If you have a WordPress site, social sharing plugins can help increase visibility, traffic, and engagement. But with dozens available, choosing the right one isn’t always simple.
In this guide, we’ll explain:
- What social sharing plugins do
- Key features to look for
- Top plugins in 2025, along with pros & cons
- Which plugin might be best for your needs
Why Do You Need a Social Sharing Plugin?
Before picking one, understand what a social sharing plugin provides and why it matters:
- Makes it easy for visitors to share your content on social media (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, WhatsApp, etc.).
- Increases reach & traffic — shared content can bring in new visitors.
- Improves social proof — visible share counts build trust.
- Adds flexibility in how & when share buttons appear (floating bars, above/below content, sidebar, after scroll, etc.).
- Some plugins also offer extras like auto-sharing, social login, analytics, or social follow buttons.
A plugin that’s lightweight and well-coded matters — excess scripts or “bloat” can slow down your site.
Key Features to Look for in a Great Social Sharing Plugin
When evaluating options, these are features you should prioritize:
| Feature | Why It Matters |
|---|---|
| Lightweight / fast loading | To avoid slowing down the page; improves user experience and SEO. |
| Multiple placement options | So you can test what works best (floating bar, inline, sidebar, etc.). |
| Support for many social networks & share types | Users share content in different ways; flexibility helps. |
| Customizable design & styling | Buttons should match your site’s look & feel. |
| Share count support | Social proof helps; but must be handled efficiently (caching etc.). |
| Responsive & mobile friendly | Many users browse from mobile — buttons must work well on small screens. |
| Analytics / tracking | You want to know which content is shared most, which networks perform best. |
| Additional tools (optional but nice) | Auto-sharing, click-to-tweet, share recovery (restore counts after domain change), social login. |
| Good support & updates | Plugins must stay compatible with new WP versions and social platform API changes. |
Top Social Sharing Plugins for WordPress in 2025
Here are some of the leading social sharing plugins, with features, pros & cons. I’ve grouped them by use case so you can decide based on your priorities.
A. Best All-Round / Premium-Quality Plugins
1. Easy Social Share Buttons
- Supports 50+ social networks. machothemes.com+233rd Square+2
- 52+ templates, 27+ display positions, many triggers (scroll depth, after content, etc.). machothemes.com+1
- Features like analytics, A/B testing, share count recovery. 33rd Square+2Databox+2
Pros: Very feature-rich, flexible, powerful for sites wanting control and many display options.
Cons: More expensive; can feel overwhelming; extra features can introduce complexity and potential slowdowns.
2. Social Snap
- Free + premium versions. Inline & floating buttons, share counts, many styling options. Liquid Web+2WPKube+2
- Advanced features in premium: social login, auto-poster, meta tags, share count recovery. wp-content.co+1
Pros: Good design, solid balance of free vs paid features, modern UI.
Cons: Premium needed for advanced tools; cost adds up on multiple sites.
3. Novashare
- Premium plugin focusing on performance and minimizing bloat. WPKube+1
- Features like share counts, multiple display locations, support for chat apps like WhatsApp. WPKube
Pros: Lightweight, fast, built for speed with clean code.
Cons: It’s paid; fewer “extras” if you only want basic sharing.
B. Great Free / Freemium Options
4. AddToAny Share Buttons
- Supports over 100 networks; share buttons with floating or inline placement; Google Analytics integration. Liquid Web+2machothemes.com+2
- Lightweight and widely used. Nestify+1
Pros: Free, plenty of networks, reliable.
Cons: Limited advanced design/customization; some features missing like pre-populated tweets or fancy triggers.
5. Sassy Social Share
- 100+ social services; many styling options; works with post types, pages, custom types. everestforms.net+2Liquid Web+2
- Free core version, paid add-ons for more features. 33rd Square+1
Pros: Unique designs, good customization, good free option.
Cons: Some premium features only via addons; design options may not match every theme out-of-box.
6. Grow Social (formerly Social Pug)
- Lightweight and stylish UI; free version gives core sharing; premium adds more positions and features like click-to-tweet etc. WPKube+1
Pros: Beautiful design, performance conscious, decent feature set in free version.
Cons: Premium needed for more flexibility; fewer networks in free version.
7. Shared Counts
- Developer-friendly, privacy-oriented, good performance; minimal external scripts. Databox+1
- Supports various social networks, share count caching. Databox+1
Pros: Good if you care about speed and privacy; minimal overhead.
Cons: Fewer flashy features; more basic than premium plugins in terms of advanced triggers or designs.
C. Specialty Plugins
- MashShare — for highly styled “Mashable-style” sharing bars and counts. 33rd Square+1
- Jetpack — if you already use Jetpack for other features, its sharing module is free and simple. WPKube
- Scriptless Social Sharing — very lightweight, minimal script load; good for speed-obsessed sites. Databox
Comparison Table: Best Social Sharing Plugins
Here’s a summary to compare at a glance:
| Plugin | Best For | Strengths | Weaknesses / Trade-offs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Easy Social Share Buttons | Sites needing many options & advanced features | Tons of display positions, templates, analytics, share count recovery | Pricey; learning curve; heavy if too many modules used |
| Social Snap | Balanced free + paid; good visuals | Strong design, modern UI, many placements | Premium features needed for advanced tools |
| Novashare | Lightweight & performance sensitive sites | Fast load, clean code, essentials done well | Only premium; fewer “fancy” extras |
| AddToAny | Free sites needing wide network support | Very many networks, free, reliable | Simpler design; less control over advanced behaviors |
| Sassy Social Share | Custom styling and unique button themes | Lots of social services, good free version | Add-ons needed for more control; theme compatibility may vary |
| Grow Social | Stylish free interface, good core functionality | Clean design; many free features; good premium upgrade | Some features locked behind premium; cost per site can matter |
| Shared Counts | Privacy & performance focus | Minimal scripts, share count caching; few dependencies | Less flashy; fewer triggers/designs; fewer networks than some premium |
Which Plugin Should You Choose Based on Your Needs?
Here are suggestions based on specific kinds of sites or priorities:
| Your Priority | Recommended Plugin |
|---|---|
| Best free / minimal cost | AddToAny, Sassy Social Share |
| Excellent design & styling | Social Snap, Grow Social, Easy Social Share Buttons |
| Performance / speed | Novashare, Shared Counts |
| Many placement options & triggers | Easy Social Share Buttons, Social Snap |
| For large network support | AddToAny, Easy Social Share Buttons |
| Want auto-share or schedule | Social Snap (premium), some specialty plugins |
| If you already using Jetpack | Jetpack sharing module (for basic needs) |
Things to Watch Out For / Common Pitfalls
- Plugins that add too many scripts or tracking libraries may slow page load. Always test page speed after installing.
- Share counts sometimes fail or reset if URLs change (HTTP → HTTPS, domain changes). Choose plugins that support share count recovery.
- Too many share buttons can clutter the UI; visitors may be overwhelmed.
- Always ensure the plugin is updated and compatible with your theme + WordPress version.
- Look out for mobile responsiveness; floating bars or sidebars can behave badly on small screens.
- Support for your needed social networks (especially messengers, WhatsApp, etc) may be limited in free versions.
Final Recommendation
If I had to pick one “best” for most WordPress users, it would be:
Social Snap (for overall balance) — gives good features, nice design, fair cost, plus upgrade options.
If you prioritize speed and minimal load, Novashare or Shared Counts are excellent.
If you want to avoid spending money and still get solid social sharing, AddToAny or Sassy Social Share will likely serve you well.