PluginSift

Social Media Share Buttons & Social… vs Ocean Social Sharing (2026)

Detailed side-by-side comparison of two WordPress plugins, based on real-time data from WordPress.org.

Social Media Share Buttons & Social…

Social Media Share Buttons & Social…

4.8(5,332)

100K+ active installs

Free

Updated 1 month ago
View Social Media Share Buttons & Social…
VS
Ocean Social Sharing

Ocean Social Sharing

4.5(11)

70K+ active installs

Free

Updated 8 months ago
View Ocean Social Sharing

Quick Verdict

As of April 2026, Social Media Share Buttons & Social… has a higher user rating (4.8/5 from 5,332 reviews) and leads in active installations (100K+ vs 70K+). Both are free WordPress plugins. Social Media Share Buttons & Social… has accumulated 12M+ total downloads while Ocean Social Sharing has 2.1M+. Social Media Share Buttons & Social… has a higher support resolution rate (57% vs 0%).

Expert Insight

As of February 2026, Social Media Share Buttons & Social Sharing Icons (by Inisev) is the more feature-rich and popular option, with 100,000 active installs versus 70,000 for Ocean Social Sharing. It offers both free and premium tiers starting at $19.98, while Ocean is entirely free. The Inisev plugin provides advanced customization—16 icon designs, floating displays, pop-ups, and mobile optimization—plus frequent updates and WPML compatibility. However, user reviews raise concerns about intrusive popups and unclear billing. Ocean Social Sharing, from OceanWP LLC, is lightweight and integrates smoothly with OceanWP-based sites but lacks flexibility, updates, and broader social platform support. Its 4.5-star rating from only 11 reviews reflects a smaller user base. Overall, use the Inisev plugin for design variety and marketing features, and Ocean Social Sharing for simplicity and minimalism within OceanWP environments.

Analysis by PluginSift editorial team

Who Should Use Which?

Overall Recommendation

Social Media Share Buttons & Social Sharing Icons — it leads in features, active installs, and customization, offering more growth and update frequency than Ocean Social Sharing.

Best for Beginners

Social Media Share Buttons & Social Sharing Icons — easier setup with clear visuals and strong community support make it beginner-friendly, despite some popup annoyance.

Best for Developers

Ocean Social Sharing — better for developers working with OceanWP who prefer lightweight, customizable code through child themes and minimal design clutter.

Best for Budget

Ocean Social Sharing — 100% free with no upsells, providing adequate basic sharing tools for cost-conscious users.

Best for WooCommerce

Social Media Share Buttons & Social Sharing Icons — while neither lists native WooCommerce integration, its flexible placement and sticky icons make it better suited for product-page visibility.

Pricing Comparison

Social Media Share Buttons & Social Sharing Icons runs on a freemium model: its free version covers essentials like floating icons and share counts, while the premium upgrade (from $19.98) unlocks more social networks, mobile settings, and style themes. It also offers a 14-day money-back guarantee and lifetime deal options. Ocean Social Sharing, by contrast, is entirely free but lacks any paid upgrade path, limiting advanced users who want more customization or analytics integration.

Pricing verified as of April 2026

Feature Comparison

Inisev’s plugin emphasizes versatility—floating or sticky share icons, pop-ups, icon animations, email opt-in forms, and mobile-specific settings. It also integrates with WPML and supports Elementor and Divi. Ocean Social Sharing includes fewer social networks and three visual styles (Minimal, Colored, Dark), suitable for basic needs. It’s lighter but lacks modern updates and interchangeable display positions, which can limit flexibility for content-heavy sites.

Compatibility Notes

Social Media Share Buttons & Social Sharing Icons supports Elementor, Divi, and multilingual setups via WPML, making it more universally adaptable. Ocean Social Sharing, while stable in OceanWP ecosystems, lists compatibility starting from WordPress 5.6 and PHP 7.4, targeting newer setups but offering fewer integrations outside the OceanWP theme family.

