Rank Math vs AIOSEO: Best Free SEO Plugin to Start With?

Choosing the right SEO plugin can feel overwhelming for beginners and professionals alike.

There are several WordPress plugins available, but Rank Math and AIOSEO are the most popular. Both plugins claim to improve ranks, improve visibility, and make optimization easier.

However, when the budget is tight, most users want to discover which free plugin gives the most.

In this in-depth comparison, we’ll look into Rank Math vs AIOSEO and help you determine which one is best for your website.

Rank Math vs AIOSEO: A Quick Overview

Both Rank Math and AIOSEO are powerful SEO tools built for WordPress websites.

Rank Math

Rank Math is the fast-growing WordPress SEO plugin in the market with a 3+ million active installations. It promotes itself as the “Swiss Army Knife of SEO” because of its rich feature set.

With the Rank Math free version, you will get:

• Feature-packed core plugin offering SEO tools worth five separate plugins.
• On-page optimization includes unlimited focus keywords, redirect manager, and 404 monitoring.
• Schema support includes 16+ types, sitemap generation, and importing from other SEO plugins.
• The guided setup wizard walks you through site configuration with ease.

However, upgrading to the pro version offers additional features. These include:

• Advanced Content AI with credits to craft SEO-driven content.
• The most advanced Schema Generator, plus importing schema from any page.
• Full integration with Google Analytics 4, plus Keyword Rank Tracker.
• Site‑specific enhancements like Google News, Video SEO Sitemaps, and Speakable Schema.
• Insights via Google Trends, Adsense, Competitor Analyzer, and Podcast Module.
• Pro license covers unlimited personal website usage.

Get Started with Rank Math

AIOSEO

All-in-One SEO (AIOSEO), like Rank Math, is an SEO plugin started in 2007. Today, over 3 million website owners and SEO experts use AIOSEO for higher SEO rankings.

With the AIOSEO free version, you will get:

• Automatically performs SEO site audits, then produces a clear optimization checklist.
• Offers on-page SEO tools with TruSEO analysis and a single focus keyword.
• Built-in major integrations: XML/RSS sitemaps, social profiles, and search appearance settings.
• Supports WooCommerce product SEO and integrates with analytics and Webmaster tools.

However, upgrading to the pro version offers additional features. These include:

• Unlimited focus keywords, instead of being limited to one keyword.
• Additional SEO tools: powerful sitemaps, advanced WooCommerce integration, and Local SEO
• Supports webmaster taxonomies: categories, tags, and custom taxonomies SEO.
• Video sitemap module to improve indexing of video content.
• Access to premium support, including forums and tutorial videos.

Get Started with AIOSEO

Both plugins offer similar feature sets. However, their free features vary widely, and those differences matter when you are just starting.

AIOSEO vs Rank Math: Free Features Comparison

1. On-Page SEO Optimization: Focus Keywords and Analysis

When comparing Rank Math vs All in One SEO (AIOSEO), focus keyword handling is a major difference.

Rank Math

Rank Math allows users to optimize for unlimited focus keywords, even on the free plan.

You can only see five keywords by default, but you can easily expand that limit. This makes Rank Math excellent for content marketers who target multiple long-tail keyword variations in one article.

AIOSEO

AIOSEO Lite, on the other hand, includes the TruSEO analysis tool that provides a checklist for improvements.

However, the free version is limited to optimizing only one focus keyword for each post. If you want to optimize your content for multiple search terms, you must upgrade to a premium plan.

For content creators working with diverse keyword sets, this limitation can feel restrictive.

2. Schema Markup and Rich Results

Schema markup is crucial if you want search engines to better understand your content.

Rank Math

Rank Math includes more than sixteen schema types, even in the free version. This means you can implement FAQ, HowTo, Recipe, or Product schema without extra schema plugins.

Having a schema built in helps your pages stand out in search results with rich snippets.

AIOSEO

All in one SEO (AIOSEO) also supports schema, but restricts more advanced options to paid plans. You can implement basic schema structures, but you won’t have access to the full range without upgrading.

While Lite covers the essentials, Rank Math clearly leads in flexibility here. For websites that depend heavily on structured data, Rank Math’s free plan has more immediate value.

3. Sitemaps and Indexing

Both plugins generate XML sitemaps out of the box.

Rank Math

Rank Math also offers an instant indexing feature that can ping search engines for new content. This helps fresh posts appear in search results faster, which benefits active bloggers.

AIOSEO

AIOSEO free provides XML, RSS, and HTML sitemap options with integrated robots.txt editing. This combination gives beginners a solid foundation for managing site crawling.

When considering sitemaps in the Rank Math vs AIOSEO comparison, both plugins do a solid job. However, Rank Math adds extra indexing options, while AIOSEO focuses on simplicity and clarity.

If you value automation, Rank Math edges ahead, but AIOSEO’s sitemap flexibility will appeal to traditional users.

4. Image SEO Features

Image SEO can be a hidden ranking factor, especially for visual-heavy websites.

Rank Math

Rank Math shines here because it can automatically add missing ALT and TITLE tags to images. This improves accessibility and ensures search engines always have image context.

For bloggers who upload many images without optimization, this feature is a time saver.

AIOSEO

AIOSEO, however, locks image SEO automation behind its Pro plan. The free Lite version does not include automatic ALT or TITLE tag generation. This means you will have to manually handle image metadata unless you upgrade.

If image optimization is important to your site, Rank Math clearly wins in the free tier.

