I am well aware that there are plenty of posts and articles already written on this subject, and I am by no means trying to create a definitive list of the best WordPress plugins out there.  I simply am sharing the ones I use the most, and explaining a little bit about them.  I will continue to update this list as more plugins join the ranks.  If you have any suggestions about other plugins you like, please feel free to comment below.  Here goes!

FREE PLUGINS:

All-in-One SEO Pack

Image Credit: newmediawords.biz

No brainer.  This is on every one of these lists and there is a reason: it is easy and effective.  This makes it quick and simple to add the title, description, and keywords to each one of your pages and blog posts.  If you’re building on the WordPress platform and you’re not using this plugin, you need to check yo’self.

Exclude Pages from Navigation

This is a simple plugin that gives you the option to remove pages from your main navigation.  Just check a box and it is hidden from the world!  Nuff’ said.

Theme My Login

This plugin is not essential by any means, but I like it anyway.  Theme My Login does exactly what it says: it applies your current theme to the WordPress login page.  On a site like this one where I am the only person logging in, it doesn’t make a difference.  But on a page with lots of users it adds a nice professional touch.

WP Captcha Free

Image Credit: Mylivepromoter.com

This plugin blocks comment spam without making the commenter fill out a captcha.  I don’t know how it works, but I love it.

WP Super Cache

This is another one that seems to pop up on a lot of lists.  WP Super Cache is a static caching plugin that generates html files that are served directly by Apache without processing comparatively heavy PHP scripts.  This plugin is free (although you can make a donation at their website) and is essential for speeding up your WordPress site (as all that PHP code can be slow to load on a lot of computers/browsers).

PREMIUM PLUGINS:

Sociable for WordPress

Image Credit: Webseoanalytics.com

This plugin has a free version and a premium version, but the premium version only costs $5.00 so why not?  This plugin makes it incredibly easy to add buttons to your posts and pages that allow users to easily share your WordPress site on Twitter, Facebook, Digg, StumbleUpon, Blogger, Google, Yahoo, and just about any other social media outlet you can think of.   It also has the option to add a “Printer-friendly” button in case people want to print your posts.  The premium version adds a Facebook “Like” button, let’s you link up with Bit.ly for short links, and other cool options for all your social media needs.  This is a must have!

Matthew Ruddy’s Premium Slider

Image Credit: Matthew Ruddy

This slider isn’t particularly cheap (15 Euro – about 20 bucks U.S.), but it is worth it.  With so many options to change the size, appearance, and javascript sliding effects, this plugin can be used on 100 websites and never look quite the same (I used it on my portfolio page).  It is classy, easy-to-use, and Matthew Ruddy generally is readily available to answer questions about this excellent plugin.