The WordPress platform powers millions of websites. Its popularity is largely based on a huge array of design and development tools including an extensive collection of plugins. These plugins serve a wide range of purposes but generally speaking, are used to extend and enhance a website’s flexibility.
Whether you design from scratch or make use of a WordPress theme, it’s practically inevitable that you will find it necessary to select one or more of WordPress’s 50,000 plugins to successfully complete a project.
In this article, you’ll find key information on 7 top WordPress plugins, each excelling in its specific area of functionality. Taken together, they make up 7 of the best WordPress Plugins for 2024. Whether you need a robust booking system, a powerful data management tool, or a dynamic slider solution, these plugins will get the job done.
What to Take into Account Before Choosing a WordPress Plugin
1. Requirements and Intended Use
Define the functionality you need and the must have features you require – and also “would like to have”.
2. Plugin Ratings and Reviews
Higher ratings indicate user satisfaction. User comments give insights into how common issues were resolved.
3. Compatibility Issues
Ensure the plugin is compatible with your current version of WordPress and works well with your existing plugins and theme.
4. Frequency of Updates
Review a product’s update and improvement history. Infrequent updates can lead to compatibility issues.
5. Support and Documentation
Look for plugins that provide quality support material as well as robust customer support.
6. Security
Check reviews for any security issues encountered and developer track record in addressing them.
7. Performance Impact on the Website
Insist on reputable products. A poorly coded plugin can adversely affect page loading and other site speeds.
8. Free vs. Premium
Determine if investing in a premium version is worthwhile for additional features and support. If a free option has everything you need, fine.
- best WordPress plugins for your website projects
1. Amelia – WordPress Booking Plugin for Appointments and Events
TL;DR: The Amelia plugin provides the ideal solution to businesses requiring a powerful and intuitive booking website.
Click the video to see this plugin in action.
Amelia’s top feature enables businesses to make it easier to sell their services by creating packages of multiple appointment booking purchases at a discount (e.g., 12 Yoga Classes during a one-month period).
Amelia’s interaction with clients and customers is outstanding. Its easily customizable spa template features a relaxing hero image, nicely laid out sections describing available services, and a call to action for booking an appointment.
Customer Feedback: “The plugin installs seamlessly without conflict with other plugins, it is easy to setup, despite it having a vast range of features and options these are laid out so you can get up and running quickly and then adapt/tweak to suit your requirements later. We had been using other booking plugins, none of which came close to the functionality of Amelia.”
User Avg Rating: 4.8 on Capterra
Types of Immediate Support: YouTube videos, documentation
2. wpDataTables – WordPress Table Plugin
TL;DR: wpDataTables is ideal for easily creating editable and responsive tables and charts from massive amounts of complex data.
Click the video to see this plugin in action.
wpDataTables makes data representation processes and interactions quick and easy. Its Multiple Database Connections feature enables users to connect to diverse database types simultaneously, giving them maximum flexibility in displaying key data from complex data environments.
For example, the feature-rich wpDataTables responsive product table template can easily be customized to fit a wide range of product lines.
Customer Feedback: “wpDataTables has a user-friendly interface, many customization options and integrated very well with my WP sites. wpDataTables works well on my sites and has good support. wpDataTables support helped me with some customizations and supported me until it worked. Thanks to the team for providing us with such a great tool! This plugin I have been waiting for a long time.”
User Avg Rating: 4.83/5
Types of Immediate Support: Documentation, YouTube videos
3. Classic Editor – WordPress plugin | WordPress.org
TL;DR: The popular Classic Editor plugin remains supported for users who prefer the older editing experience.
Click the video to see this plugin in action.
With Classic Editor, administrators can manage default editor usage for the purpose of maintaining a consistent experience when editing post content. Many Classic Editor users like the no-nonsense WYSIWYG experience this plugin offers and have shown reluctance to revert to using the new Gutenberg block editor.
Customer Feedback: “I’m not sure why WordPress made the Gutenberg editor the default; there was nothing wrong with the Classic Editor and I think WordPress should be shipped with both available options.”
User Avg Rating: 4.9/5
4. LayerSlider – Best WordPress Slider Builder Plugin
TL;DR: LayerSlider is the best tool for creating website visuals featuring rich animated content.
