Nofollow for external link vs noindex SEO (2026)
Detailed side-by-side comparison of two WordPress plugins, based on real-time data from WordPress.org.
Nofollow for external link
10K+ active installs
Free
Quick Verdict
As of April 2026, noindex SEO has a higher user rating (5/5 from 2 reviews) while Nofollow for external link leads in active installations (10K+ vs 3.0K+). Both are free WordPress plugins. Nofollow for external link has accumulated 286K+ total downloads while noindex SEO has 46K+.
Detailed Comparison
| Metric | Nofollow for external link | noindex SEO | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rating | 3.8/5 | ► | 5/5 |
| Total Reviews | 36 | ◄ | 2 |
| Active Installs | 10K+ | ◄ | 3.0K+ |
| Total Downloads | 286K+ | ◄ | 46K+ |
| Support Resolution | N/A | N/A | |
| Last Updated | 1 year ago | ► | 2 months ago |
| First Released | 2012 | 2020 | |
| Age | 14 years | 6 years | |
| WP Requires | 2.8.6+ | 6.6+ | |
| PHP Requires | false+ | 7.2+ | |
| Business Model | Free | Free | |
| Latest Version | 1.2.4 | 2.0.0 |
Rating Breakdown
Nofollow for external link
noindex SEO
Download Trends
Over the past 30 days, Nofollow for external link averaged approximately 34 daily downloads while noindex SEO averaged 19.
Recent Reviews
Nofollow for external link Reviews
Didn’t work for me.
Then again, it hasn’t been updated in 3 years… This topic was modified 2 years, 1 month ago by deralict.
Works very well and easy to set up
Very good addition, works very well. Easy setup and super light. I checked it, it’s really good.
Works fine!
noindex SEO Reviews
Wish I had this plugin 5 years ago!
This plugin is a big time saver, is simple, and works like it should. It helps mitigate search spam too!
Exactly what I was looking for!
A simple tool to add noindex meta tags to some sections of the site without being an overblown plugin. Thanks to the guys who made this plugin!
More Nofollow Worth Comparing
Top alternatives in the same category as Nofollow for external link and noindex SEO
Internal links & external links manager: open in new window or tab, control nofollow, ugc, sponsored & noopener. SEO friendly.
The external links plugin for WordPress lets you process outgoing links differently from internal links.
Adds a checkbox in the insert/edit link popup for including rel="nofollow".
Improves your blog's search engine optimization by "noindexing" pages you choose. Now also for page-based (as opposed to date-based) archives.
DoFollow Case by Case allows you to selectively apply dofollow to comments and make links in pages or posts nofollow.
Remove type attribute from script and style tags added by WordPress
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Nofollow for external link or noindex SEO more popular?
Which has better ratings — Nofollow for external link or noindex SEO?
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Plugin data sourced from WordPress.org. Comparison and analysis by PluginSift.