# WordPress turns 19: our 19 favorite plugins [WordPress](https://www.ionos.ca/digitalguide/hosting/cms/wordpress-examining-the-well-known-cms/ "WordPress: examining the well-known CMS") is the most popular content management system worldwide and is used by over 40 percent of all websites. There are plenty of good reasons for its success. The free [CMS](https://www.ionos.ca/digitalguide/hosting/cms/cms-comparison/ "CMS comparison") has a huge community of users and numerous extensions in the form of plugins. To celebrate its **19th birthday**, here are our **19 favorite WordPress plugins**. ## Overview of the IONOS team’s favorite plugins
Name Category Features WordPress version Active installation Languages Price
Two-Factor Security and data privacy Various methods of two-factor authentication Built-in test function 4.3 or higher 40,000+ 31 Free
Avatar Privacy Security and data privacy GDPR-compliant display of avatars 7.2 or higher 1,000+ 8 Free
Embed Privacy Security and data privacy Prevents unwanted loading of external content 4.7 or higher 1,000+ 4 Free
Password Protected Security and data privacy Password protection for WordPress sites 4.6 or higher 300,000+ 20 Free
Webmention Development Webmentions integration with WordPress 4.9 or higher 900+ 8 Free
WP Migrate Development Export and migration of databases 5.2 or higher 300,000+ 13 Free lite version, Pro version from $49
Query Monitor Development Debugging of databases or PHP error messages 3.7 or higher 100,000+ 20 Free
Open Graph Development Support for the Open Graph protocol 2.3 or higher 8,000+ English Free
PWA Development Deploy WordPress site as PWA 5.5 or higher 40,000+ 9 Free
Newsletter Glue Tools Email newsletter 5.7 or higher 200+ English From $99 per year
BackWPup Tools Backup for WordPress sites and content 3.9 or higher 700,000+ 19 Free version, Pro version from $69
Statify Tools Overview of page views 4.7 or higher 200,000+ 20 Free
Disable Emojis Tools Disables WordPress emoji functionality in older browsers 4.8 or higher 70,000+ 18 Free
Antispam Bee Tools Blocks spam comments 4.5. or higher 700,000+ 27 Free
User Switching Tools Fast switch between WordPress user accounts 3.7 or higher 200,000+ 46 Free
Preferred Languages Tools Customization of language preferences 5.3 or higher 2,000+ 32 Free
Yoast Duplicate Post Editing Copying and editing posts 5.6 or higher 4+ million 51 Free
Public Post Preview Editing Sending post previews 5.0 or higher 90,000+ 25 Free
Save SVG Editing Allows uploading vector graphics 4.7 or higher 600,000+ 11 Free
Updated: May 2022 Tip Haven’t set up your WordPress site and plugins just yet? Create your website in just a few steps and get started today with [IONOS Hosting for WordPress](https://www.ionos.ca/hosting/wordpress-hosting "Hosting for WordPress from IONOS"). ## Two-Factor: two-factor authentication for your WordPress website [![Image: Two-Factor security plugin](https://www.ionos.ca/digitalguide/fileadmin/_processed_/a/a/csm_wordpress-two-factor-security-plugin_a4959c2116.webp "Two-Factor security plugin")](https://www.ionos.ca/digitalguide/fileadmin/DigitalGuide/Screenshots_2022/wordpress-two-factor-security-plugin.png) Two-Factor security plugin The WordPress security plugin [Two-Factor](https://wordpress.org/plugins/two-factor/ "Two-Factor on WordPress") lets you implement [two-factor authentication](https://www.ionos.ca/digitalguide/e-mail/e-mail-security/two-factor-authentication-protection-for-your-accounts/ "Two factor authentication: Protection for your accounts") on your website. The tool ensures that user identities are verified in two independent ways when logging in which increases the security of your website. For this purpose, users of the plugin have various authentication options at their disposal, such as authentication via email codes or timed one-use passwords, so-called [Time-Based One-Time Passwords or TOTP](https://www.ionos.ca/digitalguide/server/security/totp/ "TOTP") for short. With over 40,000 installations, the plugin is a **popular extension** to enhance security and is a so-called “Featured Project”. The latter are plugins that could be integrated into the WordPress core. **Advantages of Two-Factor:** - Different options for two-factor authentication - Special methods for testing the plugin - Simple setup ## Avatar Privacy: data security for user avatars [![Image: Avatar Privacy website](https://www.ionos.ca/digitalguide/fileadmin/_processed_/1/4/csm_wordpress-plugin-avatar-privacy_6db3e31041.webp "Avatar Privacy website")](https://www.ionos.ca/digitalguide/fileadmin/DigitalGuide/Screenshots_2022/wordpress-plugin-avatar-privacy.png) Avatar Privacy website **Avatars from Gravatar** are popular among WordPress users. Unfortunately, the use and integration of avatars are often problematic in terms of **[GDPR](https://www.ionos.ca/digitalguide/websites/digital-law/general-data-protection-regulation-new-rules-for-businesses/ "General Data Protection Regulation: New rules for businesses") compliance and data protection**. The [Avatar Privacy](https://wordpress.org/plugins/avatar-privacy/ "Avatar Privacy on WordPress") plugin has the solution. The extension ensures that avatars are hosted on your server and **user consent** is obtained. **Advantages of Avatar Privacy:** - GDPR-compliant - Changes to the theme are not necessary - Compatible with Gravatar ## Embed Privacy: improved data security of third-party content [![Image: Embed Privacy plugin](https://www.ionos.ca/digitalguide/fileadmin/_processed_/5/8/csm_wordpress-plugin-embed-privacy-plugin_e3e60ef9af.webp "Embed Privacy plugin")](https://www.ionos.ca/digitalguide/fileadmin/DigitalGuide/Screenshots_2022/wordpress-plugin-embed-privacy-plugin.png) Embed Privacy plugin [Embed Privacy](https://wordpress.org/plugins/embed-privacy/ "Embed Privacy on WordPress") is worth consideration when embedding **external content** such as YouTube videos on your WordPress site. It ensures that users explicitly agree to content being loaded. Not only does it protect the privacy of users but also **boosts the performance** of your WordPress site, because less content is loaded at the same time. **Advantages of Embed Privacy:** - Custom placeholders using CSS - Shorter loading time - Supports embeds from default providers on WordPress ## Password Protected: password-protected WordPress page [![Image: Password Protected plugin](https://www.ionos.ca/digitalguide/fileadmin/_processed_/a/d/csm_wordpress-plugin-password-protected_9591cfc280.webp "Password Protected plugin")](https://www.ionos.ca/digitalguide/fileadmin/DigitalGuide/Screenshots_2022/wordpress-plugin-password-protected.png) Password Protected plugin The [Password Protected](https://wordpress.org/plugins/password-protected/ "Password Protected on WordPress") plugin is used to **password-protect** your WordPress website. This way, only people with the password can access your WordPress site (unless they know the specific URL for files or images). For administrator use, the password prompt can be turned off. **Advantages of Password Protected:** - Simple password protection - Adjustable - Simple to use ## Webmention: webmentions on WordPress simplified [![Image: Webmention developer plugin](https://www.ionos.ca/digitalguide/fileadmin/_processed_/5/a/csm_wordpress-plugin-webmention-developer-plugin_53ce2afb74.webp "Webmention developer plugin")](https://www.ionos.ca/digitalguide/fileadmin/DigitalGuide/Screenshots_2022/wordpress-plugin-webmention-developer-plugin.png) Webmention developer plugin Webmention refers to a **protocol** that informs URLs of links to see who links or comments on your posts. To get started, add the plugin of the same name – [Webmention](https://wordpress.org/plugins/webmention/ "Webmention on WordPress") – to your WordPress page. It also **supports the sending of webmentions** and assignment of likes, making it easier for two blogs to communicate. **Advantages of Webmention:** - Ease of use - Receipt of Webmentions - Allocation of likes and other inter-blog actions ## WP Migrate: relocation helper for WordPress [![Image: WP Migrate Lite plugin](https://www.ionos.ca/digitalguide/fileadmin/_processed_/6/3/csm_wordpress-plugin-wp-migrate-lite-plugin_3256d7a104.webp "WP Migrate Lite plugin")](https://www.ionos.ca/digitalguide/fileadmin/DigitalGuide/Screenshots_2022/wordpress-plugin-wp-migrate-lite-plugin.png) WP Migrate Lite plugin WordPress needs a **database**. However, when using [WP Migrate Lite](https://wordpress.org/plugins/wp-migrate-db/ "WP Migrate Lite on WordPress") you will no longer need a database architect to this end. The free version of the simple-to-use developer plugin can be used to export data and import the resulting SQL code into a [DBMS](https://www.ionos.ca/digitalguide/hosting/technical-matters/database-management-systems-dbms/ "Database Management Systems (DBMS)") such as phpMyAdmin. Moving websites has never been easier. Want to export media or