Key highlights
- Understand the core differences between Yoast Premium vs Free features.
- Learn when it makes sense to upgrade to the premium version based on your content and SEO goals.
- Explore effective search engine optimization tools like multiple focus keywords, internal linking suggestions and the redirect manager.
- Discover how Bluehost enhances Yoast performance with optimized WordPress hosting and built-in SEO features.
- Find out why even the free version of Yoast SEO can help you rank well with the right content strategy.
Get Yoast SEO Premium Now – Only $118.80/year
If you use Yoast SEO on your WordPress site, you may ask if Premium is worth it. The free Yoast SEO plugin gives core tools for titles and meta descriptions and one focus keyphrase. Yoast SEO Premium adds multi-keyphrase support, smart internal linking suggestions and a Redirect Manager.
Premium also brings AI-assisted SEO boosts for content and ecommerce metadata. This guide explains Yoast free vs premium, what Yoast SEO Premium includes and when upgrading makes sense.
But first, let’s clarify what Yoast SEO actually is.
What is Yoast SEO and why is it popular?
Yoast SEO is a leading SEO plugin for WordPress sites. It helps you manage SEO titles, meta descriptions, XML sitemaps and structured data. The plugin runs real-time SEO analysis inside the editor. You get readability tips, keyword guidance and structured data support.
Yoast makes search optimization accessible to writers and developers. It supports Local SEO, News SEO, Video SEO and WooCommerce SEO add-ons. That flexible integration helps sites improve visibility and technical SEO health.
From title and meta descriptions to structured data, it offers essential SEO analysis tools to keep your content optimized and ready to rank in Google search results.
Trusted by millions of WordPress users
The Yoast SEO plugin powers over 13 million active installations, making it one of the most widely used tools on WordPress sites today.
It is popular across industries and trusted by bloggers, small business owners, eCommerce and large agencies alike.
What makes it so widely trusted is its seamless integration into the WordPress dashboard. From the moment you install it, the interface is easy to navigate and the suggestions are clear and actionable to enhance website’s SEO health.
Whether you’re optimizing your first post or auditing site-wide technical SEO, Yoast SEO provides a scalable solution for users at every skill level.
Continuous development, a reliable update schedule and open-source nature make Yoast SEO a dependable tool that stays aligned with evolving search engine guidelines. These are the few reasons why Yoast SEO is a go-to plugin for millions aiming to improve their online visibility.
On-page SEO support integrated with WordPress editor
At its core, Yoast SEO helps to strengthen the elements that empower search engine results the most, including your content quality, structure and keyword density. The plugin guides you through improving on site SEO as you write.
Each post or page gets real-time feedback on your focus keyword, keyword density, internal linking and readability. You’ll also receive visual cues to improve meta descriptions, SEO titles and even image alt text, all from within your editor.
Further, Yoast’s analysis uses a red-yellow-green system to help you quickly identify what needs attention. You don’t need to open a second tool or browser tab. Everything from site’s technical SEO to SEO copywriting suggestions to site structure checks is built into your workflow.
This streamlined approach makes Yoast SEO incredibly effective WordPress plugin. It allows you to optimize content fast, even if you’re still developing your SEO skills.
Now that you have a basic understanding of Yoast SEO, let’s compare full Yoast SEO features and functionalities of the free and Premium versions.
Also read: Yoast SEO vs All in One SEO
What’s the difference between Yoast Free and Premium?
Both premium and free Yoast SEO plugin version helps improve your site’s visibility while offering key eCommerce SEO features, but they offer different levels of support. If you’re comparing Yoast Premium vs free, it helps to see what each version includes and how they align with your SEO goals.
Yoast free vs premium at a glance
- Yoast SEO free gives one focus keyphrase, meta tag editing, XML sitemaps and core SEO analysis.
- Yoast SEO Premium includes up to five focus keyphrases, internal linking suggestions, the Redirect Manager and detailed seo analysis.
- Premium adds social previews, AI-assisted SEO title and meta description tools and content workouts.
- To optimize eCommerce SEO, the Yoast WooCommerce SEO module improves product metadata and shop structure.
This clarity helps you match features to your content, optimize SEO goals and site scale.
