This article includes affiliate links for WP Mail SMTP and for ConvertKit, two products we use and genuinely adore at Chek Creative. If you follow these links and subscribe, we will be compensated, but bear in mind that we only promote products we think are pretty dang cool.
WordPress provides an almost endless pool of plugin options at your fingertips. Of course, using too many becomes cumbersome and can quickly slow a system down. With that in mind and for the sake of maintaining reasonably a spartan plugin list, we've compiled five of the best WP plugins available. If you aren't already giving these bad boys a shot, now might be the time to install them.
5 of the Very Best WP Plugins for 2024
From a killer WordPress membership plugin to the debate over the best SEO plugins for WordPress, here are five of our very favorites.
1. WP Migrate DB Pro
Key Benefit: Timesaver
For all our database migration needs, we have WP Migrate DB Pro. Tasks that would otherwise take hours can now be accomplished with a single click. Just a quick scan of the site, by creator Delicious Brains, reveals an impressive array of capabilities for this little plugin. From the ability to pause and resume migrations to a one-click solution for creating backups as needed, say hello to the streamlined migration tool you'll never go back from.
We've used this plugin for many of our client sites, and we've saved hundreds of hours in the process. The lil' guy is certainly one of (if not the) best WP plugins for site migration.
2. WP Mail SMTP (with Mailgun)
Key Benefit: Variables Neutralizer
While it would be wonderful if everything always worked the way it should, this is not the way of the world. Luckily, there are steps you can take to ensure smooth server operations when it comes to your automated email lists.
The best WP plugin for that is Mailgun. This tool can be used in conjunction with WP Mail SMTP to make damn sure those important emails are getting out there on time every time.
*For a visually-intuitive email marketing platform, check out ConvertKit. We use the software to send out killer drip campaigns. Plus, there's a free trial!
*For a visually-intuitive email marketing platform, check out ConvertKit. We use the software to send out killer drip campaigns. Plus, there's a free trial!
3. ACF Pro
Key Benefit: Customizer
ACF Pro is a game-changer when it comes to building custom sites. Making everything custom can get messy, but with features like "The Repeater Field," "ACF Blocks," and "The Flexible Content Field," this WordPress plugin lets you keep your work organized and replicable.
For an intuitive framework that bears SEO in mind, we go with ACF Pro for custom WordPress builds.
4. Members
Key Benefit: Permissions Utilizer
Operating in this industry often requires divvying out dashboard permissions among a wide variety of users. Members is a WordPress membership plugin solution that allows us to maintain data security while providing access to what individual users need.
Members creator, Justin Tadlock (follow him on Twitter @justintadlock), says on his blog, "Any good membership site (free or paid) needs a way for the admins to handle permissions." That explains the versatility of his plugin. You can use shortcodes, widgets, and much more to segment access as you see fit. That kind of control, for us, is crucial to maintaining a safe and reliable user experience across the board. When we need a WordPress membership plugin, we turn to Members.
When choosing what plugins to use, consider what you really need. For us, a lot of that comes down to reliability, efficiency, and control. These are the five best WP plugins that check those three boxes for us, and we expect they'll help you do the same.
5. Rank Math
Key Benefit: SEO
In the debate over the best SEO plugins for WordPress, many have traditionally pointed to Yoast. We used to do the same until we caught wind of newcomer Rank Math a few years ago. Shortly after they launched their Pro version, our team upgraded to become early adopters of this phenomenal tool.
Aside from sheer intuitiveness, Rank Math offers immense customizability, rich snippet access, on-page SEO suggestions, granular site setup... the list goes on and on. If you're looking for an "always free" SEO tool (the paid version is obviously great too, but it may honestly be overkill for many folks), you can't beat what is, in our estimation, the very best SEO plugin for WordPress.
