Starting a new WordPress website? One of the biggest advantages of using WordPress is its vast library of plugins that let you add features without writing a single line of code. But with over 60,000 plugins available, choosing the right ones can be overwhelming—especially if you’re just getting started.
That’s exactly why we’ve created this beginner-friendly guide on the 10 Free Plugins for Every New WordPress Website. These hand-picked tools will help you add essential features like SEO optimization, contact forms, backups, caching for speed, WooCommerce and strong security—all without writing a single line of code.
If you’re completely new to WordPress, we recommend first checking out our detailed Beginner’s Guide to Building a Website in 2025 — it covers what WordPress is, how it works, and how to get started step-by-step.
What Are WordPress Plugins and Why Are They Important?
WordPress plugins are like apps for your website. They add new features and functionality without needing to write any code. Whether you want to add a contact form, improve SEO, boost speed, or secure your site—there’s a plugin for that.
For beginners, plugins make it easy to customize your site and handle important tasks that would otherwise require technical knowledge. But installing too many (or the wrong ones) can cause problems, so it’s important to start with only the essential and trusted plugins.
What You Should Consider Before Choosing a WordPress Plugin
With thousands of free and premium plugins available in the WordPress ecosystem, it’s easy to get tempted by features you may not even need. However, choosing the wrong plugin can slow down your site, cause security issues, or create conflicts with your theme and other plugins. Here are the most important things to consider before installing any WordPress plugin:
- Check Last Update Date
A plugin that hasn’t been updated in months (or years) may not work well with the latest version of WordPress. Always look for plugins that are regularly maintained and updated.
2. Look at User Ratings & Reviews
High ratings (4 stars and above) and positive feedback from users indicate a reliable and effective plugin. Also, read a few reviews to see if users report bugs, speed issues, or poor support.
3. Test Compatibility
Make sure the plugin is compatible with your version of WordPress and doesn’t conflict with your current theme or other essential plugins
4. Don’t Install What You Don’t Need
Every plugin adds code to your site. Installing too many or unnecessary plugins can slow down performance or cause plugin conflicts. Stick to essentials and uninstall unused plugins.
Top 10 Free WordPress Plugins for Every New Website
These plugins are carefully selected to help beginners build a fast, secure, and functional WordPress site right from the start. Let’s go through them one by one:

1. Rank Math SEO
Rank Math is your site’s personal SEO assistant and free Plugins. It helps you optimize each post and page so search engines like Google can easily understand your content. With beginner-friendly suggestions and built-in tools (like XML sitemaps and schema markup), Rank Math ensures your website has a strong foundation to rank better — without needing deep SEO knowledge.
Key Features:
- Easy setup wizard with step-by-step guidance
- On-page SEO analysis and keyword optimization
- Built-in schema (structured data) support
- Google Search Console and Analytics integration

2. WPForms
If you want visitors to contact you, you need a contact form — and WPForms makes that easy. It offers a drag-and-drop interface, so you can create forms in minutes without touching any code. Whether it’s a simple contact form, newsletter sign-up, or even a feedback form, WPForms Lite is a go-to choice for beginners.
Key Features:
- Beginner-friendly interface
- Pre-built form templates (contact, feedback, etc.)
- Mobile responsive and fast
- Spam protection with CAPTCHA integration

3. Elementor ( Free Plugins)
Elementor transforms how you design your site. Instead of working with complex code or rigid theme options, Elementor lets you visually build your pages using a live drag-and-drop editor. It’s great for creating custom layouts, hero sections, service pages, and more — all with pixel-perfect control.
Key Features:
- Live visual editor
- Dozens of free widgets and templates
- Works well with most WordPress themes
- No coding required

4. LiteSpeed Cache ( Free Plugins)
LiteSpeed Cache speeds up your site by caching content, optimizing images, and minimizing files behind the scenes. If your host supports it, you’ll get the most out of it — but even on regular hosting, it works great to make your site feel snappy and responsive.
Key Features:
- Page caching and browser caching
- Image optimization (compression and WebP support)
- CSS/JS minification and combination
- Lazy loading for images and iframes
- Cloudflare and QUIC.cloud CDN integration

5. Site Kit by Google ( Free Plugins)
Want to see how people are finding and using your website? Site Kit connects your site with Google tools like Analytics, Search Console, AdSense, and Page Speed Insights. It shows you key stats directly inside your WordPress dashboard — no technical setup needed.
Key Features:
- Connects Google Analytics, Search Console, AdSense, and PageSpeed Insights
- Dashboard overview of site performance
- Page-specific traffic and speed insights
- One-click setup for all services
- Official plugin by Google

