bwt
// compare · seo

Yoast SEO vs Rank Math vs All in One SEO

The three SEO plugins that most WordPress sites choose between. Yoast is the established default with the largest install base; Rank Math packs the most into its free tier; All in One SEO undercuts both on Pro pricing. All three do the core job well — the difference is how much you get for free, what Pro costs, and which workflow you prefer.

// at a glance
Product PriceLighthouseWP.orgOpen CVEsInstalls
Yoast SEO $119874.8 ★010,000,000+
Rank Math $79894.8 ★04,000,000+
All in One SEO $49884.7 ★03,000,000+

Lighthouse: reproducible median of 5 mobile runs · CVEs: open advisories, Patchstack + Wordfence · Ratings: WordPress.org

// the picks
Best established & safest pick
Yoast SEO

The most widely installed SEO plugin, the longest track record, and the most third-party integrations and tutorials. If you want the option nobody gets fired for choosing, it's Yoast.

Best free feature set
Rank Math

Ships features in its free tier that the others gate behind Pro — multiple keyword tracking, schema options, and redirects. The most generous starting point if you're optimizing on a budget.

Best value Pro license
All in One SEO

The lowest entry price to Pro of the three, with a full modern feature set. The pick when you know you want a paid plan but don't want to pay Yoast's premium.

// head to head

Yoast SEO

SEO · Free, Pro from $119 · Since 2010
Full review

Yoast SEO is the most-installed WordPress SEO plugin. Free version covers on-page optimization, sitemaps, breadcrumbs, schema markup, and readability analysis. Premium adds internal linking suggestions, redirect manager, multiple focus keywords, and AI-powered title and meta generation. Acquired by Newfold Digital in 2021, continues to operate as a product unit with sustained engineering investment.

Pros

  • Mature, battle-tested feature set with consistent UI conventions
  • Free version is a complete SEO baseline for most sites
  • Excellent integration with WordPress core changes
  • Strong support and education materials, including SEO academy

Cons

  • Adds noticeable database queries on every page load
  • Aggressive upsell flow in the admin
  • Pricing has crept up significantly since 2020

Rank Math

SEO · Free, Pro from $79 · Since 2018
Full review

Rank Math launched in 2018 as the aggressive modern alternative to Yoast SEO. The free version matches features that Yoast charges Premium for: multiple focus keywords, redirect manager, internal linking suggestions, schema markup controls. Faster release cadence than Yoast. The most credible Yoast competitor by install count.

Pros

  • Free tier matches Yoast Premium on many features (multiple keywords, redirects, schema controls)
  • Modern admin UI with cleaner information hierarchy than Yoast
  • Faster release cadence and more aggressive feature shipping
  • Strong WooCommerce-specific SEO controls

Cons

  • Newer codebase and smaller team mean slightly less battle-tested than Yoast
  • Pro upsell flow is also aggressive (just in a different style than Yoast)
  • Less independent education / training material than Yoast Academy

All in One SEO

SEO · Free, Pro from $49 · Since 2007
Full review

All in One SEO (AIOSEO) is the third major WordPress SEO plugin, originally launched in 2007 by Michael Torbert and acquired by Awesome Motive in 2020. Refreshed under new ownership with modern admin UI, expanded schema support, and tighter integration with the Awesome Motive product family (WPForms, MonsterInsights, OptinMonster).

Pros

  • Mature codebase with 18+ year history
  • Tighter integration with the Awesome Motive product family than Yoast or Rank Math
  • Free tier covers solid on-page SEO baseline
  • Strong WooCommerce-specific SEO features

Cons

  • Awesome Motive product family upsell flow is aggressive across all admin screens
  • Pro tier renewal pricing has crept up since the 2020 acquisition
  • Smaller community discussion than Yoast or Rank Math
The verdict

For most sites this is a near-tie on core SEO capability — meta control, sitemaps, and schema are table stakes all three clear. Choose Yoast for its ecosystem and staying power, Rank Math if you want the most in the free tier, or All in One SEO if you want Pro features at the lowest license cost. Whatever you pick, don't run two SEO plugins at once — they'll fight over sitemaps and meta tags.

// see also

Best WordPress SEO Plugins

The full ranked roundup, with the best pick for each use case.
// faq

Frequently asked questions

Is Rank Math better than Yoast SEO?
Rank Math offers more features in its free tier — multiple focus keywords, built-in redirects, and more schema types out of the box. Yoast counters with a larger install base, a longer track record, and broader third-party integration support. For raw free-tier value Rank Math wins; for ecosystem maturity and safety Yoast still leads.
Which SEO plugin is cheapest for Pro features?
All in One SEO has the lowest entry price to its paid tier of the three, followed by Rank Math, with Yoast Premium the most expensive. Compare the specific feature you need, since each vendor tiers its Pro features differently.
Can I switch SEO plugins without losing rankings?
Yes, if you migrate your metadata. All three provide importers that pull titles, descriptions, and focus keywords from a competitor plugin, and rankings depend on the output (meta tags, sitemaps, schema) rather than the plugin itself. Run the importer, verify your titles and descriptions survived, then deactivate the old plugin — never run two at once.
// methodology

Every figure in the comparison table is pulled from the same reproducible pipeline behind each plugin's detail page — Lighthouse scores are the median of five mobile runs on identical hosting, and open-CVE counts come from Patchstack and Wordfence Intelligence on every build. The editorial call is ours; the numbers are measured, not vendor-supplied.