GPL Plugins: Best WordPress Clubs and Websites!

GPL WordPress plugins have gained a lot of attention, but many users still don’t fully understand what they are, where to find them, or whether they are safe to use.

If you’ve explored different ways to build a WordPress site, you’ve probably come across platforms offering GPL plugins, even so-called hosting providers.

In this guide, I’ll break down everything you need to know about GPL WordPress plugins, from what they are to the best places to get them.

You’ll discover both official websites that offer GPL plugins and redistributed GPL clubs, so you can make an informed decision.

By the end, you’ll know where to find the best GPL plugins, how they compare to redistributed versions, and whether using them is the right choice for your website.

Let’s go!

Understanding GPL on WordPress

Before diving into GPL WordPress plugins and the best platforms to get them, it’s crucial to understand what the General Public License (GPL) means in the context of WordPress.

What is GPL?

The GNU General Public License (GPL) is an open-source license that grants users the freedom to use, modify, and redistribute software. WordPress itself operates under the GPL license, meaning that:

• Any software derived from WordPress (themes, plugins, etc.) must also be GPL-licensed.
• Developers cannot restrict users from modifying or redistributing their themes and plugins.
  

This licensing model ensures that WordPress remains open-source, allowing developers to create premium themes and plugins while still complying with GPL terms.

Are all WordPress Plugins GPL?

Not all plugins are fully GPL-compliant, but according to WordPress guidelines, any plugin hosted on WordPress.org must be GPL. However, some premium plugin providers restrict parts of their products, such as design elements and proprietary code, making them partially GPL.

Why Does GPL Matter?

Understanding GPL is important because it explains why redistributed WordPress plugins exist. Since GPL allows redistribution, some websites (often called GPL clubs) legally resell or share premium plugins at a lower cost or even for free.

However, while redistribution is legal, it raises questions about ethical use, support, and security, which we’ll explore further.

GPL WordPress Plugins Overview

What are GPL WordPress Plugins?

A GPL WordPress plugin is simply a WordPress plugin released under the GPL license, meaning users can:

• Install it on unlimited websites
• Modify the plugin’s code to fit their needs
• Redistribute or share it without legal issues
  

These plugins come in two main categories:

1. Official GPL WordPress Plugins – These are plugins offered by reputable companies, theme marketplaces, and developers while maintaining GPL compliance.

2. Redistributed GPL Plugins – These are copies of premium plugins shared by GPL clubs.

Next, let’s explore the best GPL WordPress plugins, highlighting their features.

Best GPL WordPress Plugins (WordPress/WooCommerce)

If you’re looking for high-quality GPL-compliant WordPress plugins, here are some of the best options:

PS. Artificial intelligence is all the rage at the moment. Ensure you see the list of the best AI WordPress Plugins.

1. Rank Math SEO

Rank Math is the Swiss army knife of WordPress SEO.

It’s an all-in-one plugin that covers all the areas of search engine optimization, simplifying and fastening the process for beginners and experts.

The plugin has become one of the first-few items to install after making a site live.

2. LiteSpeed Cache

Litespeed cache is a free caching plugin developed by Litespeed Technologies to satisfy the Litespeed hosting.

Websites hosted on the Litespeed server will especially find the plugin useful.

It covers page optimization, Image optimization as well as Database optimization, all in one plugin.

It’s one of the best caching plugins for fast loading times.

3. Elementor

Elementor is a drag-and-drop page builder for WordPress.

The plugin makes it so easy to have a professional-looking website without the need for mastering coding and web development.

4. UpdraftPlus

UpdraftPlus is by far the best backup plugin for WordPress.

Its free version is sufficient!

With the plugin installed, you’ll be safe from the pains of losing your hard work.

5. Link Whisper

Link Whisper is a tool that covers a particular portion of SEO — i.e., internal linking.

The plugin reduces the work and time involved in smart internal linking. It does that by offering internal linking suggestions as you do your stuff on WordPress.

These plugins are GPL compliant while being fully supported by their developers. But if you’re looking for redistributed GPL plugins, the next section will cover the best sources.

Redistributed GPL WordPress Plugins Explained

Redistributed GPL plugins are premium plugins shared by third-party sites (GPL club websites). These sites take paid plugins and redistribute them at low costs or for free, legally leveraging the GPL license.

How Do GPL Clubs Operate?

• They purchase premium GPL plugins legally.
• They redistribute these plugins without the original developer’s support.
• They charge a membership fee for access to multiple themes and plugins.
  

This can be a cost-effective way to test premium plugins before purchasing them directly from developers. However, it has risks, which we’ll discuss in the safety section.

You can learn more about GPL clubs and how they operate.

Best GPL Plugin Websites (WordPress/WooCommerce)

These are official sources where you can download legitimate GPL plugins directly from developers.

Of note: People confuse GPL plugin websites and GPL plugins to be GPL Clubs and GPL club’s plugins respectively. But the actual meaning of GPL plugins is this — original WordPress products coming from developers. The name for the offerings of GPL clubs should be — shared or redistributed GPL.

1. WordPress.org

WordPress.org is the official home of free WordPress plugins.

Every plugin listed here follows strict coding standards.