6. WP Mail SMTP
WP Mail SMTP fixes a common but frustrating issue in WordPress: emails not sending or landing in the spam folder. Whether it’s contact form submissions, password reset emails, or order confirmations — many WordPress sites fail to deliver them properly because of server misconfigurations.
This plugin reconfigures WordPress to send emails using a proper SMTP (Simple Mail Transfer Protocol) provider like Gmail, SendGrid, Mailgun, or your web host’s SMTP settings. That way, your site’s emails are authenticated and far less likely to be blocked or flagged as spam.
Key Features:
- Replaces default mail function with SMTP
- Integrates with Gmail, Sendinblue, Mailgun, etc.
- Email log for tracking delivery
- Easy setup wizard
- Increases email deliverability for contact forms and notifications

7.Starter Templates (by Astra)
Starter Templates is a free plugin developed by the team behind the popular Astra theme. It gives you instant access to a library of professionally designed, ready-to-import website templates — perfect for blogs, portfolios, businesses, online stores, and more. You simply choose a template, import it with one click, and customize the content using a page builder like Elementor, Gutenberg, Beaver Builder, or Brizy.
Key Features:
- 100+ professionally designed templates
- One-click demo import
- Works with Elementor, Gutenberg, Brizy, and Beaver Builder
- Designed for blogs, business sites, portfolios, etc.
- Fully customizable and mobile-friendly

8. Wordfence Security
Security is a must — even for small websites. Wordfence acts like a firewall and antivirus system for your site. It blocks malicious traffic, scans for malware, and keeps you updated about security threats.
Key Features:
- Web application firewall (WAF)
- Real-time malware scanner
- Login security and brute force protection
- Live traffic monitoring
- Two-factor authentication (2FA)

9. WooCommerce
WooCommerce is the most popular eCommerce plugin for WordPress, trusted by millions of businesses worldwide. It transforms your WordPress website into a fully functional online store with everything you need to sell physical or digital products
Key Features:
- Easy WordPress integration
- Add & manage products with variations
- Multiple payment gateways (PayPal, Stripe, etc.)
- Real-time shipping & tax options
- Inventory & stock management
- Built-in sales reports & analytics
- Fully customizable & developer-friendly
- Mobile-friendly design

10. Updraft Plus
Imagine losing your entire site overnight due to a crash or hack — scary, right? Updraft Plus protects you from that by backing up your site regularly. It can store backups to Google Drive, Dropbox, and other remote locations. If anything goes wrong, you can restore your site in just a few clicks.
Key Features:
- Manual and scheduled backups
- Cloud storage integration (Google Drive, Dropbox, etc.)
- One-click site restore
- Backup of files + database separately
- Easy migration and cloning (limited in free version)

FAQs
1. What are the essential plugins every WordPress website needs?
The essential plugins typically include those for SEO (like Rank Math), security (Wordfence), backups (UpdraftPlus), caching (LiteSpeed Cache), and forms (WPForms). These help improve performance, visibility, and user interaction.
2. Are these WordPress plugins really free?
Yes, all plugins mentioned in this list offer free versions that are fully functional for new websites. Some also provide premium upgrades for advanced features.
3. Can too many plugins slow down my WordPress site?
Yes, using too many poorly coded plugins can affect performance. It’s best to stick with well-rated, regularly updated plugins and only install what you truly need.
4. How do I install a WordPress plugin?
Go to your WordPress dashboard → Plugins → Add New → Search for the plugin → Click Install Now, then Activate.
5. Do I need a plugin for SEO even if my theme is optimized?
Yes. A plugin like Rank Math or Yoast SEO helps manage on-page SEO, sitemaps, metadata, and more—things your theme alone can’t fully handle
Conclusion
Choosing the right plugins is one of the most important steps in building a successful WordPress website. The ten free plugins we’ve covered in this post can help you manage SEO, improve speed, strengthen security, create forms, and much more — all without spending a rupee. As your site grows, you can always upgrade to premium versions or explore additional tools based on your specific needs. But for beginners, these plugins offer the perfect foundation to launch and manage a functional, secure, and user-friendly website.
Explore more tutorials on ikreatethemes.com and start building a website that truly reflects your ideas and goals.