Optimizing your website for organic search traffic is crucial for any website. This task can be time-consuming for busy site owners. Sitemaps are some of the best tools available to improve your website’s SEO.
They not only provide information about your website to search engines to help them index your site, but they also ping them when you update your website. In this article, we’ll look at the 8 plugins to help you decide which is the best WordPress sitemap plugin for your needs.
What is a WordPress Sitemap?
A sitemap is a list made with XML that tells search engines about your content and the structure of your website. They include page URLs, when the content was last modified, the type of content, etc. Post types are identified, and you have the option to keep post types from indexing if you want to keep them private.
Search engines such as Google can crawl your website on their own, but this takes time. Providing a sitemap ensures that search engines have all the information they need to index your website.
The XML document can be created by hand, but the best way to create a sitemap is with a WordPress sitemap plugin. Sitemap plugins inform search engines of changes on your website, so their information is always up to date. They’re easy to use, and there are plenty to choose from.
For this list, I’ve separated them into two types: SEO plugins that include sitemaps and those that are dedicated to sitemaps. I’ve only included plugins that create sitemaps for search engines since our focus is on improving search engine optimization (SEO).
Best WordPress SEO Plugins with Sitemap Features
The Best WordPress Sitemap Plugins Listed In Order
Since sitemaps are an important part of SEO, creating a sitemap is a standard function of SEO plugins. Here are the best SEO-focused WordPress sitemap plugins with awesome sitemap features.
1. Rank Math SEO
Rank Math SEO includes a fast-loading sitemap that works with different post types, including attachments, projects, custom post types, etc. It also creates sitemaps for taxonomies. It includes lots of detailed options for customizing your sitemaps. Generate Locations KML files for local sitemaps.
It will also create a WooCommerce sitemap. Even though this plugin has a premium version, everything you need for sitemaps is included in the free version.
Key Features:
- Fast loading
- Works with custom post types
- Local sitemaps
- WooCommerce sitemaps
- Include images in your sitemaps
- Exclude posts
- Exclude terms
Price: Free the pro version starts at $59.00/yr
2. All-in-One SEO
All-in-One SEO provides several types of sitemaps, including the standard XML map, a news sitemap, a video sitemap, and an RSS sitemap. The pro version adds news, video, and RSS.
Sitemaps are included in the free version and give you the ability to enable indexes, enter the number of links per sitemap, choose the post types and taxonomies, disable by date, disable by author, enter specific URLs, and set up advanced settings.
Key Features:
- Standard XML sitemap
- News sitemap
- Video sitemap
- RSS sitemap
- Advanced settings for each type of sitemap
Price: Free for XML sitemaps, $49.50 per year for Pro (adds news, video, and RSS sitemaps)
3. SEOPress
SEOPress creates a sitemap for post types, taxonomies, videos, images, and HTML. The sitemap features are included in the free version. The general XML sitemap and Image sitemap are enabled by default. The settings are simple and you can adjust the general options and options for the post types, taxonomies, and HTML sitemaps independently. You can view the sitemap, ping Google manually, and flush the permalinks.
Exclude pages, posts, custom post types, or terms from the sitemap. You can also set the sort order and disable the publication date. It’s limited to 1000 posts per post type.
Key Features:
- XML sitemap
- Image sitemap
- Author sitemap
- Video sitemap
- HTML sitemap
- Independent options for each type
- Ping Google manually
- Flush permalinks
Price: Free, pro version starts at $49.00/yr
4. Yoast SEO
Out of all the top WordPress SEO plugins, Yoast SEO is by far the most popular, and it includes a sitemap feature. For this reason alone, it’s one of the best choices to build a sitemap for your WordPress website. It’s available in both a free version and a premium version with expanded features.
The free version includes sitemap features, which are enabled by default. You have control over the number of sitemap entries. Mark post types that you don’t want to appear in your sitemap. Add an external sitemap if you have sitemaps for other parts of your website.
Key Features:
- Automatically generates a sitemap
- Limit the number of sitemap entries
- Mark post types as index
- Add an external sitemap
- View the sitemap
Price: Free; premium version starts at $99.00/yr
5. Jetpack
Jetpack is a popular plugin from Automattic, the creators of WordPress, and happens to be a good option for a WordPress sitemap plugin. The free version comes with a set of traffic tools that includes sitemap features. It automatically generates a sitemap for your public posts and pages.