Since these plugins are actively maintained by developers, users enjoy regular updates and support from the WordPress community.

For anyone looking for safe and free GPL plugins, this is the best place to start.

2. CodeCanyon

CodeCanyon is a marketplace under Envato, packed with premium WordPress plugins.

Not all plugins here are GPL, but many come with GPL-compatible licenses.

Unlike free repositories, plugins from CodeCanyon include dedicated customer support.

It’s a great option for those who need advanced features and professional support.

3. WPMU DEV

WPMU DEV is home to premium WordPress plugins for security, performance, and site management.

Unlike GPL clubs that strip away updates and support, WPMU DEV provides full documentation and expert assistance.

Their plugins are especially useful for businesses and agencies looking for long-term reliability.

For users who want premium tools with official updates, it’s worth considering.

4. WordPress.com

WordPress.com provides a curated selection of GPL plugins, but only for users on its paid plans.

Unlike WordPress.org, where plugins are freely available, WordPress.com bundles them with hosting services for convenience.

Users benefit from automatic updates and dedicated support, making it a hands-free solution.

Let’s now look at the perverted version of it — GPL Clubs!

Best GPL Plugin Websites & Clubs (Redistributed)

If you’re looking for affordable access to premium WordPress themes and plugins, GPL plugin clubs are an alternative to buying from official developers.

These platforms legally redistribute GPL-licensed products, giving users access to thousands of premium themes and plugins for a fraction of the cost.

However, not all GPL websites are safe and trustworthy. Some distribute outdated or malicious files, so it’s important to choose reputable platforms.

Below are the best GPL plugin sites, ranked based on product availability, security, reputation, pricing, and user experience.

Note: This Page only compared GPL Club’s based on plugins. To see a comparison based on Themes, you may want to see our page — Best GPL Theme sites. Alternatively, you can check it once for all, on our page — Best GPL WordPress Clubs (where both plugins/themes were considered).

1. PluginsForWP – Best Overall GPL Plugin Club

Why PluginsForWP is #1

Pluginsforwp focuses on WordPress plugins and themes.

While it has the mix of two, it has more plugins than themes. This helped paved her the way on the #1 spot.

Pluginsforwp boasts a staggering number of 6,700+ GPL plugins that add different functionalities to websites.

From personal experience, I have always found what I was looking for (even if it’s highly rare) here than in other places.

The platform has a Plugin manager that allows you to do automatic upgrades on WordPress.

Key Features:

• Over 6,700 WordPress themes
• Plugin manager for automatic upgrades.
  

Who Should Use PluginsForWP?

If you want to use the best overall GPL plugin club that also has automatic upgrade function, choose Pluginsforwp.

Or read Pluginsforwp review.

2. Srmehranclub – 2nd choice for a GPL Plugin site

Why Srmehranclub is 2

Srmehranclub is the largest and one of the best GPL clubs, offering over 40,000+ products, including non-wordpress solutions. It stands out due to its huge product library, automatic updates, and value for web developers.

When it comes to plugins, Srmehranclub packs over 4,700 plugins that add diverse functionalities to websites.

It has two proprietary features/plugins — Toolkit Update and Templates Kits.

These are two of the three plugins offered by Srmehranclub.

The Toolkit Update helps web developers to manage automatic upgrades for their installed plugins and themes across different websites.

The Template Kits pack the whole of Elementor kits which is all you need to make fascinating websites.

With all of these, Srmehranclub qualified for the #2 GPL Plugin site. If not its lower number of plugins than Pluginsforwp, it could have been the first.

It’s worth noting that Srmehranclub takes the #1 position for the best GPL theme website.

Note: For WordPress, Srmehranclub has 18,200+ solutions. More than 4,700 of them are WordPress plugins.

Key Features:

• Over 4,700 WordPress Plugins
• Automatic Upgrades on WordPress
• Template Kits Plugin for Elementor kits
• Toolkit Update for multi-site upgrade management for themes and plugins
  

Who Should Use Srmehranclub?

If you want one of the best clubs for GPL Plugins, Srmehranclub ranks in the second position.

If you want the overall best GPL theme club, Srmehranclub is the option.

Or read Srmehranclub review.

3. WorldPressIT – One of the best GPL Plugin sites

Why WorldPressIT is 3

WorldPressIT is one of the trusted GPL clubs whose portfolio of services also include web hosting.

When you get their hosting package, these GPL WordPress Plugins and Themes are included for free.

The platform packs over 4,700+ plugins that adds diverse functions to WordPress.

As opposed to the other GPL plugin clubs on the list, WorldPressIT doesn’t offer automatic upgrades on WordPress. Therefore, you’ll still pass through the pains involved in installing updates manually.

Key Features:

• Over 4,700 WordPress plugins
  

Who Should Use WorldPressIT?

If you want one of the best GPL plugin websites, WorldPressIT is a great option.

Or read WorldPressIT review.

4. GPL Vault – Safest GPL plugin Club

Why GPL Vault is 4

GPL Vault is one of the oldest GPL plugin websites. In fact, early WP users used it to reduce the high cost.

