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WordPress Guide → Plugins → Best
15 Essential WordPress Plugins That Won’t Slow Your Site Down
WordPress powers over 40% of all websites on the internet, but it’s the plugins that truly bring these sites to life!
From simple contact forms to complex ecommerce stores, plugins extend your website’s capabilities in almost limitless ways. But with nearly 60,000 plugins available in the WordPress repository, finding the right ones for your site is a challenge in itself.
That’s where real user data becomes invaluable. The Events Calendar and SolidWP – both part of the Liquid Web family alongside Nexcess – recently surveyed over 1,400 WordPress users to discover which plugins are making a genuine difference.
Read on to uncover the 15 most trusted and effective WordPress plugins across five critical areas: commerce, security, page builders, forms, and SEO – the categories every site owner should consider.
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Best commerce plugins
Many WordPress users rely on plugins to make their site function as an online business. In fact, a significant portion of survey respondents utilize commerce-driven plugins. Commerce plugins help with payment processing, the checkout process, and managing paywalls. Here are the top commerce plugins WordPress users love.
1. WooCommerce
WooCommerce is the most widely used commerce plugin for WordPress, transforming any site into a fully functional online store. Its deep integration with WordPress makes it a natural choice for those already familiar with the platform, and its flexibility means it can handle everything from small boutique shops to large-scale eCommerce operations.
One of WooCommerce’s greatest strengths is its extensibility. The plugin offers a massive ecosystem of free and premium add-ons, allowing store owners to add features like advanced shipping, memberships, and marketing automation. A reporting dashboard provides actionable insights on sales, inventory, and customer behavior, helping you make informed business decisions. WooCommerce is also developer-friendly, so customizations are possible for those with coding knowledge.
- Highly customizable storefront and checkout experience.
- Integrates with major payment gateways and shipping providers.
- Large community and extensive documentation for support.
- Regularly updated for security and new features.
- Best for businesses seeking a scalable, customizable, and cost-effective eCommerce solution.
WooCommerce supports a wide variety of product types, including physical goods, digital downloads, and subscriptions or bookings with the right extensions. However, the platform can be resource heavy, and add-ons can seriously bulk up your monthly costs, depending on which ones you need.
Pricing:
Core plugin is free. Expect to invest $200-$1,000/year for add-ons for a small to medium store.
2. Event Tickets
Event Tickets is a commerce plugin for anyone looking to sell tickets or manage RSVPs for events directly through WordPress. The plugin is designed for both in-person and virtual events, making it a versatile solution for a wide range of businesses, nonprofits, and community groups. The setup is intuitive, allowing users to create events, sell tickets, and track attendees without technical expertise.
Event Tickets integrates with The Events Calendar but can also function independently. Payments are easy to manage, with built-in support for PayPal and Stripe. The plugin’s attendee management features include email confirmations, customizable ticket templates, and reporting tools to track sales and check-ins. For more advanced needs, Event Tickets Plus unlocks custom registration fields, QR code check-in, and WooCommerce integration.
- Quick setup and user-friendly ticket management.
- Supports free and paid events, recurring events, and multiple ticket types.
- Attendee registration, email confirmations, and exportable reports.
- Perfect for organizations hosting workshops, conferences, fundraisers, or recurring events.
On the flip side, some users have reported failed ticket delivery in the free version, with full support for such issues only available in Pro. There’s also no mobile app for ticket scanning, which some organizers may find a drawback.
Pricing:
Free for basic features. Event Tickets Plus starts at $149/year for one site.
3. MemberPress
MemberPress is a premium membership plugin in the commerce category, empowering WordPress site owners to monetize their content through subscriptions and gated access. It’s designed for creators, educators, and businesses who want to build a community or offer exclusive content, online courses, or digital products.
The plugin’s flexible access rules allow you to restrict posts, pages, videos, or entire categories based on membership level. Its built-in course platform is ideal for educators or coaches, and content dripping enables you to release material on a schedule. The plugin integrates with Stripe, PayPal, and Authorize.net for secure, recurring billing, and supports coupons, automated emails, and detailed reporting.
- Unlimited membership levels and customizable dashboards.
- Built-in LMS and integration with forums and email marketing tools.
- Powerful reporting on member activity and revenue.
- Best for anyone looking to build a paid community or sell online courses.
Bear in mind that MemberPress can be expensive, depending on the features you need. Some handy features like user forums are only available on higher-tier plans, and at present, there’s no lifetime purchase option.
