Rank Math vs Yoast: Which is Best WordPress SEO Plugin

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is crucial for any successful website. To maximize the SEO potential of your WordPress site, you need an effective SEO plugin. With so many options available, it can be difficult to know which one to choose. However, two of the most popular WordPress SEO plugins are Rank Math and Yoast SEO. For you we will compare Rank Math vs Yoast SEO in detail to determine which one is the best choice for your needs.

In this article, we will define Rank Math and Yoast SEO in detail, analyzing their features, ease of use, pricing, and overall effectiveness to help you make an informed decision.

What is Rank Math?

Rank Math is the new star of WordPress SEO. It came around the end of 2018 after years into the development process. Granted, Rank Math is newer when it comes to SEO plugins, but their developer, MyThemeShop, has been one of the popular, well-established WordPress developers.

Ever since Rank Math came into being, its popularity took a swing toward itself as being the most popular WordPress SEO plugin within a short span. The leap is from zero to five million plus installations in just a little over two years which is remarkable for any plugin upon the WordPress platform, though its comprehensive list of free features majorly justifies it.

Although Rank Math is technically the second-most popular plugin after Yoast SEO, Rank Math has shown a big surge in its popularity with way more new downloads recently.

Key Features of Rank Math

Here are the features that come with the Rank Math plugin, divided into free and premium options:

Free Features:

• Set SEO titles and meta descriptions: Create templates that automatically apply to content and manually adjust SEO titles and descriptions for individual pieces of content.
• Establish social media descriptions: Manage the text and images for Facebook and Twitter.
• Supports multiple keywords: Enter one or more target keywords to see how well your content is optimized for them.
• XML Sitemap: Generate a more customizable XML sitemap than the default WordPress feature allows.
• Structured Data/Schema: Implement sitewide schema markup and manage individual content schema.
• Search Console: Link your website with Google Search Console to automatically submit sitemaps and view Google search ranking directly within your WordPress dashboard.
• Local SEO: Optimize your website for local SEO, focusing on a single location for free.
• Image SEO:  Rank Math enhances image SEO by automatically setting alt and title tags.
• Internal Link Suggestions: While you’re working in the editor, Rank Math will suggest links to other content on your site.
• Link Counter: Count the number of internal linking and external linking in your content.
• 404 Monitor: Regularly check your site for 404 errors and redirect common ones to relevant pages.
• Basic WooCommerce SEO: Set product/shop titles/descriptions.

Premium Features:

• Keyword Rank Tracking
• Google Trends integration
• Google Video/News SEO sitemap
• Multiple locations for local SEO
• More pre-defined schema types (20+)
• Google AdSense earning history
• Automatically watermark social media images

One great aspect of Rank Math is its modular features, allowing you to easily disable any functionalities you don’t intend to use.

What is Yoast SEO?

Yoast SEO, originally launched in 2010, has established itself as the leading SEO plugin for WordPress. Founded by Joost de Valk, a former SEO consultant, this plugin has become synonymous with SEO practices within the WordPress ecosystem. 

Many SEO tutorials often operate under the assumption that users will be utilizing Yoast SEO, highlighting its dominant position in the market. Furthermore, it is the most popular SEO plugin and ranks among the most downloaded WordPress plugins overall, boasting over 288 million downloads to date. Google now considers the overall context of website hosting solutions and the relevance of links rather than prioritizing their placement in the content.

Key Features of Yoast SEO

Yoast SEO’s free version has limited features, but they offer pro add-ons for more functionality. In contrast, Rank Math provides features like a redirect manager, multiple keyword analysis, and internal link suggestions for free, which Yoast charges for.

Free Features:

• Set SEO titles/meta descriptions: Create templates that automatically apply to content and adjust SEO titles and descriptions manually for individual pieces of content.
• XML Sitemap: Develop a more customizable XML sitemap than what the standard WordPress feature permits.
• Focus keyword analysis: Input a focus keyword to evaluate how well your content is optimized for that keyword.
• Sitewide Schema: Add sitewide schema markup.
• Content Schema Type: Specify a custom schema type for individual content pieces, with an option to set a sitewide default.
• Search Console: Ensure that you verify your website using Search Console.
• Set Social Media Descriptions: Manage the text and images for Facebook and Twitter.
• Improved User Experience: Improve the website’s navigation and layout and use a fast VPS server to keep your visitors engaged.
• Cornerstone Content: Label important pages as “Cornerstone” to optimize them and increase internal linking.
• Link Counter: Count the number of internal links in your content.

