buttons.
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 #10 in Social Media Plugins.
Wp Social has more users: 70,000+ active installs against 10,000+.
Social Share Icons & Social Share Buttons is rated higher: 4.9 out of 5 from 1,911 reviews, against 4.6 from 67 reviews.
Social Share Icons & Social Share Buttons has more reviews behind its score: 1,911 against 67.
Wp Social was updated more recently, on October 18, 2026; Social Share Icons & Social Share Buttons on October 10, 2026.
Wp Social was downloaded more in the last 30 days: 46,197 times against 12,977.
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 Share Icons & Social Share Buttons
Pick Social Share Icons & Social Share Buttons if the review score matters most to you or you want the score backed by more reviews.
Wp Social
Pick Wp Social if you go by where WordPress.org itself puts them, you want the plugin more sites already run, you want the one shipping releases most recently or you want the one being installed faster right now.
Social Share Icons & Social Share Buttons vs Wp Social side by side
| Social Share Icons & Social Share Buttons | Wp Social | |
|---|---|---|
| Social Media Plugins ranking | #10 | #3 |
| Rating | 4.9 | 4.6 |
| Reviews | 1,911 | 67 |
| Active installs | 10,000+ | 70,000+ |
| Total downloads | 2,686,682 | 1,094,349 |
| Downloads, last 30 days | 12,977 | 46,197 |
| Last updated | Oct 10, 2026 | Oct 18, 2026 |
| First published | Apr 9, 2015 | Aug 19, 2010 |
| Tested up to WordPress | 7.1.3 | 7.1.3 |
| Requires PHP | – | 7.4 |
| Pricing | Free on WordPress.org | Free on WordPress.org |
Downloads per day, last 48 days
Social Share Icons & Social Share Buttons 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 Social Share Icons & Social Share Buttons nor Wp Social can pay to appear here: the pair exists only because both plugins reached the Social Media Plugins top 10. Full methodology.
Social Share Icons & Social Share Buttons vs Wp Social: common questions
Is Social Share Icons & Social Share Buttons 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 #10 in Social Media Plugins.
Which has more users, Social Share Icons & Social Share Buttons or Wp Social?
Wp Social ranks higher on WordPress.org: #3 against #10 in Social Media Plugins.
Which is rated higher, Social Share Icons & Social Share Buttons or Wp Social?
Wp Social has more users: 70,000+ active installs against 10,000+.
Are Social Share Icons & Social Share Buttons and Wp Social free?
Both are free to install from WordPress.org. Social Share Icons & Social Share Buttons may also sell a paid version or add-ons. Wp Social may also sell a paid version or add-ons.
Alternatives to Social Share Icons & Social Share Buttons and Wp Social
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.