Pricing:
Plans start at $179.50/year for the Basic license.
See more: The best WordPress ecommerce plugins →
Best security plugins
We live in a world where any website can be vulnerable to security threats. Fortunately, there are plenty of WordPress plugins to help protect your site. These plugins offer functions including brute force protection, file change detection, site and database backups, and more. Here are the top security plugins WordPress users rely on.
4. Solid Security
Solid Security (formerly iThemes Security) is a mega-powerful plugin designed to safeguard WordPress sites from a huge range of threats. As a security plugin, it offers layered protection, including vulnerability scanning, brute force defense, password policies, and file change monitoring. The dashboard is intuitive, making it easy for users of all skill levels to configure and monitor their site’s security status.
Solid Security’s real-time alerts and Patchstack-powered vulnerability scanning help you stay ahead of emerging threats. Automated database backups and Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) add extra layers of protection. The plugin also supports reCAPTCHA for login and registration forms, and its centralized dashboard is especially valuable for agencies or developers managing multiple sites.
- 2FA and passwordless login options.
- File change detection and vulnerability scanning.
- Real-time security notifications.
- Ideal for businesses, bloggers, and agencies who want proactive protection without complex setup.
Potential users should note that the plugin primarily relies on ticket-based support, lacking live chat or phone options. Although responses are prompt, this approach may delay the resolution of urgent issues, depending on the number of tickets opened at any one time.
Pricing:
Free for basic features. Pro starts at $99/year for one site.
5. Akismet
Akismet is a well-known anti-spam plugin in the security category, dedicated to keeping your WordPress site’s comments and forms free from spam. It automatically checks all comments and contact form submissions against a global spam database, filtering out unwanted content before it reaches your moderation queue. This saves you hours of manual work and keeps your site’s user-generated content clean and relevant.
Akismet is lightweight, so it won’t slow down your site, and it integrates with popular form plugins like Contact Form 7 and Gravity Forms (see below). The plugin provides a detailed status history for each comment, allowing you to review what was caught or cleared. For commercial sites, Akismet offers priority support and advanced spam filtering.
- Automatic spam filtering for comments and forms.
- Integrates with major form plugins and supports multiple languages.
- Minimal setup and ongoing maintenance required.
- Good for any site that allows user interaction, from blogs to eCommerce stores.
Note that ‘free’ versions are only for personal hobby-based websites – if you’ve a business, you’ll need a subscription. Some users also find that Akismet’s filters deliver too many false positives.
Pricing:
Pay what you can for personal use. Commercial licenses start at $9.95/month.
6. WordFence
WordFence delivers enterprise-grade protection to WordPress sites of all sizes. Its endpoint firewall and malware scanner block malicious traffic and detect vulnerabilities in real time. WordFence’s live traffic monitoring and detailed security alerts give you visibility into every aspect of your site’s security.
The plugin’s free version includes a firewall, malware scanning, and login security features like 2FA and brute force protection. Premium users benefit from real-time threat intelligence, country blocking, and priority support. WordFence is particularly well-suited for businesses and organizations that require granular control over their site’s security.
- Web Application Firewall (WAF) and malware scanning for core files and plugins.
- Real-time IP blocklist, country blocking, and live traffic monitoring.
- 2FA and detailed security alerts.
- Ideal for eCommerce sites, agencies, and high-traffic blogs that need comprehensive, customizable security.
On the downside, WordFence can impact server performance during scans, and may slow down sites. Some users have also found configuring WordFence to be a little complex.
Pricing:
Free core features. Premium is $149/year per site.
7. Updraft
Updraft is a WordPress backup plugin. You can manually backup your WordPress site or schedule regular, automated backups. The plugin’s user-friendly interface makes managing and restoring backups straightforward.
Incremental backups, site migration, and multisite support are available in the premium version, making UpdraftPlus suitable for both single-site owners and agencies managing multiple sites. Premium versions also allow you to schedule backups to remote storage providers like Dropbox, Google Drive, and Amazon S3, ensuring your data is safe from hacks, server failures, or user errors.
- Flexible scheduling for automated backups and one-click restoration.
- Supports multiple remote storage destinations.
- Incremental backups, migration tools, and multisite support (premium).
- Especially valuable for eCommerce and membership sites where uptime and data integrity are critical.
Updraft may struggle with large or high-activity sites, with some users reporting issues during the restoration of large backups.
