Related Posts Plugins vs Custom Code: What to Choose?

Plugins

December 11, 2025

Related Posts Plugins vs Custom Code: What to Choose?

Adding related posts is one of the most effective ways to improve on-page engagement in WordPress. It increases page views, lowers bounce rate, and helps users discover more of your content. But the big question is: should you use a related posts plugin, or should you code it yourself?

This guide compares both approaches in terms of performance, flexibility, SEO, and maintenance — helping you decide the best option for your site.

Why Show Related Posts?

Boosts time-on-site and user engagement
Improves internal linking for SEO
Helps readers navigate large content libraries
Makes your blog feel more structured and connected

But the method you choose affects speed, accuracy, and maintainability.

Option 1: Using a Related Posts Plugin

Plugins automatically scan your content and display related posts using criteria such as tags, categories, keywords, or algorithmic similarity.

Pros

Zero coding required
Quick setup with customizable layouts
Advanced matching algorithms (tags, categories, content analysis)
Thumbnail support and design templates
Widgets and Gutenberg blocks included

Cons

Potential performance impact (database queries or heavy scripts)
Some plugins create large index tables
Less control over HTML structure and markup
Risk of plugin bloat and additional maintenance

Recommended Plugins

Yet Another Related Posts Plugin (YARPP) — Very flexible but heavy for large sites
Contextual Related Posts — Fast and powerful algorithm
Jetpack Related Posts — Offloads processing to WordPress.com servers
Inline Related Posts — Great for in-article links

Plugins work well for beginners or sites where ease-of-use is more important than performance tuning.

Option 2: Using Custom Code

Custom-coded related posts usually rely on taxonomies — typically categories or tags — to determine related content. This gives you full control over performance and design.

Pros

Fast and lightweight — only the queries you write run
SEO-friendly with fully custom markup
No extra plugins = fewer dependencies
Easy to add caching or specific conditions
Works perfectly for niche or structured sites

Cons

Requires coding knowledge
Limited algorithm unless you build additional scoring logic
More hands-on maintenance when your theme evolves

Example: Related Posts by Category


 $categories,
  'post__not_in'   => [ get_the_ID() ],
  'posts_per_page' => 3,
];

$related = new WP_Query( $args );

if ( $related->have_posts() ) :
    while ( $related->have_posts() ) : $related->the_post();
        echo '' . esc_html( get_the_title() ) . '';
    endwhile;
    wp_reset_postdata();
endif;
?>

Example: Related Posts by Tags


 'ids'] );

if ( $tags ) {
  $args = [
    'tag__in'        => $tags,
    'post__not_in'   => [ get_the_ID() ],
    'posts_per_page' => 3,
  ];

  $related = new WP_Query( $args );
}
?>

Custom code is the preferred method for developers and performance-focused websites.

Performance Comparison

Plugins

May run heavy queries on large sites
Some plugins preload index tables to speed results
Jetpack offloads load to cloud servers

Custom Code

Only performs one or two optimized queries
No extra scripts or styles
Easy to cache using transients

If Core Web Vitals and page speed matter, custom code usually wins.

SEO Considerations

Plugins

Often include thumbnails and schema-friendly markup
May generate too many internal links if not controlled

Custom Code

Gives complete control over anchor text and placement
Lets you add contextual SEO logic

SEO-focused sites prefer custom code because every link can be intentional.

Maintenance & Flexibility

Plugins

Easy to update and configure
Dependent on plugin author updates
Settings can change during plugin upgrades

Custom Code

No dependency on third-party developers
Design, logic, and output are fully customizable
Requires developer involvement for major changes

Which Should You Choose?

Choose a Plugin If:

You want a fast, beginner-friendly setup
You prefer automatic matching algorithms
You need Gutenberg blocks or widget support
Your site has few performance constraints

Choose Custom Code If:

You care about page speed and Core Web Vitals
You want clean HTML and full design control
Your site uses a consistent taxonomy structure
You want highly tailored internal linking logic

Conclusion

Both related posts plugins and custom code have strong use cases. Plugins are convenient, feature-rich, and good for most casual websites. Custom code is lightweight, SEO-friendly, and ideal for performance-critical or highly customized WordPress builds.

Summary:

Plugins → Easy, automatic, feature-rich
Custom Code → Fast, flexible, developer-friendly

If you’re building a serious blog or want maximum performance, custom code is usually the better long-term choice — especially when combined with caching and structured taxonomies.

🔌 Looking for more? Check out our WordPress Plugins Hub to discover recommended tools and how to use them.