Every major WordPress SEO plugin has a free version, and every one of them keeps something behind a paywall. The differences are in what they keep. This comparison looks only at the free versions, the ones you install from WordPress.org, and leaves the paid tiers out.
A note on bias: we make Prime SEO, one of the five plugins below. To keep this useful we checked each claim against the code of the current free releases (Yoast SEO 28.5, Rank Math 1.0.278, All in One SEO 5.0, SEOPress 10.2) in September 2026. Free tiers change, so confirm anything that matters to you on the plugin's own page before deciding.
What every free SEO plugin does
All five cover the basics, and for many sites the basics are enough:
- an SEO title and meta description for every post and page, with a search preview;
- an XML sitemap;
- Open Graph and Twitter Card tags for social sharing;
- canonical URLs and noindex controls;
- basic schema markup;
- a content analysis that checks your text against a focus keyword.
If that list is all you need, pick the interface you like and move on. The plugins differ in the features below.
Free versions compared
| In the free version | Yoast SEO | Rank Math | All in One SEO | SEOPress | Prime SEO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Meta tags, sitemap, social tags | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Redirect manager | Paid | Yes | Paid add-on | Per-post redirects | Yes |
| 404 monitor | No | Yes | Paid add-on | Paid | Yes |
| IndexNow submissions | Paid | Yes | Paid add-on | Yes | Yes |
| llms.txt file | Yes | Yes | Yes | Paid | Yes, plus llms-full.txt |
| AI crawler controls and visit statistics | See note | See note | See note | See note | Yes |
| Import from other SEO plugins | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Note on AI crawler controls: we did not audit how each competitor handles AI crawlers in its free tier, so we are not making a claim about them. In Prime SEO the free version includes an AI Bots Manager for 12 crawlers and a log of their visits.
Yoast SEO
The most installed SEO plugin and the most conservative one. The free version is polished and stable: readable content analysis, a well-built schema graph, solid sitemaps, and since 2025 an llms.txt generator. What you do not get for free is a redirect manager, which is a Premium feature, and that matters the first time you change a URL. IndexNow is also reserved for Premium.
Good fit if: you want the default choice with the largest community and you rarely change URLs.
Rank Math
The most generous free tier among the large plugins. Redirects, a 404 monitor, IndexNow, local SEO, image SEO, an llms.txt module and a long list of schema types are all in the free version. The price is complexity: a modular dashboard with many switches, and an account connection that the setup wizard encourages. The AI writing tools run on paid credits.
Good fit if: you want the most features for free and do not mind a busy interface.
All in One SEO
A clean interface and a strong setup wizard. The free version handles meta tags, sitemaps, social tags and an llms.txt file well. Redirects, the 404 log and IndexNow are separate add-ons that come with paid plans, and the free version reminds you of that fairly often.
Good fit if: you value a guided setup and expect to move to a paid plan later.
SEOPress
Lightweight, with a quiet dashboard, and popular with agencies. The free version includes meta tags, sitemaps, social tags, IndexNow, Google Analytics integration and redirects set per post. The 404 monitor, most schema types and llms.txt belong to SEOPress PRO.
Good fit if: you manage client sites and want a quiet, fast plugin.
Prime SEO
Our plugin, so weigh this section accordingly. It is the youngest of the five and has by far the smallest user base, which is a real consideration: fewer tutorials, fewer integrations, a shorter track record. What it offers in return is a free version without feature timers: a redirect manager with regex, a 404 monitor, IndexNow, JSON-LD schema including FAQ, HowTo, Product and LocalBusiness, and the AI search layer: llms.txt and llms-full.txt, an AI Bots Manager for 12 crawlers, and statistics showing which AI bots visit. The paid version adds AI-written titles and descriptions, bulk generation, AI Content Score and a video sitemap. Full list: AI SEO plugin for WordPress.
Good fit if: you want redirects, 404 monitoring and AI crawler controls without paying, and you are comfortable with a newer plugin.
How to choose
- List what you actually use. Most sites need meta tags, a sitemap, redirects and schema. Few need everything.
- Check redirects first. It is the feature people miss most after installing a plugin that does not include it, usually right after a site restructure.
- Decide how much AI search matters to you. If you want to control AI crawlers and see their visits, check that the free version does it rather than advertising it.
- Test on a staging copy. Every plugin here can import data from the others, so switching is cheap. Migration guides: from Yoast, from Rank Math, from All in One SEO.
- Run one SEO plugin at a time. Two active plugins print duplicate meta tags and two sitemaps.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best free SEO plugin for WordPress?
It depends on what you need. Rank Math and Prime SEO include the most features in their free versions, including redirects and a 404 monitor. Yoast SEO is the most established. SEOPress is the lightest. All in One SEO has the most guided setup.
Is a free SEO plugin enough?
For most small and medium sites, yes. Titles, descriptions, a sitemap, schema and redirects cover the technical basics. Paid versions mostly add automation, support and advanced schema, not rankings.
Which free SEO plugins include a redirect manager?
Rank Math and Prime SEO include a full redirect manager and a 404 monitor in the free version. SEOPress free lets you set a redirect on an individual post. In Yoast SEO and All in One SEO redirects are part of paid plans.
Which free SEO plugins create an llms.txt file?
As of September 2026, the free versions of Yoast SEO, Rank Math, All in One SEO and Prime SEO generate llms.txt. Prime SEO also offers llms-full.txt. In SEOPress the feature is part of the PRO version.
Can I switch SEO plugins without losing my rankings?
Yes, if the titles, descriptions, canonical URLs and redirects carry over. All five plugins have importers. Import first, compare a few pages, then deactivate the old plugin.
Do SEO plugins improve rankings by themselves?
No. They make it easy to give search engines correct technical signals. Rankings come from content that answers the query and from links and mentions that show it is trusted.
Try Prime SEO on your site
Free on WordPress.org. Import your data from Yoast, Rank Math, AIOSEO or SEOPress in one click.
Install Free Plugin