Pricing:
Free for basic use. Premium starts at $70/year for two sites.
See more: The best WordPress security plugins →
Best page builder plugins
Many WordPress users rely on page builder plugins to customize their website without the need to code. These plugins empower users to control the look of their sites by simply dragging, dropping, or selecting elements. Here are the top page builder plugins from the survey.
8. Elementor
Elementor is the most popular page builder plugin for WordPress, giving users the power to design visually stunning pages without writing code. As a page builder, it features a live drag-and-drop editor, a vast library of widgets, and pre-designed templates for rapid site development. Elementor supports responsive design, ensuring your site looks great on all devices.
The free version includes over 40 widgets and a wide selection of templates. Elementor Pro unlocks advanced features like the theme builder, WooCommerce builder, pop-up builder, and dynamic content integration. Its intuitive interface makes it accessible for beginners, while advanced users appreciate its flexibility and custom CSS options.
- Live editing and real-time preview of changes.
- 90+ Pro widgets, global design settings, and motion effects.
- Integrates with WooCommerce and major marketing tools.
- Ideal for designers, agencies, and business owners who want creative control and flexibility.
Elementor can negatively affect site speed due to the large amount of code it generates, leading to slower page load times compared to native WordPress or lighter builders. Potential users should weigh up the immense design gains the plugin brings against any possible slow down.
Pricing:
Free core version. Subscriptions start at $4.99/month for one site.
9. Beaver Builder
Beaver Builder is a reliable and user-friendly page builder plugin that makes crafting custom WordPress layouts simple and efficient. Its drag-and-drop interface allows users to build responsive pages with a variety of content modules, such as text, images, buttons, and sliders. The plugin outputs clean code and is compatible with almost any WordPress theme.
Beaver Builder Lite is free and includes essential features, while the premium version unlocks advanced modules, pre-designed templates, and multisite support. The plugin’s live front-end editing means you can see changes as you make them, speeding up the design process. It’s a favorite among freelancers, agencies, and anyone who wants a stable, flexible page builder.
- Supports full-width and column-based layouts with live editing.
- Mobile-friendly designs and SEO-optimized code.
- Custom CSS support and integration with WordPress widgets.
- Perfect for those who want a professional-looking site without a steep learning curve.
In comparison to other leading page builders, Beaver Builder lacks some of the advanced design features, such as motion effects or a popup builder, and its template library is also more limited.
Pricing:
Lite version is free. Licenses start at $89/year.
10. Divi
Divi is a powerful theme and a comprehensive page builder plugin, known for its real-time visual editing and flexible design options. As a page builder, it lets you customize every aspect of your site using a drag-and-drop interface, with hundreds of pre-made layouts and modules to choose from.
Divi’s advanced design features include shape dividers, hover effects, and responsive controls. It integrates with WooCommerce for custom shop pages and offers lifetime pricing options, making it a popular choice for agencies and long-term projects. Divi’s global design settings allow you to maintain brand consistency across your site.
- Real-time editing and advanced design controls.
- Hundreds of templates and global design settings.
- WooCommerce integration for custom product layouts.
- Best for users seeking an all-in-one solution for design and customization.
Divi is intuitive for users, but the sheer number of features may overwhelm complete beginners.
Pricing:
Annual access is $89/year; lifetime access is $249 (one-time).
Best form plugins
Collecting form responses from users was a top priority among survey respondents. Most come with basic settings that let you choose the type of input (i.e. text fields, dropdown menus). Others are more complex. Here are the top plugins to streamline form creation.
11. Gravity Forms
Gravity Forms is a flexible form builder plugin, trusted by professionals for its advanced capabilities and reliability. As a form plugin, it supports everything from simple contact forms to complex applications, surveys, and payment forms.
The drag-and-drop editor makes form creation easy, while conditional logic, multi-page forms, and file uploads offer flexibility. Gravity Forms integrates with payment gateways, CRMs, and marketing tools, making it suitable for business-critical workflows. The plugin’s add-on library extends its functionality further, supporting user registration, quizzes, and more.
- Built-in spam protection and detailed entry management.
- Wide range of add-ons for extended functionality.
- Perfect for businesses, agencies, and developers who need advanced forms and automation.
With Gravity Forms, all plans require a subscription, and some users may be frustrated to find their personal ‘must-have’ features are only available on higher tiers.
Pricing:
No free version. Basic license starts at $59/year.