Detailed feature comparison: Yoast Premium vs Free version
Choosing between the Yoast SEO free vs Premium versions can be tough if you’re not sure what each one includes. Below is a side-by-side comparison of their features to help you decide which version fits your WordPress SEO goals:
| Features | Yoast SEO free | Yoast SEO Premium |
| Focus keyphrases | 1 keyphrase per page/post | Up to 5 keyphrases per page/post |
| Internal linking suggestions | Not included | Suggests related internal links as you write |
| Redirect Manager | Not included | Set up redirects when URLs change; includes CSV import/export and REGEX support |
| Social previews | Not included | Preview how your post looks on social media platforms like Facebook and X |
| Content workouts | Not included | Includes orphaned content and cornerstone content workout |
| AI generated SEO title & Meta description | 10 Sparks | Unlimited access |
| AI Optimization (Content improvement suggestions) | Not included | Included |
| Bot Blocker | Not included | Block GPTBot, CCBot and Google-Extended via Crawl Optimization Settings |
| Premium support | Not included | 24/7 premium support (~10s avg. response during business hours; SLA 30s) |
| SEO add-ons | Available separately | Includes News SEO, Local SEO and Video SEO add-ons (as of July 1, 2025) |
The comparison of Yoast SEO free vs Premium highlights that Yoast Premium offers a range of advanced, yet easy-to-use SEO tools designed for users of all skills levels. It’s especially beneficial for those managing larger sites or publishing content frequently.
Premium users get greater control over key technical SEO features internal links, redirects and content optimization, all within an intuitive interface. Additionally, Yoast Premium includes access to the Yoast Academy, as well as ongoing technical SEO enhancements like Local SEO, Video SEO, News SEO and automated meta tag optimization as well.
If you’re just getting started, the Yoast SEO free plugin still provides a strong foundation for improving your visibility in search engines.
What’s included in the free version of Yoast SEO?
The free version of Yoast SEO offers one focus keyphrase, a basic SEO analysis and readability checks as you write. It also supports automatic meta tag generation which is important for your site’s search engine visibility.
For beginners and small WordPress site owners, these built-in tools provide a solid foundation, making Yoast SEO free a great starting point.
What do you get with Yoast SEO Premium (beyond the basics)?
The Yoast SEO Premium version takes your SEO up a level. You can target multiple focus keyphrases, get internal linking suggestions and use the built-in Redirect Manager to manage broken or changed URLs easily.
Premium also adds social media previews, so you can see how your content appears when shared on Facebook and X. You’ll unlock advanced tools like orphaned content tracking, AI-generated SEO suggestions and SEO workouts that help you fix content issues faster.
In addition, Yoast SEO Premium includes the Local SEO, News SEO, Video SEO and WooCommerce SEO, tailored for local businesses, publishers, educators and online store owners, respectively.
If you’re serious about keyword optimization, link strategy and improving your site structure, these Premium features are designed to help your content perform better, without needing deep SEO expertise.
Let’s look at the standout Premium features that make Yoast SEO Premium a more complete and powerful SEO toolkit.
Yoast SEO Premium: What you get
With powerful integrations, Yoast SEO Premium does more than add new options. It helps you integrate SEO functionality directly into your workflow, making content optimization easier and more efficient. It helps you optimize faster, work smarter and manage SEO for large or growing sites. These features are especially helpful for larger sites, teams and anyone who wants to take their WordPress and eCommerce SEO efforts to the next level.
1. Multiple focus keywords
With the free version, you can only optimize content for one focus keyword at a time. Yoast SEO Premium increases this to five keyphrases per page. Whether free or premium, Yoast SEO helps maintain stronger optimization by analyzing each keyphrase strongly.
This helps you rank for keyword variations, related phrases and long-tail terms, all in a single post without going deep down in Keyword research. It also helps you manage internal links pointing to related content while offering seamless SEO writing that targets multiple search intents or covers broad topics.
This feature alone can significantly boost Google search visibility and SEO performance, especially for competitive content.
2. Redirect manager
One of the most useful Yoast SEO Premium features is the built-in redirect manager. It helps you easily fix broken links or redirect outdated URLs to the right pages.
There’s no need to install an extra plugin. You can manage 301 redirects directly from your WordPress dashboard. Along with redirect suggestions when you delete a page or post.
It also supports bulk redirects via CSV and REGEX rules for large-scale content changes. This keeps your site structure clean and protects your SEO from broken or missing pages.
3. Internal linking suggestions
Yoast Premium work as SEO specialists and scans your content and recommends relevant internal links as you write. This enhances internal search accuracy and site structure, keeps users engaged and makes your pages easier for search engines to crawl.
This further helps you build stronger internal links, improve user navigation and reduce orphaned content. It’s especially useful for larger websites with lots of content.
