The SEO Framework – Fast, Automated, Effortless.

How well this listing is tuned to rank in WordPress.org search, on the factors an owner controls. Not popularity, optimization.

Directory searches this plugin turns up in, and which way each one is moving. WordPress.org publishes no history of search positions, so this starts the day we first tracked a keyword and never backfills.

wp.org is where the directory puts the plugin for that search. On merit is where it would sit if results were ranked on rating, support and updates, without the install boost. The last column is how far the wp.org position moved, from our first reading in the last 90 days to the latest.

886 searches this plugin appeared in over the last 90 days, 20 listed. 766 left out as unrelated or noise (years, numbers, stray words).

Directory rank vs rivals

wp.org popularity rank over time · higher is better · when a rival's line climbs above yours, they've overtaken you

How often this plugin actually ships. A steady rhythm is the maintenance signal a single "last updated" date can't show.

Share of active installs on each version of this plugin. Green is the current release; a big slice on older versions is a user base that has stopped updating.

Crossed into this band 23 months ago; a band this size takes about a year or more to cross, which places it about 90% of the way through.

1. ★★★★★ Evan Buckiewicz

   5mo ago

   Easy to extend and makes sure to not get in the way, reliable plugin.

   Read on wp.org ↗
2. ★★★★★ WebHostPro

   5mo ago

   It could have some more functionality like some AI or auto fill options. But how lean and fast it is makes it better than the rest. No wasted time and options you won’t use and ha the main ones you’ll need.

   Read on wp.org ↗
3. ★★★★★ Ben Word

   6mo ago

   I migrated off Yoast in 2016 after the v3.0 release went sideways, and I’ve been running The SEO Framework on every site I build since. Ten years later it’s still the only SEO plugin I’ll install (and migrate existing sites I inherit onto it). I immediately noticed that it looks like the wp-admin is supposed to without any custom UX, no dashboard nags, no upsell ads… and that hasn’t changed in a decade. Sybre develops it in the open and actually responds when you file an issue.

   Read on wp.org ↗
4. ★★★★★ Salvatore Noschese

   8mo ago

   I moved from Yoast because of its aggressive freemium model — too many features locked behind a paywall, too much noise in the interface. The SEO Framework looked like a clean, honest alternative, and for the core plugin it is.I installed the Extension Manager following the official recommendation to import data from Yoast. It also installs Troy Client — a component that cannot be removed through the WordPress admin. Not by deactivating and removing the Extension Manager. Not by disabling The SEO Framework entirely. The only way to get rid of it is via FTP or file manager.To make things worse, most of what the free extensions offer can be achieved with a few lines of code in a mu-plugin. Redirecting attachment pages to their parent post, hiding debug comments from the HTML output, fixing title output — these are all trivial to implement without installing anything extra. Pushing users toward an extension ecosystem for things that don’t require one raises questions about the real purpose of that ecosystem.This is exactly the kind of silent lock-in I was trying to escape. Shipping a component that survives the removal of the plugin that installed it is not acceptable for a project that presents itself as lightweight and transparent. Also, there is an issue with breadcrumbs: <nav aria-label="Breadcrumb" class="tsf-breadcrumb"><ol><li class="breadcrumb-item"><a href="https://salvatorenoschese.it/">Home</a></li><li class="breadcrumb-item"><a href="https://salvatorenoschese.it/category/linux/">Categoria: Linux</a></li></ol></nav><style>nav.tsf-breadcrumb ol{display:inline;list-style:none;margin-inline-start:0}nav.tsf-breadcrumb ol li{display:inline}nav.tsf-breadcrumb ol li:not(:last-child)::after{content:'\203A';margin-inline-end:1ch;margin-inline-start:1ch}</style> Style is added inside body and after it’s element. This topic was modified 4 months, 1 week ago by Salvatore Noschese. Reason: + CSS issue This topic was modified 4 months, 1 week ago by Salvatore Noschese. Reason: one more ⭐

   Read on wp.org ↗
5. ★★★★★ paulc123

   8mo ago

   I’m sure many of us using this plugin have moved over from another SEO plugin that has grown into bloatware. This plugin does everything you want for SEO and keeps it light. Perfect. The author, Sybre, also provides brilliant support. Will be using this for all builds from now on.

   Read on wp.org ↗
6. ★★★★★ snoop23

   11mo ago

   This is the best SEO plugin under the sun.Thank you!

   Read on wp.org ↗
7. ★★★★★ digitaljibe

   12mo ago

   Thank you to Sybre Waaijer and the team at The SEO Framework. My agency has achieved measurable results in increasing organic traffic and delivering qualified leads and conversions through search engine optimization. It’s a lightweight plugin with a significant impact on our clients’ bottom line. Keep up the great work! This topic was modified 8 months ago by digitaljibe.

   Read on wp.org ↗
8. ★★★★★ ip2C - R.Ehm

   12mo ago

   Really lovely small plugin!!! I hope this is will be updated soon.

   Read on wp.org ↗

Recent releases and news for this plugin

1. — Version 5.1.4 This tiny update adds a new setting and shortcode attribute for breadcrumb title output, letting you choose between meta titles or page titles. We rushed this one out because our notification didn’t work, and we do not w 5.1.4
2. — Version 5.1.3 This update adds primary term selection to quick/bulk edit, option visibility toggles, comprehensive Avada theme compatibility, improved Elementor handling, and various bug fixes . We also deleted all deprecated code fro 5.1.3
3. — Version 5.1.2 This patch resolves another issue where saving author meta data could cause an error. 5.1.2
4. — Version 5.1.1 This tiny update resolves issues our community found with the release of TSF v5.1. 5.1.1
5. — Version 5.1.0 The lover of wisdom, then, far surpasses the lover of gain. – Plato Release highlights This update brings a new color scheme that’s easier on your eyes. You’ll love it tomorrow. The canonical URL is now tracked in real-t 5.1.0
6. — Version 5.2.0 Pray take care, Glaucon, that your daring ambition doesn’t lead to a fall! Don’t you see how risky it is to say or do what you don’t understand? – Xenophon Release highlights Authors now have complete SEO controls: a met 5.2.0

Translated into 124 languages, 6 at 90% or more

Plus 100 more locales with partial translations.

Whether ChatGPT and Claude name this plugin when asked the category question, and whether the readme gives them something to quote.

Growth timeline

Install-tier crossings we have observed, and how long each tier took to outgrow

1. 2024-12-10 100K+ → 200K+ up after 1 days in tier
2. 2024-12-09 200K+ → 100K+ down after 76 days in tier
3. 2024-09-24 100K+ → 200K+ up after 1911 days in tier
4. 2019-07-02 90K+ → 100K+ up after 92 days in tier
5. 2019-04-01 80K+ → 90K+ up after 90 days in tier
6. 2019-01-01 70K+ → 80K+ up after 91 days in tier
7. 2018-10-02 60K+ → 70K+ up after 31 days in tier
8. 2018-09-01 50K+ → 60K+ up after 153 days in tier

Competes with

The plugins that solve the same job, ranked by shared tags then reach, closest match first. The letter on the right is each plugin's health grade (A best, F worst).

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Drop a live Pulse card for The SEO Framework – Fast, Automated, Effortless. into a readme, a review or a deck. It updates itself.

The SEO Framework – Fast, Automated, Effortless.: 200K+ active installs, 4.9★ (380 reviews). Plugin Pulse (WP Mayor), as of 2026-11-02. https://plugins.wpmayor.com/plugin/autodescription