Rank Math vs SEOPress: feature density against a lean build
SEOPress is much lighter than Rank Math: 1 query per request against 16, +24.5 ms of PHP time against +36.1 ms, and an eighth of the editor weight. Rank Math's advantage is output: it printed 6 schema types where SEOPress free printed none, and the most complete social tags in our test.
Both are popular with people who manage several sites. The figures come from our seven-plugin benchmark, free versions at defaults, one plugin at a time on WordPress 7.1. We build Hydrogen SEO, which is neither.
The numbers
| Measured | Rank Math 1.0.278 | SEOPress 10.2 |
|---|---|---|
| Front-end PHP time added | +36.1 ms | +24.5 ms |
| Peak memory added | +8.5 MB | +6.5 MB |
| Database queries added | +16 | +1 |
| Hooks registered | +155 | +114 |
<head> bytes added | +4,965 | +2,380 |
| Meta description by default | Yes | Yes |
| JSON-LD types printed | 6 | 0 |
| Open Graph / X tags | 11 / 8 | 10 / 6 |
| Sitemap URLs listed | 59 | 58 |
| Sitemap image entries | 0 | 40 |
lastmod coverage | 59 / 59 | 50 / 58 |
| Custom database tables | 6 | 1 |
| Autoloaded options added | +11.6 KB | +3.6 KB |
| Plugin package size | 15.1 MB | 11.7 MB |
| Block editor assets | 24 files, 1,792 KB | 17 files, 217 KB |
| After deactivation | +11.0 KB still autoloading | No reduction at all |
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
The cost gap is large and consistent. SEOPress added +6.5 MB of memory against Rank Math's +8.5 MB, 114 hooks against 155, a 2,380-byte <head> against 4,965, and ships 11.7 MB against 15.1 MB. Its autoloaded options grew by 3.6 KB against 11.6 KB. It creates one custom table against Rank Math's six. In the editor SEOPress loaded 17 files and 217 KB; Rank Math loaded 24 files and 1,792 KB. SEOPress's dashboard HTML was heavier, though (185.5 KB against 154.0 KB).
Output mostly favors Rank Math. It printed 6 JSON-LD types in 2,665 bytes; SEOPress free printed no structured data at default settings, which is the biggest single output gap in the test. Social tags: Rank Math 11 Open Graph and 8 X, SEOPress 10 and 6. Both generate a meta description.
Sitemaps reverse that. SEOPress included all 40 featured images; Rank Math included none at defaults, because its featured-image setting is off. URL counts were similar (58 for SEOPress, 59 for Rank Math). Rank Math stamped lastmod on every URL; SEOPress left 8 of 58 without one. SEOPress also uses /sitemaps.xml, an unusual path worth knowing when you submit it.
Neither cleans up well. Deactivating SEOPress released none of its autoloaded options; Rank Math left 11.0 KB behind. Rank Math also needs its setup wizard finished or skipped before it prints anything. SEOPress's case is a lean, restrained plugin that expects you to add schema through its paid version or another tool. Rank Math's case is more output from the free plugin, at more cost.
Choose Rank Math if
- You want schema from the free plugin (6 types at defaults).
- You want the fullest social tags we measured.
- You want
lastmodon every sitemap URL. - You like having many modules and switches to configure.
Choose SEOPress if
- You want 1 query per request instead of 16.
- You want a much lighter editor (217 KB against 1,792 KB).
- You want featured images in your sitemap by default.
- You will use its paid version for schema, or handle schema elsewhere.
Switching between them
Both vendors provide importers: Rank Math's wizard can import SEOPress data, and SEOPress's migration tool can import from Rank Math. Check current documentation for which fields and redirects come across, then compare titles, canonicals and robots on a sample of pages before deactivating the old plugin. Hydrogen SEO also imports from both, with schema types and per-post fields, a dry run and an Undo; see switch from another SEO plugin.
Common questions
Is SEOPress lighter than Rank Math?
Yes, in our benchmark: +24.5 ms and 1 query against +36.1 ms and 16 queries, with 217 KB of editor assets against 1,792 KB.
Does SEOPress free print schema?
Not at default settings on a standard post. Rank Math printed 6 JSON-LD types on the same post.
Which sitemap is better?
It depends on the gap you care about. SEOPress included 40 featured images but left 8 URLs without lastmod. Rank Math stamped every URL but included no images at defaults.