According to my review of GPL Vault, it seems to refresh its products more than the ones on our best list. Though, it’s the least when it comes to library size.

As a result, we consider GPL Vault to be the safest GPL club.

The platform deals with top WordPress solutions. And it’s good at maintaining them properly.

Unless you need less-popular plugins and themes, GPL Vault will give you the best security.

I have digressed…

For plugins, GPL Vault has over 2,800. And all are perhaps up-to-date and in good condition.

The platform connects to WordPress via API where it sends you automatic upgrades so that you’re always current with the developer’s version.

Key Features:

• Over 2,800 plugins
• Regular Updates than others
• Automatic Upgrades on WordPress
  

Who Should Use GPL Vault?

If you only need indispensable and top wordpress, GPL Vault will satisfy you best owing to their active maintenance and updates.

Or read GPL Vault review.

Which is the Best GPL Plugin Club for You? (Comparison)

The best GPL plugin club websites are summarized according to the terms below.

• Best for library size: Pluginsforwp
• Most feature-rich: Srmehranclub
• Best Overall: Pluginsforwp (Largest selection, best for plugins)
• 2nd position: Srmehranclub
• 3rd Position: WorldPressIT
• Best for security (frequent updates): GPL Vault

Each of these GPL plugin sites has different strengths, so choose based on your needs.

The Safety and Legality of GPL Plugins (Redistributed)

The safety of redistributed GPL plugins can vary based on the mode of acquisition and the GPL club involved.

A good number of GPL clubs nowadays no longer maintain active subscription from actual developers. Instead, here’s what they do — they obtain from their fellow clubs who have later versions than them.

Because of this reason, it’s vital to know where you’re getting your items from.

If you’re going with any of the platforms that appeared on the list, you have better odds.

At least, we have used them a lot which is why we reviewed them.

What am I trying to say — there’s a vulnerability concern that goes with sharing and sharing again. It’s better that the GPL items are gotten from the makers directly.

Another area to look at when evaluating the safety of GPL clubs is the actual platform in question.

Old platforms like GPL Vault and trusted places like Srmehranclub, WorldPressIT and Pluginsforwp have positive intentions. And they make money from it too.

So adding so-called backdoors and threats to their solution would only cause their downfall. And it’s the last thing they will do.

But don’t misquote me, when I say the platforms are mostly safe to use, I don’t mean all of its products have been scanned against top security measures. Instead, I mean, proper vetting has been conducted on the products we have downloaded from them.

Let’s go to the legality side of it —

The GPL license which governs WordPress made these GPL clubs to be legal on every side.

Precisely, the ‘right to distribute copies’ in the GPL freedoms legalized GPL club’s movement.

Developers benefit from the open source spirit as well as users, the consumers.

Developers build with freedom with the right to use, modify and so on. Users access and distribute their work under the same umbrella — A win-win situation.

And that’s the reason WordPress is the #1 CMS today.

Conclusion

In this post, we explored the best GPL WordPress Plugins and also where to get them.

We made a bold differentiation between official GPL plugins and those offered by GPL plugin clubs.

We covered the ins and outs that revolve around WordPress plugins and the GPL.

If you want to explore further, you can check the best gpl club websites (plugins and themes are considered here).

Alternatively also check out GPL wordpress themes and where to get them, even the offerings of GPL clubs.

FAQs

Are GPL Plugins safe?

GPL plugins are originally items that come from developers, WordPress.org and similar platforms.

Of course, they are mostly safe to use as opposed to GPL club’s downloads which can come with potential risks.

What are the best GPL WordPress Plugins?

The best GPL WordPress plugins include Rank Math, Litespeed cache, Elementor, UpdraftPlus, and Link Whisper. These plugins come with better functionality than the rest.

What are the best Woocommerce GPL Plugins?

Some of the best Woocommerce GPL plugins include MonsterInsights, OptinMonster, Email Marketing by Omnisend and Flexible Shipping.

Are all WordPress Plugins GPL?

WordPress made it a law for its derivatives including plugins to be GPL-compliant. Yes, all WordPress plugins are GPL.

However, not all WordPress plugins are 100% GPL.

What are the differences between GPL plugins and reshared ones?

GPL plugins are generally WordPress plugins that have passed the safety benchmark required for publishing on the CMS.

Reshared or redistributed GPL plugins are simply copies/modifications of original WordPress products scattered across GPL website clubs.

Are distributed GPL Plugins safe?

Distributed GPL Plugins from the platform we recommend are mostly safe to use.

Still, users must exercise caution by rescanning downloaded items before installing.

Are GPL Plugins legal? (distributed)

GPL plugins found on GPL website clubs are perfectly legal due to the General Public License.

It’s not an illegal activity to distribute WordPress derivatives!

What are the best websites that redistribute GPL plugins for free?

The best GPL website will be based on features like Regular Updates, Automatic Upgrades, and Trustworthiness.

The likes of Pluginsforwp and Srmehranclub are contenders.

Should I use GPL Plugins or Reshared ones?

You have that question to answer!

But here’s my stance — It’s understandable to use distributed GPL Plugins for short-term purposes like testing or review.

Any other thing beyond that should be considered unethical and harmful to actual developers.