Best GPL WordPress Plugins (Free and Paid)

If you want your WordPress site to look good, run fast, and grow against time, you need cool plugins. But what if you also want full freedom — the freedom to use, modify, and redistribute the tools you rely on? That’s where GPL WordPress plugins come in. In this article, we’ll explore the best GPL WordPress plugins, free and paid tools.

In this guide, we’ve listed the best GPL WordPress plugins that help you do everything from SEO to backups, caching, ads, forms, security, and more. These aren’t just any plugins — they are the leading ones, and because they’re GPL-licensed, they give you the freedom that commercial-only licenses don’t.

Let’s get to see what we have! — All of these plugins are popular, powerful, and packed with useful features. They should help you arrive at that dream website you desire.

Some of them are perhaps plugins you can not do without.

What’s the GPL License?

GPL stands for General Public License, a free software license that gives users the right to run, study, modify, and share software with no legal barriers.

Open-source projects use GPL mainly because it helps them to showcase their work freely, balancing their primary motive.

WordPress is among the open source systems that use the GPL. By WordPress being licensed under the GNU GPL license, it means the GPL freedoms are passed to WordPress including its derivative works (this includes themes and plugins).

Here are the Freedoms that come with the GPL license which is now applied to WordPress.

• Freedom to study and use software anyhow you like
• Freedom to modify the code to suit your desire
• Freedom to redistribute the main software
• Freedom to distribute modified copies

Both users and WordPress developers get to enjoy these rights. These lead to high discoverability of developers’ work, as users have the freedom to share it with their friends.

Understanding GPL on WordPress

GPL on WordPress simply means the application of the General Public License Rights to WordPress solutions and derivatives.

Users have all-round freedom to use any software related to WordPress as they see fit.

Developers get more visibility in their works because of the freedom of redistribution.

Let’s now see how the GPL affects both developers and users in the WordPress space.

You can learn more about the GPL license of WordPress.

What Does It Mean to Developers?

For developers, the GPL is both a challenge and an opportunity. It means they can’t lock users into restrictive licenses — but it also means they can build on existing work without fear.

The GPL license does more good than harm to WordPress developers because of the implication of the General Public license (I’m talking about the exposure to the general community), the works of developers can reach millions of people with less labour.

The right to use and modify also lead to early product improvement and betterment.

What Does It Mean to Users?

For users, GPL is all about freedom. You’re not limited to the “official” version of a plugin. You can get it from third-party marketplaces, tweak the code, or use it across multiple projects without buying extra licenses.

You can learn more about WordPress and the GPL license.

What Is a GPL WordPress Plugin?

A GPL WordPress plugin is any plugin that follows the rules of the GPL license. In simpler terms: if the plugin is derived from WordPress code (which is GPL-licensed), then it must also be GPL-licensed.

This means most of the plugins you already know and love — like Elementor, Rank Math, and Litespeed Cache are all GPL.

Are All WordPress Plugins GPL?

Not all WordPress plugins are fully GPL-licensed but many are.

Here’s how it works:

When a developer creates a WordPress plugin, they are building on top of WordPress, which is itself licensed under the GPL. According to the WordPress Foundation and key figures in the community, any plugin that integrates closely with WordPress — using its functions, hooks, or core code — is automatically considered a derivative work. And derivative works are expected to follow the GPL too.

So… are all plugins GPL?

It depends on how the developer licenses them:

• Free plugins in the WordPress.org repository must be 100% GPL. This means you can freely use, share, and even modify them.
• Premium plugins sold elsewhere (like CodeCanyon or individual websites) might not be fully GPL. Some developers use a split license — where only the PHP code is GPL, but other parts like CSS, JavaScript, or media files are under a different, more restrictive license.
• Premium plugins sold elsewhere (usually handled by individual sites) might not be GPL at all. These plugins use completely other licenses and are not in line with the vision of WordPress.

Key Takeaway: WordPress plugins come with different licensing models. Some are 100% GPL (especially those on WordPress.org), some use split licensing (common on platforms like CodeCanyon), and some plugins — sold on private websites — may not follow the GPL at all, even though that raises legal questions if they rely heavily on WordPress core functions.

