Rank Math vs All in One SEO: two feature-heavy plugins, measured
Rank Math is the lighter and more complete of the two on the front end: +36.1 ms and 16 queries per request against All in One SEO's +53.5 ms and 22, with the fullest social tags in our test. All in One SEO printed a larger schema graph and a fuller sitemap, and it works as soon as it is activated, where Rank Math prints nothing until its setup wizard is finished or skipped.
Both plugins aim at the same user: someone who wants a lot of features in one place. The figures come from our seven-plugin benchmark, free versions at defaults on one WordPress 7.1 install. We build Hydrogen SEO, a different plugin.
The numbers
| Measured | Rank Math 1.0.278 | All in One SEO 5.0.1.1 |
|---|---|---|
| Front-end PHP time added | +36.1 ms | +53.5 ms |
| Peak memory added | +8.5 MB | +14.5 MB |
| Database queries added | +16 | +22 |
| Hooks registered | +155 | +100 |
<head> bytes added | +4,965 | +6,668 |
| Meta description by default | Yes | Yes |
| JSON-LD types printed | 6 | 8 |
| Open Graph / X tags | 11 / 8 | 6 / 3 |
| Sitemap URLs listed | 59 | 73 |
| Sitemap image entries | 0 | 0 |
lastmod coverage | 59 / 59 | 73 / 73 |
| Custom database tables | 6 | 9 |
| Autoloaded options added | +11.6 KB | +14.6 KB |
| Plugin package size | 15.1 MB | 24.4 MB |
| Block editor assets | 24 files, 1,792 KB | 130 files, 3,543 KB |
| After deactivation | +11.0 KB still autoloading | No reduction: 14.5 KB still autoloading |
Measured on one WordPress 7.1 install (PHP 8.2, MySQL 8.0, Twenty Twenty-Five, 40 posts), each plugin alone with default settings, against a no-plugin baseline. Bold marks the better number in each row. Full method: how we tested.
What the numbers mean
On cost, neither is light, and All in One SEO is the heavier. It used +14.5 MB of memory against Rank Math's +8.5 MB, grew <head> by 6,668 bytes against 4,965, and ships 24.4 MB against 15.1 MB. Rank Math registers more hooks (155 against 100). Autoloaded options were similar and large for both: +11.6 KB for Rank Math, +14.6 KB for All in One SEO. Both create custom tables, six for Rank Math (four from Action Scheduler) and nine for All in One SEO, the most in the field.
The admin gap is wide. All in One SEO rendered a 511 KB dashboard and loaded 130 files (3,543 KB) into the editor. Rank Math rendered 154.0 KB and loaded 24 files (1,792 KB). Neither is close to the light plugins, but All in One SEO's dashboard was the single heaviest admin page we measured.
Output splits. Rank Math's 11 Open Graph and 8 X tags were the most complete social output in the test; All in One SEO's 6 and 3 were the thinnest of the major plugins. All in One SEO printed 8 JSON-LD types in 4,544 bytes against Rank Math's 6 in 2,665. Both generate meta descriptions. Sitemaps: All in One SEO listed 73 URLs, Rank Math 59 (it omits tag and author archives by default), both with full lastmod and neither with image entries at defaults.
Two traps to know. Rank Math emits no front-end output until you complete or skip its setup wizard, so a fresh install that nobody finished is not doing SEO at all. All in One SEO's trap is cleanup: deactivating it released none of its autoloaded options, and Rank Math released very little (11.0 KB remained).
Choose Rank Math if
- You want the fullest social tags: 11 Open Graph and 8 X.
- You want lower server cost and a much lighter dashboard and editor.
- You enjoy configuration and want a generous free tier with many modules.
- You will remember to finish the setup wizard.
Choose All in One SEO if
- You want output from the moment of activation, with a guided setup.
- You want taxonomy and author archives in the sitemap at defaults.
- You want a larger default schema graph (8 types against 6).
- You value polished screens and a large product family over weight.
Switching between them
Both vendors ship importers that cover the other: Rank Math's setup wizard can import from All in One SEO, and All in One SEO includes an importer for Rank Math data. Check each plugin's current documentation for exactly which fields move. All in One SEO keeps per-post data in its own tables, so migrate away from it before uninstalling. If the weight of both is the reason you are looking, Hydrogen SEO imports from either with a dry run and an Undo; see switch from another SEO plugin.
Common questions
Which is faster, Rank Math or All in One SEO?
Rank Math, in our benchmark: +36.1 ms, +8.5 MB and 16 queries against All in One SEO's +53.5 ms, +14.5 MB and 22 queries.
Why did Rank Math need a configuration step?
Rank Math gates front-end output behind registration. Until you connect an account or click Skip in its wizard, it prints no titles, meta or schema. We set the same options its Skip button sets.
Do either include images in the sitemap?
Not at defaults on our test site, where images are featured images. Rank Math has featured images off by default; All in One SEO free included none.