Below is a list of services and plugins that we've tested to be compatible with our recommended setup, and offer support for.
Incompatible simply means that we don't offer support for sites with the plugin installed because of issues we've encountered on other sites.
As a general philosophy, users land on your site looking for the recipe and that can be delivered with a very simple, basic HTML page. Anything that adds clutter and complexity to this one simple task is going to negatively impact user experience, and cause you maintenance and troubleshooting headaches.
Except for Yoast, WP Rocket, newsletter signups, recipe cards and ads, you want to avoid embedding unnecessary plugins like the plague (or be prepared to pay a lot of money for developer help).
Jump to:
Pagespeed
For simplicity sake, let's just say that the ONLY pagespeed plugin you need is WP Rocket. Ditch anything else.
Incompatible
- Jetpack
- Jetpack Boost
- Autoptimize
- SGOptimizer
- Flying images
- W3 Total Cache
- WP Super Cache
- WP Optimize
Compatible
Pagebuilders
Incompatible
- Beaverbuilder
- Publishpress
- Elementor
- Divi
- Visual composer
- Themify
Compatible
None - use the block editor
Pagebuilders are used to build landing pages with specific styles and custom functionality, and while they can be useful for specific landing pages, they simply aren't appropriate for recipe posts.
Gutenberg
Incompatible
- Disable Gutenberg
- Classic Editor
Compatible
None - use the block editor
As of 2021, everybody should be using the block editor ("Gutenberg").
SEO
Incompatible
- Redirection
- Rankmath
Compatible
While Yoast implements a lot of necessary parts (such as schema), it isn't going to do the SEO work for you - you still need to do keyword research. Ignore Yoasts content suggestions in the post editor.
Accessibility
Incompatible
- Accessibe
- Userway
- pojo / one-click accessibility
Compatible
None
Accessibility plugins do NOTHING to help you, and actually make you less compliant. See this resource on accessibility plugins.
Security
Incompatible
- Really Simple SSL
Compatible
A proper host (eg. BigScoots, Agathon)
Analytics
Incompatible
- MonsterInsights
- Google Analytics Dashboard WP (GAD WP)
- Google Analytics for WordPress
- Sitekit by Google
Compatible
Embed the analytics code manually - you don't need stats in the dashboard
Non essential
These plugins are either part of an outdated setup, or interfere with modern best practices and should be removed.
Incompatible
- Gallery (of any kind)
- Lightbox (of any kind)
- Instagram widgets (of any kind)
- Javascript-based filter
- Woocommerce
- WP User Avatar
- Better click to tweet
Compatible
Just remove them
Image optimization
Incompatible
- Smush
- SGOptimizer
- Jetpack
Compatible
Social
Incompatible
- Shareaholic
- Social warfare
Compatible
Grow by Mediavine
Comments
We recommend relying on the core WordPress comment system rather than unreliable third-party services.
Incompatible
- WP Discuz
- Disqus
- Thrive comments
- Jetpack comments
- Commentluv
Compatible
Remove it and rely on the core WordPress comments system
Website owners are also responsible under the GDPR for which third parties they allow on their websites.
Disqus fined 2,500,000 Euro over GDPR violations
Recipe Card
Incompatible
- Zip recipes
- Easy recipes
- Recipe card blocks
- WP Ultimate Recipe
- Blossom recipe maker
- Cooked
- Cookbook
Compatible
- WP Recipe Maker
- Create
- Tasty Recipes
Forms
Incompatible
- WP Forms
- Contact Form 7
- WPForms
- Ninja forms
- Gravity forms
- Jetpack
Compatible
Non - simply list your email address on the contact page and make sure you're using Cloudflare to block bots
Consent banners
For GDPR and CCPA, there are various laws you need to comply with. Unfortunately this is a very specific and technical area, that we specialize in as a theme company, so we can't officially recommend or support this.
Non plugins
We also recommend removing javascript/links to "badges" or "networks" as these provide no user value and only benefit the site being linked to, not you eg.
- foodgawker
- healthyaperture
- gluten free blog network
- finding vegan
- "top 100 blogs" etc.
- nfca
If these were implemented by loading javascript or external images, they can have serious negative impacts on pagespeed and CLS.
We also recommended removing:
- anything in the "Before Header" widget area, as this can cause CLS issues
- any category drop-down menu (recipe index, sidebar)
- any date-based filtering option
Kristi says
Very useful! Thank you. I had web redesign done before I added the Feast plugin and the designer added some plugins that don't think I'm using but am not entirely sure, and I'm a little scared to remove them without being entirely confident that my site doesn't need them. Is there any way to know for sure which plugins are REALLY being used or is their someone who can do a plugin audit for me?