Are GPL Plugins Legal?

Yes, GPL plugins are legal — especially when downloaded from trusted sources like WordPress.org, or directly from the official websites of plugin developers.

This is because WordPress itself uses the GPL license and requires all plugins listed on its platform to follow the same licensing standard. So, any plugin you install from the official WordPress repository or from a developer’s official website is 100% legal and safe to use.

In fact, WordPress.org has strict guidelines that every plugin must pass before being approved. These plugins are reviewed for:

• Security
• Code quality
• GPL compatibility
• Compliance with WordPress standards

So when we talk about GPL plugins in this article, we’re referring to those that are legally licensed under GPL and verified by WordPress, not the ones found in so-called GPL Plugin and Theme clubs that misuse the GPL license freedoms.

These official GPL plugins are not only legal but trusted because they go through a vetting process backed by the WordPress system itself.

Note: A GPL club is a website that exploits the GPL freedoms to provide premium plugins and themes for free or at a significantly less price. While the business of GPL clubs are legal, they are not always safe, and they can hurt actual developers too.

Are GPL Plugins Safe?

Yes, GPL plugins are safe when downloaded from official and trusted sources. These include the WordPress.org plugin repository, CodeCanyon, and the official websites main developers. 

These sources have strict guidelines to ensure every plugin submitted meets WordPress coding standards, and passes the security test. 

Before any plugin goes live on WordPress.org, for example, it is manually reviewed for:

• Security vulnerabilities
• Malicious or obfuscated code
• Proper use of WordPress APIs and functions
• Full GPL compatibility

As long as you’re getting your plugins from official marketplaces, you can confidently install and use them knowing fully well they have passed the standard of security test. 

The misconception that GPL plugins are unsafe often comes from people confusing them with unverified copies found elsewhere (i.e., GPL club’s offerings). But that’s not the case here. When we talk about GPL plugins, we mean the official versions from the developers themselves.

Bottom line: GPL plugins are safe, reliable, and trustworthy as long as you’re downloading them from the right sources.

10 Best GPL WordPress Plugins

Let’s now look at the best WordPress Plugins released under the GNU GPL license.

These plugins have diverse values and they can help you in different forms.

1. Rank Math SEO

2. Litespeed cache

3. Elementor

4. UpdraftPlus

5. Link Whisper

6. Akismet

7. Wordfence

8. Google Site Kit

9. Advanced Ads

10. Ivory search

1. Rank Math SEO: Best GPL WordPress Plugins

Rank Math SEO is an SEO plugin for WordPress that makes the process of optimizing your website for search engines easy. It’s designed to accommodate every person of any category – whether expert, intermediate or a beginner.

The plugin starts with a setup wizard that automates configuration tasks such as setting up metadata, focus keywords, and redirection management so you don’t have to deal with complicated settings right from the start.

It integrates seamlessly with tools like Google Search Console to pull information regarding your performance on Serps.

Features

• Guided Setup Wizard: Automatically configures basic SEO settings based on industry and site type.
• On‑Page SEO Analysis: Provides detailed feedback on keyword density, meta tags, readability, and content optimization.
• Schema Markup & Rich Snippets: Automatically inserts structured data for rich snippets that enhance your search engine listings.
• 404 Monitor & Redirection Manager: Detects broken links and enables easy creation of 301/302 redirects to maintain link equity.
• Local SEO Enhancements: Features dedicated options for optimizing local business information such as NAP consistency and local schema.
• SEO Audit & Reporting: Regularly scans your entire site to provide a comprehensive SEO audit with recommendations for improvement.

Pros

• The intuitive setup process significantly reduces the effort required for beginners.
• Offers a range of features that cover both basic and advanced SEO needs.
• Integrations with Google services ensure you receive up‑to‑date performance insights.
• The free version is a great place to start as it is feature-rich.

Cons

• The plethora of available settings and options might be overwhelming initially for those new to SEO.
• Advanced features such as custom indexing rules or deep technical optimizations require a premium plan.

2. Link Whisper

Link Whisper is an internal linking plugin for WordPress and Shopify that automates and fastens the process of adding internal links in your content.

