Yoast SEO vs Rank Math: speed, output and cleanup, measured
Neither is clearly lighter: Yoast SEO added +39.0 ms of PHP time per request and Rank Math +36.1 ms. They split on output. Yoast printed the richest schema graph and the most complete sitemap of any plugin we tested; Rank Math printed the most complete social tags and, unlike Yoast, a meta description by default.
These numbers come from our seven-plugin benchmark: one WordPress 7.1 install, each plugin active alone at its own defaults, database restored between runs. We build Hydrogen SEO, a third plugin, so neither of these is ours. For context, both were beaten on cost by The SEO Framework, Slim SEO, Hydrogen SEO and SEOPress.
The numbers
| Measured | Yoast SEO 28.4 | Rank Math 1.0.278 |
|---|---|---|
| Front-end PHP time added | +39 ms | +36.1 ms |
| Peak memory added | +10.5 MB | +8.5 MB |
| Database queries added | +3 | +16 |
| Hooks registered | +187 | +155 |
<head> bytes added | +5,656 | +4,965 |
| Meta description by default | No | Yes |
| JSON-LD types printed | 12 | 6 |
| Open Graph / X tags | 10 / 5 | 11 / 8 |
| Sitemap URLs listed | 75 | 59 |
| Sitemap image entries | 40 | 0 |
lastmod coverage | 74 / 75 | 59 / 59 |
| Custom database tables | 6 | 6 |
| Autoloaded options added | +13.6 KB | +11.6 KB |
| Plugin package size | 21 MB | 15.1 MB |
| Block editor assets | 48 files, 4,160 KB | 24 files, 1,792 KB |
| After deactivation | +2.6 KB left autoloading, 6 tables remain | +11.0 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
The cost profiles are different in shape. Yoast used more memory (+10.5 MB against +8.5 MB) and registered the most hooks in the field (187 against 155), but added only 3 queries to Rank Math's 16. Yoast's low query count comes from its indexables tables, which pre-compute SEO data so it is not assembled at render time. Both plugins create six custom tables; four of Rank Math's belong to the Action Scheduler library. Autoloaded options were similar (+13.6 KB for Yoast, +11.6 KB for Rank Math).
On output, Yoast's schema graph had 12 JSON-LD types in 3,976 bytes against Rank Math's 6 in 2,665. Yoast's sitemap listed 75 URLs with all 40 featured images; Rank Math's listed 59 and no images, because at defaults it leaves featured images out and omits tag and author archives. Both are settings away from changing, but defaults are what most sites run. Rank Math wins social coverage outright: 11 Open Graph and 8 X tags, against Yoast's 10 and 5.
The meta description is the surprise. On a post with no description typed and no template set, Yoast printed no meta description tag. That is a deliberate choice, since Google rewrites many descriptions, but on a large site with thin editorial habits it means a lot of empty fields. Rank Math generated one from the content.
In the editor, Yoast is the heaviest plugin we measured: 48 files and 4,160 KB of its own assets, against Rank Math's 24 files and 1,792 KB. Dashboards were similar (150.2 KB and 154.0 KB). On deactivation Yoast left 2.6 KB autoloading and its six tables; Rank Math left 11.0 KB. One more Rank Math trap: it prints nothing on the front end until you finish or skip its setup wizard.
Choose Yoast SEO if
- You want the richest default schema graph (12 types) and the most complete sitemap.
- You care about database round trips: 3 queries against 16.
- You want the plugin with the longest track record and the most documentation.
- You are happy to set a description template so pages do not ship without one.
Choose Rank Math if
- You want the fullest social tags we measured (11 Open Graph, 8 X).
- You want meta descriptions generated automatically at defaults.
- You want a lighter editor: 1,792 KB of assets against 4,160 KB.
- You enjoy configuring things and want a generous free tier with many modules.
Switching between them
Rank Math's setup wizard offers to import data from Yoast, and it is one of the most common migrations in WordPress, so moving from Yoast to Rank Math is well trodden. Going the other way, Yoast's importer covers fewer sources; check its current documentation before relying on it. Whichever direction you go, verify titles, canonicals and redirects on a handful of pages afterwards, and deactivate the old plugin so two sets of tags are not printed. If you are considering a third option, Hydrogen SEO imports from both; see switch from another SEO plugin.
Common questions
Is Rank Math faster than Yoast SEO?
Slightly on PHP time: +36.1 ms against +39.0 ms in our benchmark, with less memory. But Rank Math added 16 database queries to Yoast's 3. Treat the millisecond figures as relative, not absolute.
Why does Yoast not print a meta description?
At default settings, with no description typed and no template configured, Yoast prints no meta description tag. It leaves the snippet to the search engine. Setting a template or writing descriptions fixes it.
Why does Rank Math's sitemap have no images?
At defaults it has image inclusion on but featured images off, so a site whose images are featured images gets no image entries. It also leaves tag and author archives out. Both can be changed in its settings.
Do both create database tables?
Yes, six each. Yoast's tables power its indexables system; four of Rank Math's belong to Action Scheduler. They remain after deactivation.