23 Best WordPress Plugins You Must Use In 2024

Since there are so many extra features you can add to your WordPress website (called plugins), it can be hard to figure out which ones to pick.

To make things easier for you in 2024, we've made a list of the 233 best plugins for WordPress. Whether you own a website or you're building one, these plugins are really useful.

They cover things like making your site more visible on search engines, keeping it secure, adding online shopping features, and more.

These plugins are like tools that can make your experience with WordPress even better

The 23 Best WordPress Plugins You Must Use In 2024: Amazing Tools for WordPress

WordPress continues to stand out as a versatile platform. One of its key strengths lies in the extensive array of plugins available, each designed to enhance specific aspects of your site.

As we step into 2024, it's crucial to stay ahead of the curve by incorporating the best plugins that align with current trends and user expectations.

Best WordPress Security Plugins: To Keep Your Site Safe & Secure

To keep your website safe, use a WordPress security plugin like Wordfence or Sucuri. 

These plugins act as guards, protecting your site from harmful attacks by scanning for malware, setting up firewalls, and detecting threats in real-time.

1. Wordfence Security:

Wordfence Security is a robust WordPress security plugin known for its comprehensive protection features. 

Key Features:

• Malware Protection: Actively guards your website against malware, ensuring a secure digital environment.

• Real-time Traffic Monitoring: Monitors website traffic in real-time, promptly identifying and blocking suspicious activities.

• Firewall Protection: Provides a powerful firewall for an additional layer of defence against potential threats and unauthorized access.

• User-Friendly Interface: Features an intuitive and user-friendly interface, making it accessible for users with varying technical expertise.

2. Sucuri Security:

Sucuri Security is a trusted WordPress security plugin with a focus on robust defence mechanisms. 

Key Features:

• Web Application Firewall (WAF): Employs a powerful WAF to filter and block malicious traffic, safeguarding your site from various online threats.

• Malware Scanning: Conducts thorough malware scans to detect and remove any malicious code or content from your website.

• Trustworthiness: Gains trust from users due to its reputation for delivering reliable and strong security measures.

• Incident Response: Provides incident response services to assist in the recovery and restoration of your website in the event of a security incident.

3. iThemes Security:

iThemes Security is a comprehensive security plugin designed to fortify your WordPress site. 

Key Features:

• Two-Factor Authentication: Implements an extra layer of identity verification through two-factor authentication, reducing the risk of unauthorized access.

• Security Checkups: Regularly conduct security checkups to identify vulnerabilities and potential risks within your WordPress installation.

• Password Policies: Enforces strong password policies to enhance the security of user accounts and prevent unauthorized access.

• User-Friendly Approach: Focuses on making security accessible and understandable for all users, ensuring effective security measures even for those without extensive technical knowledge.

4. All In One WP Security & Firewall:

All In One WP Security & Firewall is a feature-rich security plugin that focuses on enhancing the security of your WordPress website. 

Key Features:

• User Account Security: Implements user account security measures such as password strength enforcement and login attempt monitoring.

• Firewall Protection: Offers a powerful firewall to block malicious traffic and protect against common security threats.

• Brute Force Attack Prevention: Provides tools to prevent brute force attacks by limiting login attempts and implementing CAPTCHA protection.

• File System Security: Monitors and protects the file system, ensuring the integrity of core WordPress files.

5. BulletProof Security:

BulletProof Security is a comprehensive WordPress security plugin known for its proactive approach to website protection.

Key Features:

• .htaccess Security: Utilizes .htaccess protection to safeguard critical configuration files, preventing unauthorized access.

• Malware Scanner and Firewall: Incorporates a robust malware scanner and firewall to detect and block malicious activity, ensuring a secure website environment.

• Database Backup and Restore: Facilitates regular database backups and offers a simple restoration process to safeguard your site's data.

• Login Security: Implements login security measures, including login monitoring, IP blocking, and customizable login page URLs, to prevent unauthorized access.

Best WordPress Membership Plugins: Make Money Online

If you want to create and manage memberships on your site, consider using plugins like MemberPress, ARMember, or  Restrict Content Pro

These plugins are user-friendly, integrate smoothly with payment systems, and allow you to customize membership levels for different subscription models.

6. MemberPress:

MemberPress simplifies the process of managing membership subscriptions and digital products through its user-friendly interface.

Key Features:

• Powerful Membership Tracking: MemberPress offers robust tools for tracking and managing various membership levels, ensuring administrators have comprehensive control.

• Intuitive Interface: With a user-friendly interface, both administrators and members can navigate the platform effortlessly.

• Digital Product Support: Beyond memberships, MemberPress facilitates the sale and delivery of digital products seamlessly.

7. ARMember

ARMember is one of the Best WordPress Plugins offering a comprehensive solution for membership sites, featuring content dripping, multiple payment gateways, and flexible subscription plans.