themes of your WordPress site alongside data? Use the Pro version of the plugin available from $49. **Advantages of WP Migrate:** - Simple to use - Flexible use - Migrate WordPress page without losing data ## Query Monitor: a WordPress plugin by developers for developers [![Image: Developer plugin Query Monitor](https://www.ionos.ca/digitalguide/fileadmin/_processed_/f/d/csm_wordpress-plugin-developer-plugin-query-monitor_3731729f36.webp "Developer plugin Query Monitor")](https://www.ionos.ca/digitalguide/fileadmin/DigitalGuide/Screenshots_2022/wordpress-plugin-developer-plugin-query-monitor.png) Developer plugin Query Monitor Although creating a WordPress website is easy enough, even for beginners, developers or advanced users may need to add features that are beyond the scope of the CMS. Thanks to developer plugins such as [Query Monitor](https://wordpress.org/plugins/query-monitor/ "Query Monitor on WordPress") adding developer tools is quick and simple. Query Monitor supports **debugging of databases and the evaluation of PHP error messages or REST API requests**. **Advantages of Query Monitor:** - Detailed debugging environment - Versatile use - Customizable ## Open Graph: plugin to support the protocol of the same name [![Image: Open Graph on WordPress](https://www.ionos.ca/digitalguide/fileadmin/_processed_/b/5/csm_wordpress-plugin-open-graph-on-wordpress_c0d54c30f1.webp "Open Graph on WordPress")](https://www.ionos.ca/digitalguide/fileadmin/DigitalGuide/Screenshots_2022/wordpress-plugin-open-graph-on-wordpress.png) Open Graph on WordPress The [Open Graph Protocol, short OGP](https://www.ionos.ca/digitalguide/online-marketing/social-media/open-graph/ "Open Graph"), was developed by Facebook to **improve displaying websites in social networks**. The [Open Graph plugin](https://wordpress.org/plugins/opengraph/ "Open Graph on WordPress") appealingly displays your WordPress site on social media, instant messaging services, and search engines. Open Graph does not require additional setup and works straight after download. **Advantages of Open Graph:** - Simple to use - For appealing presentation of your WordPress site ## PWA: WordPress website as a Progressive Web App [![Image: PWA plugin](https://www.ionos.ca/digitalguide/fileadmin/_processed_/d/8/csm_wordpress-plugin-pwa_e5c9dd91f1.webp "PWA plugin")](https://www.ionos.ca/digitalguide/fileadmin/DigitalGuide/Screenshots_2022/wordpress-plugin-pwa.png) PWA plugin A [Progressive Web App](https://www.ionos.ca/digitalguide/websites/web-development/progressive-web-apps-what-advantages-do-they-offer/ "Progressive web apps | what advantages do they offer?") roughly refers to the ability to **display websites as web apps**. These apps run in a browser and therefore do not require separate download and installation. Web apps significantly **improve the user experience** on mobile devices. The plugin [The plugin PWA](https://wordpress.org/plugins/pwa/ "PWA on WordPress") is a promising way to provide a WordPress website as a progressive web app through appropriate code modules. **Advantages of PWA:** - Display WordPress page as PWA - Extensive range of functions ## Newsletter Glue: sending email newsletters made easy [![Image: Newsletter Glue plugin](https://www.ionos.ca/digitalguide/fileadmin/_processed_/d/d/csm_newsletter-glue-wordpress-plugin_56d7d95d47.webp "Newsletter Glue plugin")](https://www.ionos.ca/digitalguide/fileadmin/DigitalGuide/Screenshots_2022/newsletter-glue-wordpress-plugin.png) Newsletter Glue plugin As the name suggests, [Newsletter Glue](https://wordpress.org/plugins/newsletter-glue/ "Newsletter Glue on WordPress") is useful to **automate the sending of email newsletters**. Newsletter campaigns can be created directly from the plugin editor. The [WordPress newsletter plugin](https://www.ionos.ca/digitalguide/hosting/blogs/wordpress-newsletter-plugins-compared/ "WordPress newsletter plugins compared") makes a **newsletter readable online** and helps users design SEO-friendly newsletters. From May 2022, however, the free version of the WordPress extension will no longer be extended. Users will need to opt for the paid version to access the full range of functions in the future. **Advantages of Newsletter Glue:** - Simple creation of newsletters - SEO support - Intuitive workflow ## BackWPup: secure backup of WordPress page [![Image: BackWPup plugin](https://www.ionos.ca/digitalguide/fileadmin/_processed_/c/6/csm_backwpup-wordpress-plugin_c4662662a6.webp "BackWPup plugin")](https://www.ionos.ca/digitalguide/fileadmin/DigitalGuide/Screenshots_2022/backwpup-wordpress-plugin.png) BackWPup plugin [BackWPup](https://wordpress.org/plugins/backwpup/ "BackWPup on WordPress") is useful to **back up** a WordPress installation **externally**. Once set up, the plugin can be used for regular **automatic** backups. To this end, cloud service providers are useful. The free version of the [WordPress backup plugin](https://www.ionos.ca/digitalguide/hosting/blogs/wordpress-plugins-for-securing-your-website/ "WordPress plugins for securing your website") lets users back up databases and files, and supports Dropbox as well as FTP servers. The **Pro version** (from $69 per year) of the plugin is needed to back up data to OneDrive, [HiDrive](https://www.ionos.ca/office-solutions/hidrive-cloud-storage "HiDrive Cloud Storage from IONOS"), or Google Drive. **Advantages of BackWPup:** - Backup of databases and files - Video tutorials - Supports various data formats ## Statify: keep track of your page views [![Image: Statify plugin](https://www.ionos.ca/digitalguide/fileadmin/_processed_/4/e/csm_statify-wordpress-plugin_9b755776b5.webp "Statify plugin")](https://www.ionos.ca/digitalguide/fileadmin/DigitalGuide/Screenshots_2022/statify-wordpress-plugin.png) Statify plugin The [Statify](https://wordpress.org/plugins/statify/ "Statify on WordPress") plugin **counts page views** of your WordPress site. Unlike other analytics tools, it does not collect users’ IP addresses. Instead, Statify stores page visits **without collecting personal data**, making the plugin **GDPR-compliant**. Choose from different settings and define the storage period of collected data from the menu. **Advantages of Statify:** - Spam comments can be removed from analytics - Optional tracking with JavaScript - GDPR-compliant ## Disable Emojis: disable WordPress emojis [![Image: Disable Emojis plugin](https://www.ionos.ca/digitalguide/fileadmin/_processed_/8/c/csm_disable-emojis-wordpress-plugin_73332da681.webp "Disable Emojis plugin")](https://www.ionos.ca/digitalguide/fileadmin/DigitalGuide/Screenshots_2022/disable-emojis-wordpress-plugin.png) Disable Emojis plugin As of WordPress version 4.2, loading emojis has been possible in older browsers too. But this can increase **loading times** of your WordPress page. Emojis loaded from **external files** may also violate the GDPR if personal data such as IP addresses are collected. [Disable Emojis](https://en-ca.wordpress.org/plugins/disable-emojis/ "Disable Emojis on WordPress") is designed to work around the issue. In browsers that support the display of emojis, nothing much changes, while in **older browsers**, emoji functionality is **simply disabled**. **Advantages of Disable Emojis:** - Improved website performance - Supports GDPR compliance - Focused on displaying emojis in older browsers ## Antispam Bee: an end to spam comments [![Image: Antispam Bee plugin](https://www.ionos.ca/digitalguide/fileadmin/_processed_/9/e/csm_antispam-bee-wordpress-plugin_a7b0dd9077.webp "Antispam Bee plugin")](https://www.ionos.ca/digitalguide/fileadmin/DigitalGuide/Screenshots_2022/antispam-bee-wordpress-plugin.png) Antispam Bee plugin The [Antispam Bee](https://en-ca.wordpress.org/plugins/antispam-bee/ "Antispam Bee on WordPress") plugin gets rid of those annoying **spam comments**. Users can adjust the settings to allow comments according to different language or time settings. Antispam Bee is compatible with the GDPR and is **ad-free**. **Advantages of Antispam Bee:** - 100% GDPR-compliant - Works without captchas - Email information in case of suspected spam ## User Switching: quick switch between WordPress user accounts [![Image: User Switching plugin](https://www.ionos.ca/digitalguide/fileadmin/_processed_/3/5/csm_user-switching-wordpress-plugin_ab37aab9ba.webp "User Switching plugin")](https://www.ionos.ca/digitalguide/fileadmin/DigitalGuide/Screenshots_2022/user-switching-wordpress-plugin.png) User Switching plugin The [User Switching](https://wordpress.org/plugins/user-switching/ "User Switching on WordPress") plugin is worth a look if you want to switch between several WordPress accounts with different permissions, which is useful for testing, for example. The WordPress extension lets users store different accounts and switch between them in just a few clicks. This saves a lot of time, especially in **WordPress test environments**. **Advantages of User Switching:** - Time-saving