You’ll spend less time searching for what to link and more time optimizing your content.
4. 24/7 support
With Yoast SEO Premium, you get access to 24/7 premium customer support from knowledgeable SEO specialists that understands SEO and WordPress. They respond within an average of 10 seconds during business hours with a 30-second SLA, helping you resolve issues without delay.
5. Social previews for Facebook & X
Yoast premium also includes live previews for Facebook and X (formerly Twitter). This feature lets you see exactly how your posts will appear on these platforms before publishing. This ensures better social media integration and can improve how your content performs on different platforms.
It’s a small detail, but it can help your content look polished across every channel.
Check your website SEO rank now!!!
Now that you know what Yoast Premium offers, the next step is deciding whether it’s the right fit for your goals.
When to upgrade to Yoast Premium?
Not every website needs the advanced tools that Yoast SEO Premium offers. But for the right users, the upgrade can make a big difference. Whether you’re publishing content regularly, managing a team or trying to grow traffic, Premium is built to save time and improve performance.
1. Frequent content creators
If you publish new content regularly, the Premium plugin can significantly streamline your SEO workflow.
Features like multi-keyphrase optimization, internal linking suggestions and the Redirect Manager help you manage on site SEO effectively faster without relying on extra plugins or manual work.
This makes it a great choice for blogs, editorial sites or businesses with active content calendars.
2. Users who want expert support
New to SEO or need help along the way? Premium includes 24/7 access to Yoast’s support team, ready to assist with any questions or issues related to functionality, bugs, refunds and more. They respond within seconds during business hours, so you can get fast answers to technical or strategic questions without delays.
For in-depth SEO guidance, Yoast also offers comprehensive courses some of which are free. You also get built-in guidance throughout your workflow; ideal for marketers and website owners who want peace of mind while publishing.
3. Sites needing better content structure and content cleanup
Yoast Premium helps you clean up messy or outdated content with orphaned content tracking, internal linking suggestions and guided SEO workouts. These tools show you where content is underperforming or disconnected, then guide you through fixing it.
You also get support outside WordPress through the Yoast Google Docs integration, which lets you write and optimize content directly in Google Docs using Yoast SEO analysis. This way, you can focus on changes that have the most impact.
Whether you’re optimizing an old blog or scaling a product catalog, Premium SEO courses give you the structure and direction needed for effective SEO improvements. Over time, this ensures your content remains relevant, connected and ready to perform in search results.
Ready to unlock powerful SEO tools? Get Bluehost Hosting + Yoast SEO Premium and optimize your content with confidence.
Also read: How to Purchase Yoast SEO Plugin?
SEO results: Will Yoast Premium help me rank higher?
Yoast SEO Premium plugin offers more functionality and support. But ranking higher in search engine results depends on more than just your plugin.
Let’s break down what you can expect from both versions when it comes to actual performance.
Free version of Yoast can still help your site perform well
The free Yoast SEO plugin gives you the core tools you need to optimize content for search engines.
It supports SEO titles, meta descriptions and lets you target one focus keyphrase per page. The plugin includes basic SEO analysis and readability checks.
If you’re publishing high-quality content and following best practices, you’re already on the right track. With a solid site structure, you can absolutely rank well using the free version of Yoast SEO.
For many website owners, especially beginners or small sites, the free tools are more than enough to start improving visibility.
Premium offers more tools, not guaranteed rankings
Upgrading to Yoast SEO Premium gives you advanced tools like multiple keywords, internal linking suggestions and a redirect manager.
These help you improve efficiency and consistency across larger or more complex sites. But they don’t guarantee you’ll rank higher.
Search rankings also depend on content quality, backlinks, site speed, mobile usability and competition. No plugin can fully control these things.
That said, the Yoast SEO Premium version does make it easier to optimize at scale and avoid common SEO errors. So, while it doesn’t promise better rankings, it certainly helps you work smarter toward that goal.
While Yoast SEO sets the foundation for great SEO, there are other Yoast SEO tools are worth taking a look.
Additional Yoast tools that extend your SEO workflow
Along with free and premium version, Yoast also offers a few specialized tools that support broader optimization needs. These include solutions for eCommerce stores, enterprise writers and multi-platform content teams. For example, Yoast SEO AI+ provides deeper brand analysis across AI tools and platforms. It helps creators and brands to get complete toolkit to monitor and improve brand visibility across search engine and AI platforms.