Thanks!
Kristi
http://www.true-north-kitchen.com
Skylar says
We've put together a service to do this for you: https://feastdesignco.com/product/pagespeed-audit
Keith says
Any thoughts on
W3 Total Cache for pagespeed
and
Google Sitekit for analytics?
Skylar says
The only caching plugin we recommend or support is WP Rocket. W3 Total Cache doesn't do an adequate job and doesn't have the dozen other features WP Rocket has.
Sitekit seems buggy and is an inferior experience to the normal Google Analytics interface. There's no need to have embedded analytics.
Joana says
Thank you so much for this! Quite useful and imediately saw results on google page speed insights! Just a small question concerning Woocommerce. I am about to launch some digital products and was thinking of using woocommerce. Is it totally incompatible with the theme? Do you have any suggestions?
Skylar says
We don't recommend or support woocommerce: https://feastdesignco.com/how-to/set-up-woocommerce-shop-genesis/
You're free to ignore this, but we won't offer any assistance with troubleshooting issues that may be related to woocommerce being installed.
Recipe sites simply do not have the right type of traffic to run a successful ecommerce site - the revenue it generates is never worth it. Recipe traffic is not purchase intent traffic. Woocommerce adds too much complexity for a recipe site to operate successfully. They're two different businesses entirely.
Kelly Stilwell says
Super helpful! Thanks for all you do!
Kaitlin says
Any thoughts on Akismet (anti-spam plugin)?
Ayla Clulee says
I have Akismet anti-spam and jetpack as well as WPRocket. After reading this, I am thinking do I really need them all together?
Thank you
Ayla
Skylar says
Akistmet and WP Rocket are fine as they perform separate functions. We recommend removing Jetpack 100% of the time - no questions asked.
Ayla Clulee says
Thank you, Skylar!
What do you recommend I use to check the site stats in detail? That's why I am using the Jetpack plugin.
Skylar says
Manually implementing Google Analytics is the best route: https://feastdesignco.com/how-to/add-google-analytics-tracking-code/
Checking site stats "just because" should be avoided - analytics is a tool to answer specific, useful questions. Daily traffic numbers are meaningless.
Ayla Clulee says
Ok, thank you very much!
Cheryl says
Hi. Great list, thanks!
1) You mentioned removing javascript/links to "badges" or "networks". I submit images to Foodgawker. Is that the same thing?
2) Re Analytics, I have GA Dashboard but it is deactivated. Is it ok to delete it? I do use Site Kit by Google. Where do I embed GA manually in order to delete Site Kit?
3) Re Gutenberg, are you saying you can't use Classic Editor too? I still have many in the Classic editor (haven't converted all my posts yet). Is this bad?
4) I have WP Rocket, but also Jetpack ONLY for stats (which I love). To what extent will this hurt my site.
5) You said we shouldn't have category menu drop downs? Isnt this critical to navigation?
Thanks for your advice, Cheryl
Skylar says
Hey Cheryl!
1) Yes, this includes any external site including FoodGawker. There's ZERO reason for you to link to these sites and send your readers to them. Your goal is to keep readers on your site.
2) Tutorial: https://feastdesignco.com/how-to/add-google-analytics-tracking-code/
3) The block editor allows you to edit classic editor posts. Remove any gutenberg or "classic editor" plugin - there's no need for this and we've seen it cause major issues
4) We 100% recommend removing Jetpack in 100% of cases. We will not offer support for sites that have Jetpack installed at all.
5) See: https://feastdesignco.com/food-blog-site-structure/
The navigation menu is there to get you to indexes or actual pages. Drop down menus are bad for mobile devices. They're cumbersome for screen readers. We recommend against their use in almost all situations.
TheDashleys says
I am struggling to figure out how to deactivate and remove Jetpack from my plugins as I do not have a deactivate button available. Instead it says Jetpack is automatically managed for you. (I pay for WordPress Business) Appreciate your help with this.
Skylar says
Our themes and setup is not compatible with wordpress.com hosting. You should migrate to self-hosted WordPress immediately to avoid larger issues down the road. You can find our recommendations at https://feastdesignco.com/hosting/
Sam says
I'm looking to commit to your plugin, but I currently use JetPack for site backups. Do you have a recommended alternative for that?
Skylar says
Hosting is the primary source of backups. We see lots of people using Updraft Plus but this is outside our area of expertise and not something we can vouch for.