Do You Really Need That Plugin? - Warren Laine-Naida

Last Updated on June 25, 2025

Sustainable WordPress Design Starts with Fewer Add-ons

WordPress is brilliant. It gives us everything we need to build just about any kind of website. But like any tool, it can be overused. And plugins – those handy little extras – can quickly pile up.

In fact, too many plugins can slow your site, break your layout, introduce security risks, and use more energy than necessary. Every line of code takes power to run. Every external script makes a server call. It all adds up.

So today, let’s take a look at some common plugins and explore how we can replace them – or avoid them altogether.

Because yes, you can build a fast, clean, sustainable WordPress site without 30 plugins.

balloons floating in a blue sky surrounded by clouds and trees

Why Fewer Plugins Matter

Fewer plugins mean:

Less code = faster websites
Less server load = less energy used
Less maintenance = fewer things to fix
More control = less guesswork

A lighter website isn’t just good for the planet – it’s also faster for your visitors and easier for you to manage.

“Sometimes too much of a good thing turns bad. We’ve all eaten too many wings, listened to too much Taylor Swift, and logged in to those websites with 75 plugins, none of which are up to date, right?” Rocket.net

11 Plugins You Can Probably Live Without (and What to Do Instead)

Contact Form Plugins

Try this instead: Use a mailto: link or a basic HTML form connected to Formspree or Netlify Forms.

No need for a plugin if you’re not collecting information.

Image Optimisation Plugins

Try this instead: Compress your images before uploading with TinyPNG or export directly from Canva or Photoshop in web-friendly sizes.

Less clutter, better results.

Sliders and Carousels

Try this instead: Don’t use them. One strong image and a headline work better for most visitors. And they load faster, too.

Sliders are usually skipped anyway—and they drain resources.

SEO Plugins

Try this instead: Set your SEO titles and descriptions in your theme. If you want help, go with a lightweight option like The SEO Framework.

Or just focus on writing good content. That’s still the best SEO. WordPress has a sitemap.xml out of the box too.

Google Fonts Plugins

Try this instead: Use system fonts like Arial or Georgia. Or self-host only the font weights you need.

No third-party requests = faster load times.

Page Builders

Try this instead: Stick with the block editor. Gutenberg has come a long way. Most websites don’t need 100 layout options.

Simple is powerful.

“Fun Fact: A page builder can often replace the need for other plugins, enabling you to reduce the overall weight of your site.” Warren Laine-Naida – Afraid Page Builders are Slowing Down Your Website?

Analytics Plugins

Try this instead: Use Plausible or Fathom. No cookies, no bloat.

Or ask yourself: Do I even need detailed analytics?

Cookie and GDPR Plugins

Try this instead: If you don’t collect personal data or use trackers, a simple privacy page will do.

Less code, less confusion.

Social Sharing Plugins

Try this instead: Use plain links. They’re just URLs. You can even style them with CSS.

No scripts, no tracking, no delay.

Backup Plugins

Try this instead: Let your hosting provider handle backups, or do it manually. takes 15 minutes.

Most good hosts include backups in your plan anyway. Or they should!

Redirect Plugins

Try this instead: If you only need a few redirects, add them manually to your .htaccess file or use your hosting dashboard – many offer simple redirect tools.

Plugins are powerful, but overkill for a handful of links. Each plugin still loads code site-wide, even when not in use.

Keep it lean. Fewer moving parts means fewer things to go wrong.

“Admittedly, different types of businesses or websites will have their own unique requirements. But it’s still extremely common to see way more plugins installed than the amount required for the site to function.” Mike Hindle – Sustainable WordPress Websites

Care for Your Website = Care for the Web

When we reduce the digital clutter on our websites, we make life better for:

Our visitors (faster pages)
Ourselves (less to maintain)
The planet (less energy used)

Digital sustainability isn’t about doing less – it’s about doing things smarter.
WordPress gives us flexibility. Let’s use it with care.

Ready for a Digital Clean-Up?

Here’s a quick checklist to start with:

Audit your plugins. What do you actually use?
Remove anything that loads on every page but doesn’t need to.
Replace what you can with lighter alternatives.
Set yourself a plugin limit (most of my sites use five plugins: optimiser, cookies, seo, security, contact form).

Keep your website clean and light. You’ll be amazed how much faster everything runs – and how much easier those monthly updates are.