You can enable custom post types. It also generates a sitemap specifically for Google News. If there is another sitemap plugin in use, this feature is automatically disabled. It warns you if you have search engine visibility disabled in your WordPress settings.
Key Features:
- Generates sitemaps for your public pages and posts
- Add new custom post types
- Creates a sitemap for Google News
- Automatically disables the sitemap feature if another sitemap plugin is in use
Price: Free
Dedicated WordPress Sitemap Plugins
Dedicated WordPress sitemap plugins have no other features aside from creating a sitemap. Here’s a look at the most popular dedicated sitemap plugins.
6. Sitemap by BestWebSoft
Sitemap by BestWebSoft supports standard pages, custom post types, and taxonomies. It can be integrated with your Google Webmaster Tools account. Create sitemaps for your media.
The pro version adds features that support custom URLs, multisite, exclude posts, and set the frequency of your changes. The free version has tools not found in other plugins, but some of the most common features are only available in the pro version.
Key Features:
- Integrates with Google Webmaster Tools
- Custom post types
- Creates media sitemaps
- Compatible with their Multilanguage plugin
- Pro version supports custom URLs
- The pro version supports multisite
- Pro version includes tools to exclude pages and posts
Price: Free for basic features, $24.00 per year for pro features
7. Google XML Sitemaps
Google XML Sitemaps is one of the oldest, most popular, and highest-rated sitemap plugins available. It includes multiple languages and it’s compatible with multisite WordPress installations. It calculates the priority of posts based on their number of comments. You can set it to prioritize by comment average or disable the priority feature.
It also includes filters that allow other plugins to add their pages to the sitemap. Sitemaps include post types, taxonomies, and custom post types. Include or exclude items, change the frequencies, and change the priority of each post type.
Key Features:
- Calculates the priority of posts based on comments.
- Includes multiple translations
- Compatible with multisite
- Allows other plugins to add to the sitemap
Price: Free
8. XML Sitemap & Google News
XML Sitemap & Google News creates a standard XML sitemap and a sitemap for Google News. You can control which sitemaps are enabled, which post types and taxonomies are included, how priority is calculated, and who to ping when the site is updated.
You can also set robots.txt rules, add external pages, and add external sitemaps. It’s compatible with multisite and it’s multilingual-ready. Several one-click tools help you ping search engines, clear cache, etc.
Key Features:
- Creates a sitemap for Google News
- Choose the post types and taxonomies
- Add external pages
- Add external sitemaps
- Multisite compatible
- Multilingual: Supports Polylang and WPML (both popular translation plugins)
Price: Free
Get XML Sitemaps & Google News
9. Simple Sitemap
Simple Sitemap is a WordPress plugin that helps improve the SEO ranking of a website by automatically generating an HTML sitemap of its content. With the latest version, users can build and preview their sitemap visually directly in the post editor without using complicated shortcodes. The plugin offers standard or tabbed layouts, responsive sitemap tabs, and plenty of flexible customization options.
One of the standout features of Simple Sitemap is its responsive design. The sitemap is optimized for all devices, including desktops, tablets, and smartphones. This means that your visitors can easily navigate your website and find the content they are looking for, no matter what device they are using.
Key Features:
- Allows users to choose the specific post types and taxonomies to include in the sitemap
- Provides the ability to add external pages to the sitemap
- Supports the inclusion of external sitemaps
- Compatible with multisite setups
Price: Free
Comparing All the Best Sitemap Plugins
Choosing the right WordPress sitemap plugin is an important step in improving your website’s SEO. The best option for your website will depend on the other SEO tools you need. Be sure to check if the features you need are available in the free version or if the premium version is required.