For online stores, Yoast SEO integrates with Shopify and WooCommerce helping eCommerce stores to enhance product visibility. It offers AI optimized eCommerce metadata, structured product details and cleaner category pages. While these add-ons are optional, they support merchants who need more control over how their product pages appear in search.
These Yoast add-ons broaden your SEO capabilities, while Bluehost can strengthen that SEO foundation even further.
How can Bluehost help you get more out of Yoast SEO?
Yoast SEO works best when supported by reliable, optimized hosting. At Bluehost, we provide everything you need to get the most out of both the free and Premium versions of Yoast.
Our platform is fully compatible with Yoast Premium features like News SEO, Local SEO and Video SEO, so you can expand your optimization strategy as your site grows. From seamless plugin integration to built-in performance features, we help you build an SEO-friendly site that’s ready to rank.
Also read: How to Use Yoast SEO WordPress Plugin
1. WordPress hosting optimized for SEO tools
Our WordPress hosting is built to fully support SEO-focused plugins like Yoast SEO without any technical setup. Whether you’re using the free plugin or upgrading to Yoast SEO Premium, our infrastructure is optimized to help your site run smoothly and efficiently.
Key benefits:
- Pre-configured for WordPress and Yoast SEO plugin compatibility
- Seamless performance across Yoast SEO Free and Premium features
- Built-in staging, backups and automatic updates
- Optimized infrastructure for fast load times and high uptime
- Scalable plans to grow with your site and content needs
Also read: Optimize Your Content in Google Docs with the Yoast SEO Add-on
2. Built-in performance and security features
Search engines prioritize fast, secure websites and so do we. Bluehost includes essential technical SEO features with every plan. These features support better performance. They also improve security and increase trust with both visitors and search engines.
Key benefits:
- Free SSL certificate for secure, encrypted browsing
- Cloudflare CDN to improve global content load times
- Built-in caching tools to speed up your site
- Automatic malware scanning and firewall protection
- Supports technical SEO improvements without extra plugins
Also read: How to Get Free SSL Certificate in 2025?
3. Plugin compatibility and one-click install
Getting started with Yoast SEO Premium is easy with Bluehost. You can install the plugin directly visiting Marketplace in your Bluehost dashboard in one click at discounted rate. We ensure full compatibility with both free and Premium versions.
Key benefits:
- One-click Yoast SEO installation with no manual steps
- Compatible with premium features and Yoast SEO add-ons
- Seamless integration with WooCommerce SEO, Local SEO, Video SEO and News SEO modules
- Hosting environment optimized to prevent plugin conflicts
- Access to the Bluehost Marketplace for more SEO-focused tools
Final thoughts
The free and premium versions of Yoast SEO offer valuable tools to improve your site’s visibility in search engine results. If you’re just starting out, the free plugin provides enough functionality to help you learn the basics and optimize content confidently.
Yoast SEO Premium is the perfect choice for websites that need more advanced SEO tools and content optimization features. If you’re managing a growing site, it offers tools that save time and improve structure. It’s also ideal if you publish content frequently and need support with ongoing optimization.
Features like multiple focus keywords, internal linking suggestions and the redirect manager make it worth the upgrade. Whichever Yoast SEO version you choose, pairing it with reliable, SEO-optimized hosting makes all the difference. At Bluehost, we offer the speed, security and plugin compatibility you need to get the most from your WordPress SEO tools, right from the start.
Host Smarter. Optimize Faster. Start with Bluehost.
FAQs
Yoast SEO Premium offers a yearly subscription billed at $9.90/month when paid annually (pricing as of November 20, 2025), not a one-time purchase. Your subscription includes updates, new features and access to all Premium tools for one year. You’ll also get every new feature release and 24/7 premium support during that time. You can renew annually to keep all Premium features active.
No, the free version of Yoast SEO provides basic on-page SEO guidance. It includes SEO analysis, readability checks, one focus keyphrase optimization per page with meta title and description editing.
Upgrading to Premium adds more advanced features like multiple keyphrase optimization, smart internal linking suggestions, the Redirect Manager and more.
No, SEO plugin can guarantee higher rankings. Yoast SEO Premium offers tools that help you optimize more effectively. But your performance in search engine results also depends on content quality, competition and technical factors like site speed.
No. You cannot use both versions at the same time. Yoast SEO Premium replaces the free plugin and includes all its features, plus additional Premium functionality like the Redirect Manager, social previews and support for multiple focus keyphrases.
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