Key Features:

• Built-in Form Builder: Craft visually appealing and captcha-free registration and login forms effortlessly, utilizing predefined templates.

• Drip Rules for Scheduled Content: Gradually unveil content at scheduled intervals, implementing drip rules to provide a dynamic and engaging experience for members.

• Membership Site Setup Wizard: A user-friendly setup wizard guides you through the essential steps of establishing your membership site efficiently.

• Charge per Post: Monetize your content strategy by charging members for specific content pages, enabling upselling opportunities or targeted access

8. Paid Memberships Pro:

Paid Memberships Pro is geared towards establishing membership-based sites, offering customization options for membership levels and content restrictions.

Key Features:

• Flexibility: The plugin provides flexibility in tailoring membership structures, making it adaptable to diverse business models.

• Extensibility: With extensibility in mind, Paid Memberships Pro allows integration with various third-party tools and extensions.

• Customizable Membership Levels: Administrators can create and customize membership levels to suit the unique needs of their audience.

9. MemberMouse:

MemberMouse is a comprehensive solution that handles membership management, sales tracking, and automated content delivery.

Key Features:

• Sales Tracking: MemberMouse provides detailed insights into sales, helping administrators analyze and optimize their revenue streams.

• Content Automation: The platform automates the delivery of digital content, ensuring a smooth and efficient experience for members.

• Monetization Support: Ideal for those looking to monetize their content, MemberMouse offers features that support various monetization strategies.

10.. Restrict Content Pro:

Designed for creating exclusive members-only areas, Restrict Content Pro excels in providing controlled access to content.

Key Features:

• Seamless Integration: Integrates smoothly with WordPress, ensuring a seamless experience for users and administrators alike.

• Easy Content Restriction Setup: Content restriction becomes hassle-free with an intuitive setup process, making it accessible to users of varying technical backgrounds.

Best WordPress Form Builder Plugin: User Friendly

For creating forms on your website, use a form builder plugin like Gravity Forms or WPForms. These plugins make it easy to design forms with a simple drag-and-drop interface, customizable templates, and integration with other tools. They help you collect data and engage with users effectively.

11. Gravity Forms:

Gravity Forms provides a robust drag-and-drop form builder with advanced features such as conditional logic and file uploads.

Key Features:

• Versatility: Suitable for both simple and complex forms, accommodating a wide range of form-building needs.

• Powerful Functionality: Offers advanced functionalities to meet diverse form requirements.

• User-Friendly Interface: Despite its power, Gravity Forms maintains an intuitive user interface for ease of use.

12. Contact Form 7:

A simple and flexible form builder, Contact Form 7 enables the management of multiple contact forms effortlessly.

Key Features:

• Lightweight Design: Perfect for basic form needs, Contact Form 7 is lightweight, ensuring quick and easy implementation.

• Straightforward Setup: The plugin is known for its simplicity, making it an ideal choice for users with uncomplicated form requirements.

13. ARForms:

ARForms is a feature-rich form builder with drag-and-drop functionality, customizable templates, and conditional logic. This makes it the Best WordPress Plugins for form builders

Key Features:

• User-Friendly and Powerful: ARForms strikes a balance between user-friendliness and power, making it suitable for a wide range of form-building needs.

• Customizable Templates: The availability of customizable templates enhances the aesthetic appeal and branding of forms.

• Conditional Logic: Incorporating conditional logic allows for the creation of dynamic and interactive forms tailored to user responses..

14. Formidable Forms:

Formidable Forms enables the creation of complex forms with features such as views, graphs, and data visualization.

Key Features:

• Advanced Capabilities: Ideal for users with advanced form requirements, Formidable Forms provides tools for creating sophisticated and dynamic forms.

• Data Visualization: The inclusion of features like graphs and data visualization enhances the presentation and analysis of form data.

• View Creation: Users can create custom views to display form data in different formats, enhancing flexibility and usability.

15. Ninja Forms:

Ninja Forms empowers users to create forms with a user-friendly interface and offers a variety of add-ons for expanded functionality.

Key Features:

• High Customizability: Ninja Forms stands out for its high level of customization, allowing users to tailor forms to their specific needs.

• Beginner-Friendly: Despite its advanced features, Ninja Forms remains accessible to beginners, ensuring a smooth form-building experience.

• Add-On Options: The availability of various add-ons enhances functionality and expands the range of form-building possibilities

The Best for Scheduling: WordPress appointment booking plugin

To schedule appointments on your website, use plugins like Bookly, Simply Schedule Appointments, Amelia, Booki, or BookingPress. These plugins provide easy-to-use interfaces, customizable booking forms, and advanced features like staff management and automated notifications. They make the appointment booking process smooth for both businesses and clients.