switching between user accounts - Easy to use ## Preferred Languages: individual language preferences [![Image: Preferred Languages plugin](https://www.ionos.ca/digitalguide/fileadmin/_processed_/d/8/csm_preferred-languages-wordpress-plugin_90a54606a5.webp "Preferred Languages plugin")](https://www.ionos.ca/digitalguide/fileadmin/DigitalGuide/Screenshots_2022/preferred-languages-wordpress-plugin.png) Preferred Languages plugin Thanks to various language packs, WordPress websites can be displayed in many languages. However, where a translation to a target language is not available, WordPress **automatically selects English** as the display language. [Preferred Language](https://wordpress.org/plugins/preferred-languages/ "Preferred Languages on WordPress") lets WordPress site users specify **multiple language preferences** to fall back on when needed. **Advantages of Preferred Languages:** - Easy to use - Improved user experience - Barrier-free ## Yoast Duplicate Post: copying posts made easy [![Image: Yoast Duplicate Post plugin](https://www.ionos.ca/digitalguide/fileadmin/_processed_/2/e/csm_yoast-duplicate-post-wordpress-plugin_e740d68815.webp "Yoast Duplicate Post plugin")](https://www.ionos.ca/digitalguide/fileadmin/DigitalGuide/Screenshots_2022/yoast-duplicate-post-wordpress-plugin.png) Yoast Duplicate Post plugin With [Yoast Duplicate Post](https://wordpress.org/plugins/duplicate-post/ "Yoast Duplicate Post on WordPress"), users of the CMS can easily copy and edit **posts of all kinds in just one click**. The popular plugin speeds up your workflow. **Advantages of Yoast Duplicate Post:** - Multiple language versions - Support - Simple to use ## Public Post Preview: simplified collaboration on WordPress posts [![Image: Public Post Preview plugin](https://www.ionos.ca/digitalguide/fileadmin/_processed_/8/b/csm_public-post-preview-wordpress-plugin_a95896e523.webp "Public Post Preview plugin")](https://www.ionos.ca/digitalguide/fileadmin/DigitalGuide/Screenshots_2022/public-post-preview-wordpress-plugin.png) Public Post Preview plugin To share draft posts with those without access to your WordPress site, the [Public Post Review](https://wordpress.org/plugins/public-post-preview/ "Public Post Review on WordPress") plugin is just what you need. The WordPress plugin creates a **temporary URL** that allows **people to access post drafts** before they are published. It is a useful tool for **editing and teamwork**. **Advantages of Public Post Preview:** - Posts are readable without WordPress access - URL validity can be timed ## Save SVG: secure upload of vector graphics [![Image: Safe SVG plugin](https://www.ionos.ca/digitalguide/fileadmin/_processed_/b/9/csm_save-svg-wordpress-plugin_2f8c824a74.webp "Safe SVG plugin")](https://www.ionos.ca/digitalguide/fileadmin/DigitalGuide/Screenshots_2022/save-svg-wordpress-plugin.png) Safe SVG plugin [Save SVG](https://wordpress.org/plugins/safe-svg/ "Save SVG on WordPress") makes it easy to **upload SVG files to the WordPress library**. SVG are scalable vector graphics mainly used for logos or icon images. Since SVG files are XML files and thus prone to being targeted by XML attacks, there are some **security concerns** when integrating SVG. A plugin like Save SVG monitors for such security vulnerabilities. **Advantages of Save SVG:** - Easy to use - Secure SVG upload ## Conclusion Deciding on the right WordPress plugins for your website ultimately **depends on your needs**. From professional web development to spicing up a personal blog by adding useful features – there are plenty of plugins for **almost any scenario**. Tip Our 19 top WordPress plugins aren’t enough for you? No problem. Find out more about different types of WordPress plugins: - [WordPress: chat plugins](https://www.ionos.ca/digitalguide/hosting/blogs/wordpress-chat-plug-ins/) - [WordPress: forum plugins](https://www.ionos.ca/digitalguide/hosting/blogs/wordpress-forum-plug-ins/) - [WordPress: menu plugins](https://www.ionos.ca/digitalguide/hosting/blogs/wordpress-menu-plugins/) - [WordPress: review plugins](https://www.ionos.ca/digitalguide/hosting/blogs/wordpress-review-plugins/) - [WordPress: caching plugins](https://www.ionos.ca/digitalguide/hosting/blogs/wordpress-caching-plug-ins/) This is a markdown version of: [https://www.ionos.ca/digitalguide/hosting/blogs/wordpress-plugin-favorites/](https://www.ionos.ca/digitalguide/hosting/blogs/wordpress-plugin-favorites/) for AI/LLM consumption.