Sitemap Plugin Price Comparison
Many website owners prefer a one-stop SEO solution such as Rank Math or All in One SEO. These are two of the most popular SEO plugins available, and they’re solid options for creating sitemaps and much more.
| Plugin | Price | Free Option | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 🥇 | Rank Math | $59.00/yr | ✔️ | Visit |
| 🥈 | All-in-One SEO | $49.50/yr | ✔️ | Visit |
| 🥉 | SEOPress | $49.00/yr | ✔️ | Visit |
| 4 | YoastSEO | $99.00/yr | ✔️ | Visit |
| 5 | Jetpack | / | ✔️ | Visit |
If you aren’t looking for a robust SEO plugin and want a simple sitemap solution, a dedicated sitemap plugin might be a better option. Sitemap by BestWebSoft and Google Sitemap Generator are two great choices.
| Plugin | Price | Free Option | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 🥇 | Sitemap by BestWebSoft | $24.00/yr | ✔️ | Visit |
| 🥈 | Google XML Sitemaps | / | ✔️ | Visit |
| 🥉 | XML Sitemaps & Google News | / | ✔️ | Visit |
| 4 | Simple Sitemap | / | ✔️ | Visit |
Sitemap Plugin Feature Comparison
While it’s possible to create sitemaps with feature-rich SEO plugins, if you’re looking for a dedicated sitemap plugin, here’s a comparison of the features of our top three picks that can help you in choosing one that makes sense for your next website build:
| 🥇 Sitemap by BestWebSoft | 🥈 Google XML Sitemaps | 🥉 XML Sitemap & Google News | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting Price | $24/yr | Free | Free |
| Add/Remove Custom Post Types from Sitemap | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Add/Remove Pages from Sitemap | ✔️ | ✔️ | ❌ |
| Add External Pages to Sitemap | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Add External Sitemaps | ✔️ | ❌ | ✔️ |
| Add Custom URLs | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Multisite Compatible | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Integrated with Google Webmaster Tools | ✔️ | ❌ | ❌ |
| Creates Media Sitemaps | ✔️ | ✔️ | ❌ |
| Creates Sitemaps for Google News | ❌ | ❌ | ✔️ |
| Active Installations | 40,000+ | 1,000,000+ | 100,000+ |
| Community Rating | 4.4/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Read Reviews | 4.8/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Read Reviews | 4.3/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Read Reviews |
| Get Sitemap by BestWebSoft | Get Google XML Sitemaps | Get XML Sitemap & Google News |
What is the Best WordPress Sitemap Plugin?
Whatever your sitemap needs are, you’re sure to find the right plugin on this list! If you’re looking for a full-fledged SEO plugin like Rankmath or All in One SEO to give your SEO a boost in addition to helping you with your sitemap needs. Alternatively, consider trusting a sitemap-specific plugin like Sitemap by BestWebSoft and Google Sitemap Generator to give you the dedicated sitemap features you need for your website.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Before we wrap up, let’s answer some of your most common questions regarding the best WordPress sitemap plugins. Did we miss one? Leave a question below, and we will respond!
What is the best WordPress sitemap plugin?
What is the best HTML sitemap plugin for WordPress?
How to create a sitemap in WordPress?
Does WordPress have a built-in sitemap generator?
How to find a sitemap in WordPress?
Are sitemaps important for SEO?
What is a sitemap?
What is the difference between static and dynamic sitemap?
What is the difference between a sitemap and navigation?
What is the difference between an XML sitemap and an HTML sitemap?
Looking for more great plugins? Check out this ultimate list of best WordPress plugins, which includes a top recommendation for each plugin type!
Featured image illustration via hanss / shutterstock.com
Rank Math SEO
All-in-One SEO
SEOPress
In my opinion the yoast is the best SEO plugin. It’s easy to set up the sitemap with this plugin.
Hello, I wanted to ask what is the best WordPress plugin for showing off social media account followers visible like a cloud on the social media icons and we can share it at the same time from the same button.
I have tried to find out what is the best plugin but haven’t found it.
No need for plugin to create sitemap.xml since it is now included with WordPress core
I think, Rank Math is better for SEO and Divi than Yoast SEO. I have a lot of problems whit Yoast.
Doesn’t the latest version of WordPress automatically create sitemap.xml without a plugin? How is this different from those generated by plugins?
I’m actually interested in creating a sitemap that is visible so that I can have an index of all the posts and pages, and possible for users to be able to see the index as well. Do you have a suggestion for plugins for that? Or perhaps you’ve already done a post on that?
Thanks.
Is a plugin enough to submit the sitemap? Don’t we need to submit it through Google Search Console? Thanks
Instead of having to manually create and update your sitemap, a sitemap plugin can automatically manage everything for you. It saves you a ton of time and effort, which can be applied somewhere else.