Search engine optimization, or SEO, is important for website owners who want to move up in the Google rankings and get more visitors from search engines. When it comes to the most famous SEO plugins for WordPress, Rank Math and Yoast SEO are two that really stand out. Both have strong tools that can be used to improve user experience, technical SEO, and content optimization. But in 2025, which one should you pick?
This in-depth review looks at features, performance, pricing, ease of use, and more to help you make an educated choice.
1. A Quick Look at Rank Math and Yoast SEO
What does Rank Math mean?
Rank Math is a WordPress SEO plugin with a lot of advanced tools, such as AI-based content analysis, schema markup, and keyword tracking. It came out in 2018 and quickly became popular because it is easy to use and has a lot of features.
What is Yoast SEO?
Yoast SEO has been a top SEO plugin since 2010. It has powerful tools for optimizing text, analyzing readability, and integrating structured data. It’s been known for a long time to be reliable and simple to use.
2. Setting up and installation
How to Set Up Rank Math
Rank Math includes a setup wizard that makes setting up the app easy. It makes it easy for users to choose SEO options, add Google services, and change schema markup.
How to Set Up Yoast SEO
Yoast SEO also has a guided setup, but it doesn’t have as much automation as Rank Math. Some settings have to be set up by hand, which takes a little more time for newbies.
3. The interface and how easy it is to use
Rank Math Interface
- Modern system that is easy to use
- Modular approach lets people turn features on and off
- Adding support for Elementor and Gutenberg
Yoast SEO Interface
- Traditional homepage for WordPress
- Trying to be simple, but it can feel crowded
- It’s not as customizable as Rank Math.
4. A Comparison of Features
| Feature | Rank Math | Yoast SEO |
|---|---|---|
| Keyword Optimization | Up to 5 keywords (Free) | 1 keyword (Free) |
| Schema Markup | Built-in, customizable | Basic Schema support |
| AI-Based Suggestions | Yes | No |
| Internal Linking Suggestions | Yes | Yes (Premium) |
| 404 Monitoring | Yes | No |
| Redirections | Yes | Yes (Premium) |
| Google Search Console Integration | Yes | Yes |
| Advanced SEO Analysis | Yes | No |
| Image SEO | Yes | Yes (Premium) |
5. The use of keywords
Yoast SEO only lets free users optimize for one keyword per post, but Rank Math lets free users optimize for up to five keywords per post. Yoast’s paid version lets you target more than one term, but Rank Math still gives you more options for free.
6. Content analysis and how easy it is to read
Readability is carefully checked by Yoast SEO, which looks at things like passive voice, sentence length, and transition words. Readability insights are also available in Rank Math, but they are based more on content ideas made by AI.
7. Technical Parts of SEO
Rank Math
- Making an XML sitemap
- Changes to schema code
- Watching for 404 errors
- It indexes right away for Google and Bing
Yoast SEO
- XML Sitemap
- Simple Schema integration
- None of the built-in 404 checks
- No tool for instant indexing
8. Speed and performance
When picking an SEO tool, performance is important. People like Rank Math because it’s small and fast, while Yoast SEO is known for adding extra stuff, especially with its paid features.
9. Cost and worth of the money
Rank Math Pricing
- Free Plan: Lots of tools for free
- $59/year for the Pro Plan (unlimited personal websites).
- Plan for the business: $199/year (for client websites)
Yoast SEO Pricing
- Free Plan: Simple SEO Tools
- Premium Plan: $99 a year for a single site license
- For Local SEO, Video SEO, and News SEO, you have to pay extra for plugins.
Because Rank Math gives you more for less money, it’s the best choice for people who want to save money.
10. Help and Community
Both plugins have good customer service. Yoast, on the other hand, relies heavily on community forums for free users, while Rank Math offers faster response times and more detailed instructions.
In the end, which one should you pick?
Rank Math is the better choice if you want an all-in-one SEO system with more advanced features that costs less. But Yoast SEO is still a good choice if you want a tried-and-true SEO tool with an easy-to-use interface.
Final thoughts
There are good and bad things about both Rank Math and Yoast SEO. Which one is best for you relies on your needs. In 2025, Rank Math is still better than Yoast in terms of features, speed, and price, which means that most WordPress users should choose it.
Which do you use? Rank Math or Yoast SEO? Tell us about your experience in the box below!