Click the video to see this plugin in action.
LayerSlider is a versatile tool that can be used to seamlessly create live connections between content and visitors. Its pre-made downloadable professional templates are visually stunning and provide excellent foundations for building engaging websites.
They are fun to work with as well. You would enjoy editing the Nectarous Wine Estate website template with its intriguing hover effects to meet your specific needs. Your own engaging imagery and text should do the trick.
LayerSlider’s Project Editor ensures that everything you need is at your fingertips and where you would look for them in other applications you have used. LayerSlider can be used on any website, regardless of content and is particularly useful for helping to create mind-blowing marketing content that is guaranteed to get visitors’ attention.
Key Customer Insight: “LayerSlider is awesome! I’m not a tech person, but even I could create beautiful slideshows with it.”
Types of Immediate Support: Built-in help in LayerSlider’s Project Editor, ticket system, support manual, email.
5. Slider Revolution – More than just a WordPress Slider
TL;DR: The power of Slider Revolution goes beyond creating magnificent sliders but extends to creating amazing websites that require zero coding.
Click the video to see this plugin in action.
Slider Revolution templates (250+ of them) can be used to nail the first impression on your website’s home page, spice up a portfolio page, or create eye-catching sections throughout your website. Its section templates can even be mixed and matched to create the one-page website of your dreams in no time at all.
Your visitors aren’t likely to encounter a website like one created from the Velocity Elegant template for example. You can edit the logo, change the images, or add new text to suit your needs in a matter of minutes.
Customer Feedback: “I initially bought Slider Revolution just to access the 3D particle addon… then I discovered the huge template library and got absolutely hooked 🙂 Would buy again.”
User Avg Rating: 4.2/5 on Trustpilot
Types of Immediate Support: Support manual, YouTube videos
6. Brizy – Website Builder
TL;DR: Brizy is a fast, easy to use website builder that is especially well suited for use by non-techies.
Click the video to see this builder in action.
Brizy’s drag and drop builder, visual editing capabilities, clean code, 36+ powerful elements, and 180+ high converting pre-made templates make building a small to medium size website a snap.
Brizy’s remarkably easy to customize designer template provides an ideal setup for freelancers or creative individuals or agencies to advertise their services. You can use Brizy for free to build a blog, or the PRO plans for a WooCommerce site, dynamic templates or pop-ups for future use.
Customer Feedback: “I’m using plugin Brizy Pro for WordPress and I like it so much. It is the best page builder I’ve ever used so I can recommend it 👌 also Brizy has really good and professional support which help with every problem. Working with Brizy products and team is fantastic!”
User Avg Rating: 4.4/5 on Trustpilot
Types of Immediate Support: Academy with Video Courses, Written Documentation, Ticket Help-desk, YouTube videos
7. Essential Grid – WordPress Gallery Plugin
TL;DR: Essential Grid is the ideal WordPress Gallery Plugin for businesses or creative agencies who want to create breathtaking galleries.
Click the video to see this plugin in action.
Essential Grid not only gives its users total flexibility as to the grid layouts they can create, but also gives them the opportunity to customize templates to create unique layouts that command attention.
Essential Grid’s Clark Gillies blog portfolio template is about as minimal as you can get but it holds awesome potential. It focuses on photography, but it can easily be customized to address virtually any subject .
Customer Feedback: “Noticed a grid on another website, inspected the element and decided to download it myself. Essential Grid, similar to Slider Revolution has its very own interface and idiosyncrasies that can be frustrating when you are used to working within WordPress and whatever builder you are using.”
User Avg Rating: 4.8/5 on Trustpilot
Types of Immediate Support: Support manual, YouTube videos
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With so many plugins to select from, it might appear that finding one or more that will do the job well would involve luck as much as anything else. The truth is, if you define your specific needs, compatibility, user experiences, support options and the like, you have an excellent chance of narrowing your choices down to a small number.
The purpose of this article is to take you all the way to the finish line by presenting 7 of the best WordPress plugins for 2014 in their specific niches. Key information, graphic examples, and user ratings and reviews should suffice to help you make your final decision.
About the Author
Kate Dagli
Kate is a passionate web designer who loved WordPress from the minute she laid her eyes on its code. Writing about WordPress themes, plugins, and web design trends is her dream come true.