5. Redirects and 404 Monitoring

Redirects are critical when restructuring websites or managing broken links.

Rank Math

Rank Math includes a built-in redirection manager and a 404 monitor in its free plan. This means you can quickly fix broken URLs without installing another redirect plugin.

Furthermore, website migrations and SEO maintenance become far simpler with these tools available from the start.

AIOSEO

AIOSEO Lite, unfortunately, does not include redirects or 404 tracking. These features only appear in paid plans. Beginners on the free plan would need an additional plugin just to manage redirects.

In this category, Rank Math provides far more functionality without any extra cost.

6. Local SEO Capabilities

Local SEO helps businesses target customers in specific geographic locations.

Rank Math

Rank Math provides local business schema and features for single-location websites in its free version. Multi-location capabilities are only available in the paid plans.

AIOSEO

AIOSEO also includes some local SEO tools, though advanced options are restricted to upgrades.

Both plugins offer enough for a small business operating in one location. For more complex needs, upgrading to a paid plan becomes necessary for both.

7. WooCommerce Integration

For online stores, SEO plugins that integrate with WooCommerce can make a big difference.

Rank Math

Rank Math supports WooCommerce SEO out of the box by adding product schema and metadata. This helps product pages rank better in search results.

AIOSEO

AIOSEO free also works with WooCommerce, but the most advanced eCommerce SEO tools are locked behind higher plans.

Both plugins cover basic eCommerce optimization, but Rank Math includes more out-of-the-box flexibility for free.

8. AI-Powered SEO Assistance

AI features are becoming a part of modern SEO workflows.

Rank Math

Rank Math integrates its Content AI assistant, which can provide keyword and content suggestions. While the free plugin allows some access, extended usage requires additional credits or a plan.

AIOSEO

AIOSEO Lite recently introduced its AI Content Generation. Even in the free version, you can access this tool with available credits. It helps generate SEO titles, meta descriptions, FAQs, and social media snippets.

For beginners who want AI help right away, AIOSEO Lite may feel friendlier.

9. Migration and Compatibility

Switching between SEO plugins can be painful, but both Rank Math and AIOSEO make it easier.

Rank Math

Rank Math supports one-click imports from Yoast, AIOSEO, SEOPress, and other major plugins.

AIOSEO

On the other hand, AIOSEO also supports importing SEO data from other tools.

Both plugins score well in this area, making migration less intimidating for website owners.

Rank Math vs All in One SEO (AIOSEO): Paid Plans and Pricing

Both of the SEO WordPress plugins we’ve discussed have free plans. While free versions include many useful features, paid versions provide more ways to boost your SEO and increase organic search traffic.

Rank Math

Rank Math offers three pricing plans:

• Pro: $6.99/month (billed annually) for unlimited personal website usage.
• Business: $20.99/month (billed annually) for 100 client website usage.
• Agency: $49.99/month (billed annually) for 500 client website usage.

Aside from this, it provides a 30-day money-back guarantee if you are dissatisfied with its service. Similarly, you can change or cancel your plan at any moment with no questions asked.

Get Started with Rank Math

AIOSEO

Similar to Rank Math, AIOSEO offers four different pricing plans:

• Basic: ₹250/month (billed annually) for one website usage.
• Plus: ₹500/month (billed annually) for 3 website usage.
• Pro: ₹1000/month (billed annually) for 10 website usage.
• Elite: ₹1500/month (billed annually) for 100 website usage.

It also offers a 14-day money-back guarantee if you’re unsatisfied with its service.

Get Started with AIOSEO

Rank Math vs AIOSEO: User Rating

Let’s look at user ratings of Rank Math and AIOSEO on WordPress.org and Trustpilot, a popular review site.

Rank Math

On WordPress.org, Rank Math received 4.9 out of 5 stars from over 7,200 reviews.

On Trustpilot, Rank Math received 4.1 out of 5 stars from over 425 reviews.

AIOSEO

On WordPress.org, Rank Math received 4.7 out of 5 stars from over 4800 reviews.

On Trustpilot, Rank Math received 4.1 out of 5 stars from over 290 reviews.

Overall, both WordPress plugins received a similar response from WordPress users.

Rank Math vs AIOSEO: Which Free Plugin Should You Choose?

So, which plugin wins in the AIOSEO vs Rank Math free comparison? The answer depends on your needs.

If you want the most powerful set of free features, Rank Math is hard to beat. Unlimited focus keywords, automatic image SEO, redirects, and schema options make it very attractive.

If you prefer simplicity, structured checklists, and access to an AI writing assistant, AIOSEO Lite shines. It guides beginners with TruSEO analysis and offers strong sitemap and robots.txt support. However, you may outgrow its free plan sooner if you need advanced tools.

Final Thoughts

Choosing between AIOSEO and Rank Math comes down to how you prioritize features. Rank Math’s free version is better suited for users who want advanced SEO without spending money early. AIOSEO Lite is ideal for beginners who want a smooth learning curve with AI-driven guidance.

Ultimately, both plugins are excellent starting points, and you can always upgrade later. The best approach is to install the one that aligns with your website goals and future growth.

By understanding their differences now, you can make a confident choice between Rank Math vs All in One SEO (AIOSEO).

For more, check out these other helpful resources:

• Rank Math Review: Is This SEO Plugin Worth It?
• Rank Math vs Yoast SEO Comparison: Which One is Better?
• Yoast SEO vs All in One SEO: Which is Better?

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