By using a combination of basic artificial intelligence, natural language processing (NLP), and LLMs like OpenAI, this tool studies your content to suggest new internal link opportunities, analyse your interlinking structure and fully automate some part of internal link building.

It integrates with SEO plugins and Google Search Console to refine its suggestions as it pulls in more keyword data. Link whisper will save you the time of manually updating old posts whenever you add new content for internal linking purposes. Its Link suggestion powers this.

Features

• Internal Link Suggestions: Incoming and outgoing internal linking recommendations as you write.
• OpenAI & NLP Integration: Enhances the accuracy of link suggestions through language processing and AI.
• SEO Plugin & GSC Integration: Refines internal linking opportunities using keyword data from Google Search Console and other SEO plugins like Rank Math.
• Internal Link Reports & Analysis: Detailed audit on internal links.
• Keyword-Based Linking: Automatically links URLs and respective target keywords within your content.
• Additional Tools: Link click report, Search and replace functionality for link texts, broken link reports, related post widgets, and customizable link arrow icons.

Pros

• Saves valuable time by automating the tedious task of finding and inserting internal links.
• Uses advanced technology to deliver link suggestions.
• Provides detailed reports on your internal linking profile..

Cons

• Link suggestions can be irrelevant even when OpenAI power is in the game.
• Requires already standing content for its Link suggestion to work properly.

3. LiteSpeed Cache: Best GPL WordPress Plugins

LiteSpeed Cache is a complete caching and optimization plugin that boosts website performance with helpful server‑level caching techniques. While those on LiteSpeed hosting make most of its features, it remains a valuable asset even on other hosting platforms.

This plugin improves load times by generating static HTML files from dynamic WordPress content and by optimizing CSS, JavaScript, and images. Its all‑in‑one approach goes beyond caching to include various file optimization features and built‑in image compression.

Overall, the plugin is a great caching solution and can prepare you for high search ranking.

Features

• Server‑Level Static Caching: Converts dynamic pages into static HTML files, reducing the load on your server with near‑instant page delivery.
• Automatic Cache Pre‑loading: Ensures that user requests are met with pre‑cached versions of pages, even if they are unexpected.
• CSS, JavaScript, & HTML Minification: Reduces file sizes and number of HTTP requests by compressing and combining code files.
• Image Optimization & Lazy Loading: Automatically compresses images and defers their loading until they are visible on the screen.
• CDN Integration: Offers seamless support for content delivery networks to further reduce latency and improve global site performance.
• WooCommerce Optimization: Special configurations ensure that dynamic e‑commerce pages (like checkout) are properly handled.

Pros

• Provides significant improvements in page loading speeds and overall user experience.
• Reduces server resource usage, which is vital for high‑traffic sites.
• Combines caching with front‑end optimization and image compression within a single plugin
• Default settings work well for most sites, yet it offers fine‑tuning options for advanced users.

Cons

• Optimal performance is seen on LiteSpeed servers; efficacy may vary on Apache or Nginx systems.
• Advanced optimization settings can be confusing for users who lack technical knowledge.
• Integration with other performance plugins might require careful configuration to avoid conflicts.

4. Elementor: Best GPL WordPress Plugins

Elementor is a flagship visual page builder plugin that takes website design to the next level with its intuitive drag‑and‑drop interface. It enables users, from complete beginners to experienced designers, to create beautiful layouts without needing any coding knowledge.

With a rich library of pre‑designed templates and widgets, Elementor makes the design process FAST. Its real‑time front‑end editor lets you see exactly how your page will appear on desktop, tablet, and mobile devices as you make your edits.

Features

• Live Drag‑and‑Drop Editing: Build pages visually with real‑time previews and easy element repositioning.
• Pre‑Designed Templates & Blocks: Access hundreds of professional templates and content blocks to create your style within minutes.
• Responsive Design Tools: Customize settings separately for desktop, tablet, and mobile views.
• Theme Builder Capabilities: Create custom headers, footers, and archive layouts with the integrated theme builder.
• Popup Builder Integration: In the Pro version, design popups with various triggers and animations to enhance conversions.
• Revision History & Inline Editing: Save and review design changes easily, with the option to revert to previous versions if necessary.

