One of WordPress’s greatest strengths is its plugin ecosystem. With over 60,000 plugins available in the official WordPress repository, you can add virtually any feature to your site without writing a single line of code. The challenge is knowing which ones are actually worth installing.
We have tested hundreds of plugins across dozens of client websites. Here are the ten free plugins we install on every single WordPress site we build — and why. If you are building your first site, start with our WordPress beginner’s guide first.
1. Yoast SEO
The world’s most popular WordPress plugin with over 10 million active installations. It adds a powerful SEO analysis panel to every post and page, helping you optimise your title, meta description, content readability, and keyword usage. The traffic light system makes SEO accessible even for complete beginners.
2. Wordfence Security
WordPress powers 43% of the internet, making it a prime target for hackers. Wordfence is a comprehensive security plugin that includes a web application firewall, malware scanner, login security, and real-time threat intelligence. Read our full WordPress security guide to understand why this is non-negotiable.
3. WP Super Cache
Caching is the single biggest performance improvement most WordPress sites can make. WP Super Cache generates static HTML files from your dynamic WordPress site and serves those to visitors, dramatically reducing server load and page load times. See our speed optimisation guide for how to configure it correctly.
4. Akismet Anti-Spam
If your WordPress blog allows comments, you will be flooded with spam within weeks of launch. Akismet runs every comment through its global spam database and automatically filters out the junk. This is critical for AdSense approval — spam comments are a major red flag for Google reviewers.
5. UpdraftPlus
Every WordPress website needs a backup solution. UpdraftPlus automatically backs up your entire site — files and database — on a schedule you set, storing backups in Google Drive, Dropbox, or Amazon S3. Losing your website to a hack without a backup is devastating. Do not let it happen to you.
6. WPForms Lite
A contact form is essential for AdSense approval and for building trust with your audience. WPForms Lite lets you create beautiful, functional contact forms with a drag-and-drop builder — no coding required.
7. Smush
Unoptimised images are the most common cause of slow WordPress sites. Smush automatically compresses and optimises every image you upload, and can bulk-process your existing media library. The WebP conversion feature is a game-changer for PageSpeed scores.
8. Google Site Kit
Site Kit connects your WordPress site to Google Search Console, Analytics, AdSense, and PageSpeed Insights — all from within your WordPress dashboard. It is the easiest way to add the AdSense code to your site. See our full AdSense approval guide for how to use it effectively.
9. TablePress
Need to add a comparison table to a blog post? TablePress lets you create, manage, and embed tables without any HTML knowledge. Tables are powerful content elements that keep readers engaged longer — great for AdSense RPM.
10. Really Simple SSL
HTTPS is mandatory for AdSense approval. Really Simple SSL automatically detects your SSL certificate and configures your WordPress site to use HTTPS throughout, fixing mixed content warnings and redirect issues in one click.
Final Thought: The Right Number of Plugins
There is no magic number, but every plugin adds code to every page load. Be selective. Only install plugins you are actively using, and always delete — not just deactivate — plugins you no longer need. These ten give you everything a solid WordPress site needs without unnecessary bloat.