Should I use Yoast or RankMath WordPress SEO Plugins on my Website?

Yoast and Rankmath are both popular WordPress plugins that are designed to help website owners improve their search engine optimization (SEO). While both plugins have similar features, there are some key differences between them that may make one a better choice for a particular website.

One of the main differences between Yoast and Rankmath is the user interface. Yoast has a more intuitive and user-friendly interface, which makes it easier for beginners to use. Rankmath, on the other hand, has a more advanced interface with more features and options, which may be more appealing to experienced SEO professionals.

Another important factor to consider when comparing Yoast and Rankmath is the cost. Yoast offers both a free and premium version of its plugin, with the premium version costing $89 per year. For a long time, Rankmath only offered a free version of the plugin, however in November of 2020 Rankmath released a premium version of the plugin. There are two premium options for RankMath, one being a $59 per year premium plan intended for single websites as well as a $199 per year plan intended for agencies and development companies. 

From our testing, we found that the free version of RankMath included more features, such as the ability to add multiple focus keywords to a single content piece. Many of the features that are available for free in RankMath are only available as a paid option in Yoast. Despite this, and likely due to how long Yoast has been on the market, Yoast has a significantly higher market share – with close to 10 times as many installed websites compared to RankMath.

In terms of performance, both Yoast and Rankmath have received positive reviews from users. Both plugins are regularly updated and are generally considered to be reliable and effective. However, some users have reported that Yoast can be a bit slower and more resource-intensive, while Rankmath is generally considered to be faster and more lightweight. An analysis of the code base of each plugin reinforces this view, with Yoast having 50% more lines of code and using close to 5 times as much server memory. 

Overall, both Yoast and Rankmath are excellent WordPress plugins for improving SEO. The choice between the two ultimately comes down to personal preference and the specific needs of the website. While both plugins have some features that are not found in the other, at the end of the day both options will handle the needs of most users, whether that user is a noobie or a professional developer. That said, in our belief Yoast is a good choice for beginners and those who want a more user-friendly interface, while Rankmath is a good choice for those who want advanced features and a free plugin.