Pros

• Extremely user‑friendly.
• Well-kept template library reduces design time.
• Offers complete creative freedom without requiring any coding skills.
• Seamless integration with major plugins and themes.

Cons

• Some of the most powerful features, including the full widget library and popup creation, are available only in Elementor Pro.
• Overuse of page builder features may lead to bloated page sizes if not optimized.
• The huge customization options can be overwhelming for users who are new to website design.

5. UpdraftPlus

UpdraftPlus is the leading backup and restoration plugin for WordPress. It is built to give you peace of mind by automating the backup process and providing an effortless restore mechanism in case of data loss due to hacks, server failures, or human error.

Compatible with both individual and multisite installations, UpdraftPlus supports scheduled backups and remote storage, allowing you to safeguard your website’s data and migrate sites quickly.

Features

• Complete Backup Options: Perform full, manual, or scheduled backups of your database, plugins, themes, and media files.
• Remote Storage Support: Secure backups by automatically saving files to cloud storage providers like Google Drive, Dropbox, Amazon S3, OneDrive, and more.
• Incremental Backups: Optimize resource usage by backing up only the changes since the last backup.
• One‑Click Restore & Migration: Easily restore or migrate your site.
• Detailed Logs & Email Notifications: Keep track of backup status with comprehensive logs and automated notifications.
• Multisite Compatibility & Encryption: Works seamlessly on multisite setups and offers encryption options for additional security.

Pros

• Trusted by millions, it’s regarded as one of the most reliable backup tools available.
• Flexible backup scheduling and multiple storage integrations reduce data loss risks.
• Simple restore and migration procedures make recovery straightforward and stress‑free.
• Suitable for both small personal blogs and large enterprise websites.

Cons

• Some advanced features, like incremental backups and certain encryption options, are available only on the premium version.
• Backup processes can temporarily tax server resources if not scheduled during low‑traffic periods.
• Initial configuration may present a slight learning curve for users new to backup systems.

7. Akismet: Best GPL WordPress Plugins

Akismet is an anti‑spam plugin for WordPress that automatically filters out spam comments and form submissions. Using a global database and intelligent filtering algorithms, Akismet ensures your site remains free from undesirable content without requiring you to manually sift through hundreds of comments.

This powerful tool operates in the background, and is trusted by millions of WordPress users worldwide.

Features

• Automated Spam Filtering: Automatically scans and identifies spam from comments and contact form submissions.
• Global Spam Database: Uses data collected from millions of WordPress sites to update and refine its filtering algorithms.
• Detailed Spam Logs: Keeps a long history of detected spam for review and possible manual adjustments.
• Integration Flexibility: Easily integrates with various third‑party forms and comment plugins via its developer‑friendly API.
• Minimal Setup Required: Functions properly out‑of‑the‑box even with configuration.

Pros

• Highly effective at eliminating spam which reduces the manual effort required for moderation.
• Runs quietly in the background with little impact on overall site performance.
• Widely trusted and pre‑installed on many WordPress installations.

Cons

• Requires an API key—free for personal blogs but necessitates a subscription for commercial sites.
• Doesn’t provide comprehensive protection against non‑comment spam (such as form spam) without additional tools.
• Primarily focused on spam control; does not address other security aspects.

8. Wordfence Security

Wordfence Security is a nifty security plugin built to protect your WordPress site from a wide range of threats. It combines an advanced web application firewall (WAF) with a comprehensive malware scanner, providing real‑time monitoring and detailed security insights.

Wordfence actively blocks malicious traffic using up‑to‑date threat intelligence, while also providing tools to secure your login pages and sensitive data through features like brute force protection and two‑factor authentication.

Features

• Web Application Firewall (WAF): Offers real‑time protection by blocking malicious IP addresses and unauthorized requests.
• Comprehensive Malware Scanning: Regularly scans core files, themes, and plugins for signs of malware, backdoors, and suspicious code modifications.
• Login Security Enhancements: Implements brute force protection, CAPTCHA, and optional two‑factor authentication to safeguard user access.
• Live Traffic Monitoring: Displays real‑time visitor data and logs security events to help you understand and react to potential attacks.
• Advanced IP & Country Blocking: Provides tools for granular IP blocking and country-based filtering to reduce unwarranted traffic.
• Security Reporting & Alerts: Delivers detailed security reports and email notifications to ensure you stay informed of any incidents.

