This is the number of currently available plugins in the WordPress plugin registry.
So choosing the right plugin for your site is very difficult considering the number of available options. Also, it may be hard to decide what types of plugins you should install if you are starting your WordPress site.
This is why we are bringing you the list of must-have WordPress plugins in 2022, together with some additional information about plugins that we think may be useful, especially if you are a beginner.
What is a plugin?
Plugins are additional features that you can install to your WordPress site without the need to code. Plugins can improve the functionality of your site or offer a better user experience to your site visitors.
However, you have to be very careful with the installation of plugins. Many of them can be malicious and harm your site. That is why you have to pay attention to the following things to prevent problems:
- The number of installations – The higher this number is better because this suggests that the plugin works accurately.
- User reviews – Another sign of a reliable plugin is the user review. Positive reviews mean that people are satisfied with their performance.
- Frequency of updates – To be functional, all plugins should be updated regularly. If you saw a plugin with the last update one or two years ago, stay away from it. Plugins like this will only cause trouble.
- Check if the plugins are compatible with the version of WordPress maintenance you are using.
- Check the official directory of free plugins to see if the plugin you want to install is listed there.
- Check if customer support answers users’ questions.
How many plugins should you install on your site?
There is no right number of plugins you should install. The most important thing is to keep your site functional and running, so pay attention when choosing plugins.
It is not about the number of plugins you will install but about the quality of them. It is better to choose coded plugins than plugins that will cause bugs and incompatibilities.
Also, if you are starting your site, it is better if you install the most basic plugins. Later, when your site starts running and attracting visitors, you can think about installing more. With this in mind, we recommend you install plugins for these things first:
- SEO
- Safety and security
- Back up plugins
- Performance plugins
Here is the list of plugins that every WordPress site should have installed.
What are the best WordPress plugins?
- WP Reset – Best development and reset plugin
- WP Force SLL – Best SSL plugin
- Yoast SEO – Best SEO plugin
- WP Rocket – best WordPress caching plugin
- Elementor – Best WP page builder plugin
Here is a bit more about each.
WP Reset
This plugin allows you to reset your site easily without modifying any data. Thanks to the built-in snapshot, you can reset your website with only one click. This plugin is a terrific tool for all WordPress plugin and theme developers because it speeds site testing and debugging.
Here are some of the main features of this plugin:
- You can restore the old version of the site if you change your mind. You can do this simply and with only one click by using the option to create a Snapshot.
- You can save all your themes and plugins in collections and use them on a new website or after reset.
- Emergency Recovery Tool allows you to create new admin access, repair user privileges, and disable and enable plugins and themes.
- Whitelabel Option – If you use this option, you can cover the license logo on your site.
- Nuclear Reset grants you to reset everything (files, data entries, options, tables) on the website.
- Centralized Management is an option that allows you to control all your sites, licenses, and snapshots from one location.
- The Cloud option will offload and store everything safely
WP Force SSL
WP Force SSL is the best SSL plugin on the market, according to the users. This one comes with many features that can satisfy everyone’s needs.
The plugin can work with any other plugin or theme and is easy to use and straightforward. Because of that, WP Force can automatically generate an SSL for you, and you will be able to install it on your site easily. You can use various SSL certificates for this – either free or paid.
WP Force SSL plugin offers users an option to move licenses between various sites. In other words, if you deactivate your site but you still have your license, you can use it on another site. Additionally, you can securely migrate your content to another site without the need to change anything or touch any code.
The plugin does the real-time content check, and the website monitors are always on the lookout for any mistake that could harm your site’s reputation. It can easily detect mixed content errors on your website and resolve them.
This option is only available in the PRO version, which offers many more possibilities. For example, customer support is also only available in the PRO version. In the free version, the FAQ section on the website is a great option to find answers.
Yoast SEO
You have already probably heard of this plugin because it is one of the most downloaded plugins of all time. This is also one of the best SEO plugins on the market. Yoast SEO allows you to define your title and meta tags, set up an XML sitemap, and set your content types.
With the Yoast SEO plugin, you can do a page analysis and optimize your content. You can also generate URLs automatically, check the quality of your copy and determine whether you need to index one page or a set of pages.
WP Rocket
This is a cache plugin, which means it helps your site load faster. WP Rocket has multiple options that will help with the performance of your WordPress pages – a built-in image optimization tool, HTML code, JavaScript and CSS files minification, database optimization, etc.
Also, the plugin launches automatically after the installation, so you do not have to set up any configurations. WP Rocket comes only as paid version, and it costs $49 for one website. But the best thing about this is that you get support and regular updates of the plugin.
Elementor
Elementor is one of the most famous and used plugins for page building. With its drag and drop functionality, you can build a page without the need to code. Users can also choose from 100+ pre-made templates and 90+ widget options – all of this can help you create any type of page you want and add functionalities like social media or progress bar without the need to install other plugins.
If you choose Elementor paid version, you will also be able to customize the whole website, including headers and footers. With the paid version, you will get access to Theme builder, WooCommerce builder, and a Pop-up builder.
Conclusion
Plugins are necessary for the website because they ensure a good user experience and website performance. You should, however, be very careful when you choose plugins for installation. They can slow down your site, especially if you have too many of them or if you installed malicious plugins.
So, if you want to install the best plugins to your WordPress site, choose these:
- WP Reset – the best plugin for website reset
- WP Force SSL – the best SSL plugin
- Yoast SEO- the best SEO plugin
- Elementor – best plugin for pages building
- WP Rocket – best cache plugin