Detailed Comparison

Rating
4.8/5Social Media Share Buttons & Social…
◄
Ocean Social Sharing4.5/5
Total Reviews
5,332Social Media Share Buttons & Social…
◄
Ocean Social Sharing11
Active Installs
100K+Social Media Share Buttons & Social…
◄
Ocean Social Sharing70K+
Total Downloads
12M+Social Media Share Buttons & Social…
◄
Ocean Social Sharing2.1M+
Support Resolution
57%Social Media Share Buttons & Social…
◄
Ocean Social Sharing0%
Last Updated
1 month agoSocial Media Share Buttons & Social…
◄
Ocean Social Sharing8 months ago
First Released
2014Social Media Share Buttons & Social…
Ocean Social Sharing2016
Age
12 yearsSocial Media Share Buttons & Social…
Ocean Social Sharing10 years
WP Requires
3.5+Social Media Share Buttons & Social…
Ocean Social Sharing5.6+
PHP Requires
false+Social Media Share Buttons & Social…
Ocean Social Sharing7.4+
Business Model
FreeSocial Media Share Buttons & Social…
Ocean Social SharingFree
Latest Version
2.9.7Social Media Share Buttons & Social…
Ocean Social Sharing2.2.2

Rating Breakdown

Social Media Share Buttons & Social…

4.8/5(5,332 reviews)
5
92%
4
4%
3
1%
2
1%
1
2%

Ocean Social Sharing

4.5/5(11 reviews)
5
82%
4
0%
3
0%
2
18%
1
0%

Recent Reviews

Social Media Share Buttons & Social… Reviews

by theop62

persistent they are.

I will give them a 5 star rating for now, I haven’t even got to setting it up on my site and they have these popups because I deactivated a icon., no big deal, but I usually don’t leave a rating until

by kldp0007

I’ll change after experiencing.

se u soon

by coolhandlukelsk

Will upgrade

Providing 5 stars for making the bulk of the plugin free to the community

Ocean Social Sharing Reviews

by cangevendi

I wish i could add utm tracking to the share button

I wish i could add utm tracking to the share button Add flipboard as well please.. This topic was modified 1 year, 5 months ago by cangevendi.

by Jana Kleineberg

Outdated

Only two stars because it’s easy to use but still shows the old twitter icon instead of the new X which makes clients’ sites look outdated.

by laceybeach

Pretty buttons, but not very flexible

Despite showing options of showing the buttons after content, the only options that work are no buttons or buttons at the top of the content. According to the support area this problem has remained un

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Social Media Share Buttons & Social… or Ocean Social Sharing more popular?
Social Media Share Buttons & Social… has 100K+ active installations while Ocean Social Sharing has 70K+. Social Media Share Buttons & Social… is the more widely-used plugin as of April 2026.
Which has better ratings — Social Media Share Buttons & Social… or Ocean Social Sharing?
Social Media Share Buttons & Social… has a 4.8/5 rating from 5,332 reviews, while Ocean Social Sharing has a 4.5/5 rating from 11 reviews.
Are Social Media Share Buttons & Social… and Ocean Social Sharing free?
Social Media Share Buttons & Social… is free and Ocean Social Sharing is free. Both can be downloaded from the WordPress.org plugin directory.
Which plugin has better support — Social Media Share Buttons & Social… or Ocean Social Sharing?
As of April 2026, Social Media Share Buttons & Social… has a 57% support resolution rate while Ocean Social Sharing has a 0% rate.
Which plugin is updated more frequently?
Social Media Share Buttons & Social… was last updated 1 month ago and Ocean Social Sharing was last updated 8 months ago.
Which plugin includes more free features?
Social Media Share Buttons & Social Sharing Icons offers significantly more free customization options, such as 16 design styles, floating and sticky icons, pop-up displays, and share counts. Ocean Social Sharing is limited to three styles and basic placement on posts. However, Ocean’s simplicity benefits users wanting lightweight, minimal social sharing.
Which plugin offers better pricing value?
Ocean Social Sharing is completely free, which gives it an advantage for basic use. However, Inisev’s plugin starts at $19.98 and delivers premium-only perks—extra networks like Snapchat and WhatsApp, themed designs, and mobile-specific controls—plus a 14-day money-back guarantee. For users seeking advanced customization or email integration, Inisev’s paid tier offers far better value per feature.
What is the difference between Social Media Share Buttons & Social Sharing Icons and Ocean Social Sharing?
The main difference is depth versus simplicity. The Inisev plugin supports 16 designs, pop-ups, animations, and premium mobile settings, while Ocean focuses on lightweight integration within OceanWP themes with only three design options. Inisev’s plugin is highly active and fast-growing, while Ocean’s development pace and flexibility are limited.

Plugin data sourced from WordPress.org. Comparison and analysis by PluginSift.