Pros

• Provides a comprehensive, multi‑layered approach to WordPress security.
• Continuously updated with new threat intelligence and firewall rules.
• Offers real‑time insights and detailed reports.

Cons

• The plugin can be resource‑intensive during scans, which might affect performance on lower‑spec servers.
• The extensive configuration options may overwhelm novice users initially.
• Some advanced features and faster support are available only with the premium version.

9. Google Site Kit

Google Site Kit is the official WordPress plugin from Google that lets you integrate multiple Google services with your WordPress site. By gathering key data from Google Analytics, Search Console, AdSense, Tag Manager, and PageSpeed Insights into a single place, Site Kit allows you to monitor your site’s performance without leaving the admin area.

Its digestible setup guide allows even beginners to connect and configure things quickly.

Features

• Unified Dashboard: Displays data collected from Google Analytics, Search Console, AdSense, Tag Manager, and PageSpeed Insights in one place.
• Helpful setup guide: Step‑by‑step process for connecting each Google service with less effort.
• Real‑Time Performance Metrics: Offers up‑to‑date traffic, speed, and search performance data directly in WordPress.
• Data Consolidation: Combines multiple data into one interface, reducing the need to juggle multiple accounts.
• Expandable Integrations: Allows you to add additional Google services as needed, with the process remaining consistent and straightforward.

Pros

• Access to a suite of critical Google services from one central location.
• Great for users who need essential insights without the complexity of separate dashboards.
• The guided setup minimizes the technical barrier for beginners.

Cons

• Customization options for data display are limited compared to more advanced analytics tools.
• May not offer the granular details that advanced users require for in-depth analysis.
• Requires multiple Google account connections, which may be initially confusing for some users.

10. Advanced Ads

Advanced Ads is an ad management plugin for WordPress that simplifies the process of placing, managing, and optimizing ads across your website. It supports a wide range of ad formats — from banners and popups to native and affiliate ads. It also integrates seamlessly with major ad networks like Google AdSense.

With features that allow detailed scheduling, rotation, and targeting of ads, Advanced Ads makes it easy to manage advertising campaigns and to maximize potential revenue.

Features

• Flexible Ad Placement: Enables insertion of ads using widgets, shortcodes, or PHP template functions at various locations on your site.
• Ad Scheduling & Rotation: Allows you to schedule ads to run during specific periods and set up rotations for multiple ad units.
• Integration with Multiple Networks: Works with Google AdSense, affiliate ads, and custom ad codes for versatile monetization options.
• Advanced Targeting Options: Offers display rules based on user behavior, device type, and geographic location.
• Detailed Analytics & Reporting: Provides insights into ad performance metrics such as impressions, clicks, and click‑through rates.
• A/B Testing Capabilities: Facilitates experiments with different ad layouts and messaging to optimize conversion rates.

Pros

• Highly flexible ad management features cater to various monetization strategies.
• Detailed performance reports help refine ad placements and campaigns for better revenue.
• Conditional targeting ensures ads are shown to the most relevant audiences.
• Supports a wide variety of ad formats and networks.

Cons

• The initial setup and configuration can be complex for certain users.
• Some advanced features require a premium version to unlock.
• Requires careful configuration to balance ad display without hurting site speed or user experience.

11. Ivory Search

Ivory Search is an advanced search enhancement plugin for WordPress that brings improvements to the default WordPress search command. It allows you to create highly customizable search forms that can be tailored to your specific content needs.

With options to filter search results by post types, taxonomies, custom fields, and more, Ivory Search delivers relevant results quickly. Its Ajax‑powered live search feature provides instantaneous suggestions as users type, making the whole process fast.