Core Premium Features:

• Redirect Manager: Easily create and manage 301 and 302 redirects. 
• Internal Link Suggestions: The Yoast SEO tool will recommend related content on your website for linking.
• Internal Link Blocks: Include a block that automatically adds relevant links instead of doing it manually. 
• Multiple Focus Keywords: Examine your content for several focus keywords.
• Related Key phrases: Create key phrases that are related by utilizing data from SEMrush.

Yoast SEO provides paid add-ons for specific SEO features, mostly found in Rank Math’s premium version, while Rank Math’s free version has some local SEO capabilities.

Rank Math vs Yoast: Table of Comparison

Aspects	Rank Math	Yoast SEO
Ease of Use	Offers a more modern interface with an intuitive setup wizard	Provides a more traditional design.
Keyword Optimization	Allows optimization for multiple keywords (up to 5 in the free version).	Allows optimization for only one keyword in the free version.
Schema Markup	Advanced schema options with customizable templates.	Limited schema features in the free version.
Analytics Integration	Built-in Google Analytics and Google Search Console integration.	Integration is available but often requires third-party plugins.
Pricing	Rank Math prices start from $59	Yoast SEO prices start from $99

Ease of Use Comparison: Rank Math vs Yoast SEO

Both Yoast SEO vs Rank Math are tailored to enhance user experience. Rank Math features a contemporary interface complemented by an intuitive setup wizard, making it easy for users to navigate. In contrast, Yoast maintains a more classic design, appealing to those who prefer a traditional layout.

Rank Math vs Yoast SEO: Keyword Optimization

Rank Math allows users to optimize their content for multiple keywords at once and allows for up to five keywords in the free version, hence being strategic in targeting and affording an opportunity to improve your visibility in search engines for various related terms.

Contrarily, Yoast SEO confines the optimization in the free version to just one keyword, which is the main or primary keyword. Therefore, this means that in using Yoast SEO, people might be confined to only one keyword in focusing their efforts, missing great broad opportunities that can come through multiple keyword targeting.

Comparing Schema Markup Between Yoast vs Rank Math

Rank Math provides enormous advanced schema options for its users to create highly customized templates according to their needs. This flexibility can improve the search engine visibility of your website by offering rich snippets in search results.

On the other hand, though popular to many, Yoast SEO offers very minimal schema features in its free version. Most users who require extensive features of schema have to revert to the premium version, which limits the effectiveness in the pursuit of SEO at the free version.

Rank Math vs Yoast SEO: Analytics Integration

Rank Math offers seamless integration with Google Analytics and Google Search Console as part of its built-in features. In contrast, Yoast SEO provides integration options as well, but it frequently necessitates the use of third-party plugins to function effectively.

Rank Math vs Yoast: Pricing

Rank Math

Currently, Rank Math provides two premium plans for users:

1. Pro Plan: Priced at $59, this plan allows users to implement the plugin on unlimited personal websites and enables tracking of up to 1,000 keywords.
2. Business Plan: Available for $199, this plan supports unlimited personal and client websites, with the capability to track up to 20,000 keywords.

These prices are currently offered as a special launch promotion. In the event that Rank Math decides to revert to its standard pricing, the future rates would be:

• Pro Plan: $129
• Business Plan: $429

It remains uncertain whether Rank Math will adopt these higher prices in the future or if they will employ a strategy of ongoing discounts to create a sense of urgency for potential buyers.

Yoast SEO

Yoast SEO offers two main categories of premium products designed to enhance your site’s search engine optimization.

The first is the core premium plugin, which includes features such as multiple keyword analysis, internal link suggestions, and other valuable SEO tools. The cost for the core premium offering is $99 per year for a single site, with available discounts for multi-site licenses.

In addition to the core plugin, Yoast provides four specialized premium extensions tailored to specific SEO needs, each priced from $79 per year for a single site:

1. Video SEO for WordPress
2. Local SEO for WordPress
3. News SEO for WordPress
4. Yoast WooCommerce SEO

For those interested in comprehensive SEO solutions, you can also opt to purchase all five plugins together for a total of $229 per year.

Conclusion

Both RankMath vs Yoast SEO are exceptional plugins, but your choice depends on your specific needs and preferences. If you’re looking for an all-in-one solution with advanced features, Rank Math might be your ideal choice. On the other hand, if you value simplicity and proven reliability, Yoast SEO is a solid option.

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