Is Yoast SEO worth using?

I understand SEO pretty well and have some pages ranking in the top 3. But a lot of my pages are stuck between positions 20-50, and some aren’t ranked at all. Thinking about upgrading to Yoast SEO to see if it helps. Anyone have experience with it? Would it be worth it?

We use Rank Math because it includes redirects in the free version.

The SEO Framework is a solid option.

Lincoln said:
The SEO Framework is a solid option.

Better than Rank Math?

Yusuf said:

Lincoln said:
The SEO Framework is a solid option.

Better than Rank Math?

It’s okay, but people really hype it up.

Bruce said:

Yusuf said:
Lincoln said:
The SEO Framework is a solid option.

Better than Rank Math?

It’s okay, but people really hype it up.

It’s lightweight and follows SEO guidelines well. But I still prefer Rank Math.

Lincoln said:
The SEO Framework is a solid option.

I agree, it’s a great plugin.

I use the free version just for the checklist—helps me keep track of what I’ve done. It also generates a sitemap, which is handy. Never felt the need for the premium version.

Yoast is useful for making sure you’re covering SEO basics, but if you want real results, you need professional tools like Semrush, Ahrefs, or Boostramp. Yoast only handles a small part of what actually impacts SEO rankings.

@Keon
Can you explain a bit more?

Yoast is okay, The SEO Framework is decent for small sites, but Rank Math seems to be the best right now. A lot of bigger sites are switching to it.

Alden said:
Yoast is okay, The SEO Framework is decent for small sites, but Rank Math seems to be the best right now. A lot of bigger sites are switching to it.

I’m new to this. Which company has the worst reputation?

@Hugh
Rank Math had some questionable marketing tactics, and Yoast started pushing a lot of upsells after their founders left.

If an SEO plugin starts making it harder to write content, it’s time to ditch it. That’s why I prefer The SEO Framework. It’s lightweight and doesn’t get in the way.

Also, a premium SEO plugin won’t magically rank your pages higher. If your pages aren’t ranking well, the issue is probably with content, HTML, or site structure—not the plugin. Google Search Console usually gives hints on what’s wrong.

SEO plugins mainly help with metadata, but even that isn’t guaranteed to be used by search engines. So go for one that’s stable and user-friendly rather than one with tons of settings that don’t actually matter.

If you’re asking about Yoast Premium, it depends. The free version is enough for most people. The premium version lets you optimize for multiple keywords and offers advanced text analysis.

I’d suggest trying Rank Math instead.

Didn’t Rank Math copy a lot of Yoast’s code? I’ve heard that before. I’ve always liked Rank Math, though. Yoast is just full of upsells and now it’s owned by a company with a bad track record in web hosting.

I’ve used it on 200+ sites, and it’s never let me down.

Yoast Premium is worth it if you’re serious about SEO and making money from your site. It helps with keyword variations, so you don’t have to stuff exact-match keywords everywhere.

Last time I checked, Rank Math didn’t have that feature, but maybe they do now.

A hardcore SEO expert once told me: ‘If your SEO consultant says you need Yoast Premium, then maybe it’s worth it. Otherwise, no.’

For most people, the free version is enough. The premium version is mainly useful in highly competitive industries where even small advantages matter.

I vote for Rank Math.