A common question in the WordPress community is how many plugins are too many. The answer you’re looking for isn’t a one size fits all solution.
In this article, I’ll cover what WordPress plugins are, the ideal number of plugins, what to look for when you download new plugins, plus share my favorite plugins that every WordPress site needs.
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What are plugins?
WordPress plugins are like apps for your website. They help you add new features and functionality to your site that would normally have to be done with custom code. In short, WordPress plugins make your life easier.
With that being said you can see how easy it is to go overboard with downloading too many plugins. I mean there are plugins for everything like creating email opt-in pop-ups, building a membership website, or speeding up your WordPress site.
The best part about WordPress plugins is that most of them are free. You can find almost any WordPress plugin you need inside of the WordPress plugin directory which can be found by going to your WordPress dashboard > Plugins in the left sidebar > Add New.
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How do I know which plugins to download?
The WordPress plugin directory makes it easy to choose the best plugins for your website. You can see a plugin’s ratings, reviews, number of active installs, and last updated.
When choosing plugins to use on your site you want to pay attention to the reviews and when it was last updated. It’s self explanatory to not use a plugin if it has multiple negative reviews. However, you should also check for the last time it was updated.
Actively maintained plugins are typically updated within the last 2 months. So if you see a plugin hasn’t been updated in 6 months then it’s likely not a plugin you’ll want to use. The reason behind this is because outdated plugins are prone to security issues.
When you install an outdated plugin to your site you make your site vulnerable to hackers, malicious code injections, and performance-related issues. Finally, some plugins may increase the load on your database server. Common examples of this are a membership website or online store. These types of sites use plugins that need more resources which means it could slow down your website.
To prevent this from happening I always recommend using a managed WordPress host like Flywheel whose servers are specifically designed to handle more database requests while maintaining fast loading times.
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Wrapping Up
There is no right or wrong answer when it comes to the numbers of plugins you should use on your WordPress website. Instead it depends on the individual needs of your website. You should also be sure to only use plugins that are actively maintained in the WordPress repository or created by reputable plugin developers if you’re considering buying a premium plugin. If you are just starting out or need more guidance, then you should take a look at my recommended WordPress plugins and tools inside of the Resource Library You can also download my list of essential WordPress plugins that every website should have.
***Disclosure: Keep in mind that some of the links on this page are affiliate links and if you go through them to make a purchase I will earn a commission. I link these companies and their products because of their quality and not because of the commission I receive from your purchases. The decision is yours, and whether or not you decide to buy something is completely up to you.