12. Contact Forms 7
Contact Forms 7 is a classic, free plugin for building and managing multiple contact forms on WordPress. Its simple markup allows for easy customization, and it integrates with Akismet for spam filtering. The plugin supports file uploads, CAPTCHA, and AJAX-powered submissions, making it versatile for a range of use cases.
Contact Form 7 is lightweight and compatible with most themes and plugins. Its straightforward approach makes it a staple for users who want reliable, no-fuss forms without extra features or costs. While it lacks some of the advanced functionality of paid plugins, its ease of use has made it one of the most downloaded plugins in the WordPress repository.
- Unlimited forms and customizable fields.
- Integrates with Akismet and reCAPTCHA.
- Lightweight and compatible with most themes.
It’s worth remembering that Contact Form 7 has limited built-in features compared to modern competitors, often requiring extra plugins or coding for essential functionality.
Pricing:
Free and open source.
13. Ninja Forms
Ninja Forms is a flexible, beginner-friendly form builder that enables anyone to create forms without coding. The core plugin is free and includes essential fields and layouts. Add-ons are available for payment processing, conditional logic, and integrations with CRMs and email marketing agencies or services.
Ninja Forms is suitable for users who want a free, extendable form builder that grows with their needs. Its active development and support community ensure ongoing improvements. The plugin’s drag-and-drop interface is intuitive, and premium add-ons can be purchased individually or in bundles for advanced features.
- Drag-and-drop builder with responsive design.
- Premium add-ons for advanced features.
- Built-in spam protection.
Users should note that advanced features and integrations are only available as paid add-ons, so the free version can feel limited for some.
Pricing:
Core plugin is free. Add-ons and bundles start at $59/year.
14. WP Forms
WPForms combines ease of use with powerful features, offering a drag-and-drop builder and a library of pre-built templates. It’s designed for everyone, from beginners to advanced users, and supports payment forms, surveys, and polls.
WPForms integrates with PayPal, Stripe, and major email marketing services. The free Lite version covers basic needs, while the Pro version unlocks advanced features and integrations. The plugin’s options and multiple features make it a favorite for businesses, bloggers, and agencies alike.
- Smart conditional logic and entry management.
- Integrates with payment and marketing services.
- Spam protection and mobile-friendly forms.
WPForms’ free version is limited in functionality, with many essential features (like payment integrations or conditional logic) locked behind paid plans. Some users have also experienced issues with email notifications not being delivered, especially on shared hosting environments.
Pricing:
Lite version is free. Basic license starts at $49.50/year.
Best SEO plugin
SEO is important for driving traffic to your website. Utilizing an SEO plugin can help you stay optimized and visible.
15. Yoast
Yoast SEO is the most popular SEO plugin for WordPress, helping users optimize content for higher search engine rankings and better readability. Its real-time analysis provides actionable recommendations for keyword usage, meta descriptions, and internal linking, making it easy to improve both on-page and technical SEO.
Yoast generates XML sitemaps, manages breadcrumbs, and adds schema markup for improved search visibility. Social previews let you control how your content appears on Facebook and Twitter. The free version covers essential SEO needs, while premium unlocks advanced features like multiple keyword targeting, internal linking suggestions, and 24/7 support.
- Real-time SEO and readability analysis.
- Schema, sitemaps, and social previews.
- Internal linking and advanced keyword targeting (premium).
- User-friendly interface and regular updates.
Yoast can add extra code bloat, potentially impacting site performance, especially on large websites with many posts. Many features and advanced SEO tools are restricted to the premium version.
Pricing:
Free for basic use. Premium starts at $99/year for one site.
Getting started with the best WordPress plugins
You can learn more about the WordPress plugins survey and see the results in Nexcess’ eBook, The Essential Guide to WordPress Plugins. The guide also offers steps to create your own plugin strategy, complete with a plugin strategy checklist.
As your website continues to grow, you may eventually find that you need to upgrade your hosting. Liquid Web has been leading the industry in WordPress server hosting for decades. And if you select managed WordPress hosting, our team of experts will manage server IT for you — so you can focus on growing your brand.
Click below to explore options or start a chat with one of our WordPress hosting experts now to get answers you need!
Additional resources
What is a WordPress plugin? →
A complete beginner’s guide to WordPress plugins and how to manage them
Best WordPress content plugins →
Top 4 plugins for helping you make the most of your content blocks
How to check if a plugin is safe →
Simple steps to evaluating a plugin before you install and activate it