We've tried a lot of WordPress tools over the years. These are the ones that have earned a permanent spot in our toolkit. Not because they paid us to say so (they didn't), but because they actually solve problems without creating new ones.
WordPress (Obviously)
If you're here, you probably already know. But yes, WordPress is our bread and butter. The ecosystem, the flexibility, the community—it's still the best platform for most websites.
Page Builders
Breakdance, Beaver Builder, Elementor
We work with all three regularly, and each has its strengths. Breakdance is fast and powerful. Beaver Builder is rock-solid and clean. Elementor has the biggest ecosystem. We'll recommend the right one based on your needs (and budget).
Custom Fields
SCF, ACF, Pods, ACPT
When you need custom data structures, these are the go-to options. Simple Custom Fields (SCF) for quick jobs, Advanced Custom Fields for complex setups, Pods for serious data modelling, and ACPT (Advanced Custom Post Types) for custom post type management. Pick your flavor.
Link Management
LinkCentral, Switchy.io, Replug.io
Managing affiliate links, branded short links, or just keeping track of where your links point? These tools make it painless. LinkCentral for WordPress-native solutions, Switchy and Replug for more advanced tracking and retargeting.
Ad Management
AdCommander
Serving ads on your WordPress site without losing your mind? AdCommander handles ad injection, rotation, and management elegantly. No bloat, no drama.
Image Optimization
EWWW.io, Shortpixel
Images slow sites down. These speed them back up. Both do excellent compression and format conversion (WebP, AVIF). EWWW has a great free tier; Shortpixel has killer bulk optimization. Can't go wrong either way.
Caching
Community Cache (public beta coming soon!), WP Rocket, WP Compress
Fast sites rank better and convert better. Community Cache is our upcoming solution that we're pretty excited about. Until then (or alongside it), WP Rocket is excellent. It works, but it's expensive, and lets you (and perhaps encourages you?) to go overboard - which we don't like. WP Compress offers great prices, solid speeds, and only some compromises.
Security
WP Security Ninja, Checkout Security (public beta coming soon!)
Security isn't sexy until you need it. WP Security Ninja catches vulnerabilities before hackers do. Our Checkout Security plugin (beta launching soon) adds an extra layer for WooCommerce stores. Because cart abandonment is bad enough without adding data breaches.
Learning Management Systems
Academy LMS, Sensei Pro
Selling courses? These LMS platforms integrate beautifully with WordPress. Academy LMS is lightweight and modern. Sensei Pro is mature and feature-rich. Both beat the pants off clunky third-party platforms.
Forms
BitForm, Formidable Forms, WPForms
Forms are never as simple as they should be. BitForm handles complex workflows. Formidable is the power user's choice. WPForms is the friendly option. All three are solid—depends on what you're building.
File & Secure Sharing
InPrivy, SinoSend
Growing your list and sending newsletters without the enterprise price tag. Both integrate well with WordPress and won't make your eyes glaze over with complexity.
Email & Drag Tools
Emailit, Dragit
Tools for email template building and drag-and-drop interfaces that don't suck. Clean outputs, no bloat.
SEO & Analytics
Screpy, SEMDash, Alttext.ai, Squirrly SEO, SEOPress, SlimSEO
SEO is a crowded space. Screpy and SEMDash for technical SEO monitoring. Alttext.ai for automated alt text (accessibility + SEO). Squirrly, SEOPress, and SlimSEO for on-page SEO—pick based on whether you want hand-holding (Squirrly), features (SEOPress), or minimalism (SlimSEO).
Code Management
WPCodeBox2
Need to add custom code snippets without editing theme files? WPCodeBox2 keeps everything organized and safe. Survives theme updates, easy to manage, and you won't accidentally break your site at 3am.
Password Management
HeyLogin, 1Password
Secure password management is essential, so we use the best tools to keep your information safe and siloed between our team members.
Got questions about any of these? We've used them all extensively and can help you figure out what fits your project. And if there's a better tool for your specific situation, we'll tell you that too.