16. BookingPress:

BookingPress is the Best WordPress Plugin that enhances websites with a robust booking system for appointments, reservations, or services.

Key Features:

• User-Friendly Interface: Offers a user-friendly interface, ensuring a smooth booking experience for both businesses and customers.

• Customization Options: Provides businesses with customizable features to align the booking system with their unique service offerings.

• Calendar Integration: Seamlessly integrates with calendars, allowing businesses and clients to stay organized and up-to-date with appointments.

17. Simply Schedule Appointments:

Simply Schedule Appointments provides an easy-to-use scheduling system adaptable to diverse businesses.

Key Features:

• Simplified Setup: Facilitates a straightforward setup, making it accessible to businesses without extensive technical requirements.

• Website Integration: Seamlessly integrates with existing websites, ensuring a cohesive online presence and user experience.

• Multiple Appointment Types: Allows businesses to offer and manage different types of appointments based on their services.

18. Amelia:

Amelia is a comprehensive appointment booking plugin with advanced features such as staff management and a customer dashboard.

Key Features:

• Staff Management: Efficiently manages appointments with features tailored for businesses with multiple staff members and complex scheduling needs.

• Customer Dashboard: Enhances the customer experience with a dedicated dashboard for tracking appointments, providing transparency and convenience.

• Automated Notifications: Sends automated notifications to both businesses and customers, reducing no-shows and improving communication.

19. Bookly:

Bookly streamlines appointment scheduling for service-based businesses through a user-friendly interface.

Key Features:

• Payment Integration: Seamlessly integrates with payment gateways, ensuring a smooth transaction process for both businesses and clients.

• Customizable Forms: Offers the flexibility of customizable booking forms, enabling businesses to tailor the booking experience to their specific needs.

• Client Management: Includes tools for efficient client management, keeping track of appointments and enhancing customer relationships.

Best SEO Plugins for WordPress:

20. Yoast SEO

Yoast SEO empowers users with robust on-page optimization, efficient site crawling via XML sitemaps, and valuable insights to enhance content for superior SEO performance.

SEOPress:

Key Features:

• On-Page Optimization Tools: Helps in creating high-quality content SEO with powerful tools for optimizing meta details and keyword usage.

• XML Sitemap and Robots.txt Management: Automatically generate XML sitemaps and manage robots.txt for efficient search engine crawling.

• Content Insights for SEO Improvement: Gain valuable insights for content enhancement, including readability analysis and SEO recommendations.

21. SEOPress:

SEOPress offers a user-friendly SEO setup, standout search results with rich snippets, and deep analytics integration for informed decisions, making it a comprehensive solution for website optimization.

Key Features:

• Intuitive SEO Settings: Easily configure SEO elements with a user-friendly interface catering to both beginners and experts.

• Rich Snippets and Schema Markup: Make your search results stand out by implementing rich snippets and schema markup effortlessly.

• Comprehensive Analytics Integration: Seamlessly integrate with popular analytics platforms for a consolidated view, aiding data-driven SEO decisions.

Best WordPress Caching Plugins: Make Your Site Faster

22. WP-Optimize:

WP-Optimize is a comprehensive optimization plugin focused on database efficiency, offering automated maintenance, speed enhancements through caching and image compression, and scheduled tasks for consistent performance.

Key Features:

• Efficient Database Management: Streamlines and optimizes the database, improving site performance with automated maintenance.

• Speed Optimization: Enhances speed through caching, image compression, and scheduled tasks for smoother user experiences.

• Scheduled Maintenance: Automates routine database cleanup, ensuring consistent peak performance without manual intervention.

23. W3 Total Cache:

W3 Total Cache is a performance-boosting plugin that excels in global content delivery, utilizing advanced caching techniques, CDN integration, and efficient handling of resources to significantly enhance website speed and overall user experience.

Key Features:

• Performance Boost: Accelerates site speed via page caching, minification, and efficient handling of CSS, JavaScript, and HTML resources.

• Global Content Delivery: Seamlessly integrates with CDNs for faster, globally distributed content, reducing latency.

• Advanced Caching Techniques: Improves user experience with browser caching and object caching, reducing server load and expediting page loading.

Final Thoughts

WordPress is a useful tool for websites, and what makes it even better is the free plugins you can add. These Best WordPress Plugins are like extra tools that help your website do more cool stuff. 

As we get into 2024, it's smart to use the best free WordPress plugins to make your site safer, handle memberships, create forms, and book appointments easily.

Whether it's keeping bad stuff away with plugins like Wordfence and Sucuri, managing who gets to see what with ARMember and Paid Memberships Pro, making forms with Gravity Forms and Contact Form 7, or booking appointments smoothly with BookingPress and Simply Schedule Appointments - these free plugins can make your website more awesome without costing you anything