Features

• Custom Search Form Builder: Create customizable search forms using a drag‑and‑drop interface.
• Advanced Query Customization: Filter search queries by post types, categories, tags, and custom fields.
• Ajax‑Powered Live Search: Provides real‑time search result suggestions that update as users type.
• Multiple Display Styles: Choose from various search form designs to match your website’s branding.
• Widget & Shortcode Integration: Easily embed search forms anywhere on your site using widgets or shortcodes.
• Exclusion Options: Specify which posts, pages, or custom post types to exclude from search results.
• Multilingual & WooCommerce Support: Compatible with WPML and built‑in support for WooCommerce product searches.

Pros

• Greatly enhances the built‑in WordPress search.
• Ajax‑powered live search results improve user experience through immediate suggestions as they type.
• Flexible options allow you to tailor search functionality to your content needs.
• Seamlessly integrates with popular plugins and supports multilingual sites.

Cons

• Lots of customization options can be complicated for some people..
• Some advanced tweaks require additional custom CSS to arrive at that spot.
• Fine‑tuning search filters for complex sites might require extra configuration time.

Best GPL Websites for WordPress GPL Plugins

Having explored the best GPL WordPress Plugins, let’s now know the best sources where they can be gotten with peace of mind.

1. Developers site 

Needless to say that the best place to acquire a GPL WordPress Plugin is directly from the maker’s website.

We have popular brands that make GPL WordPress plugins like VisualModo, Brainstorm Force, WP Developer, Elegant Themes and Awesome Motive.

2. WordPress.org

While acquiring a Plugin from the developers directly is considered the best, the WordPress.org Plugin repository serves as a platform that hosts secure and 100% GPL WordPress Plugins.

All the plugins on WordPress.org are free as in price though the creators usually have a premium version which you can get from their website.

Related: The Cost of WordPress.org: Is It Really Free

3. Codecanyon 

This is another platform for GPL WordPress Plugins.

Developers typically release the premium versions of their Plugins there to obtain FAST and easy sales.

It is just like an affordable way of getting premium WordPress plugins.

4. WordPress.com

For non self-hosted WP set-up, WordPress.com serves as a replacement for WP.org repository.

Plugins hosted there are 100% GPL and secure.

Conclusion

Open source applications generally do better than private products that restrict users from seeing the behind-the-scenes.

There are a lot of reasons for that. First is — users of open source apps can pass on improvements to the original product, plus share with their colleagues, opening ways of discoverability.

Platforms running under the open source nature also tend to be safer than private ones. The reason is clear — hackers are more attracted to closed applications, mostly out of curiosity to explore the code.

This assumption is supported by the high rate of hacks that have befallen private password managers like LastPass. Bitwarden, an open-source password manager, has never experienced a hack for one day.

Bring this to WordPress, more specifically — GPL WordPress Plugins. They are 99.9% (if not 100%) secure when gotten from official sources.

We have explored the top options here. And they can power your website from every angle, helping you reach the goal you want.

FAQs

Some frequently asked questions about GPL WordPress Plugins.

What is the best GPL WordPress Plugin?

The best GPL Plugin should be one that tackles a lot of different things on one spot and provides indispensable or must-have features on a site. SEO Plugins like Rank Math, Link Whisper, Elementor and LiteSpeed Cache can take some seats.

Visualmodo also has great plugins that can add different functionalities onsite. They include the Borderless Plugin (a template toolkit compatible with Elementor, WP Bakery, and Gutenberg), Visual Elements Plugin (which enhances WPBakery Page Builder) and Visualmodo Related Posts just to name a few.

What is the best GPL WordPress Theme?

The best GPL themes at VisualModo include Edge, Rare, and Fitness. They are customer favorites because of their flexibility, design quality, and seamless page builder support.

Why use a GPL plugin or theme instead of others with different licenses?

Because they align with WordPress’s core licensing principles. WordPress itself is under the GPL, so using GPL plugins and themes ensures full compatibility and follows the rules set by the WordPress community.

Why use a GPL plugin or theme instead of others with different licenses?

Because they align with WordPress’s core licensing principles. WordPress itself is under the GPL, so using GPL plugins and themes ensures full compatibility and follows the rules set by the WordPress community.

What is the best site for GPL Plugins and themes?

The best GPL Websites for WordPress Plugins include the WP.org repository, Codecanyon and developers’ sites. Here, you will often get GPL-complaint plugins for your next project.