A WordPress maps plugin puts an interactive map on a page or post, with markers for your locations. The big choice is the map behind it: Google Maps, OpenStreetMap or the Leaflet library, and some plugins add store locators or region maps. Ten plugins follow in no particular order, with installs and ratings from the WordPress.org plugin directory, as of Oct 2026.
A maps plugin adds a map to your site with a block or a shortcode and lets you drop markers on your office, shop or venues. Most businesses only need one for a simple reason: to show people where to find them.
Where these plugins differ is the map service underneath, how many locations you need to show, and whether visitors should be able to search for the nearest one. The ten below are listed alphabetically and in no particular order, and each description comes from the plugin's own WordPress.org listing. If the map is there to help local customers find you, my Google Maps ranking factors cheat sheet covers the other half of the job.
How the ten map plugins were chosen
Every plugin here is listed in the WordPress.org plugin directory, and that listing is where the active installs band, the rating out of 5, the number of ratings, the publisher and the last updated date come from, as of Oct 2026. They cover Google Maps, OpenStreetMap, Leaflet and region maps, so you can compare the different approaches side by side. The free plan column says Yes only where the listing itself names a free version or free use. Not stated means it didn't, so read the listing before you install.
| Tool | Type | Good for | Free plan |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basic Google Maps Placemarks | Google Maps placemarks | Markers stored as their own post type | Not stated |
| Easy Google Maps | Google Maps builder | Unlimited maps, marker categories and map themes | Not stated |
| Leaflet Map | Leaflet map | Open-source maps with OpenStreetMap tiles | Not stated |
| MapGeo | Interactive region map | World, continent and country maps with regions | Not stated |
| MapPress | Map blocks | Map blocks for Gutenberg and the classic editor | Yes |
| Maps Widget for Google Maps | Google Maps widget | A map thumbnail that opens in a lightbox | Not stated |
| OSM | OpenStreetMap plugin | A single map with a marker, set up fast | Not stated |
| WP Go Maps | Google Maps, Leaflet and OpenLayers | Custom maps, a map block or a store locator | Yes |
| WP Maps | Multi-provider map plugin | Google Maps, OpenStreetMap or Mapbox with filters | Yes |
| WP Store Locator | Store locator | Helping customers find their nearest branch | Not stated |
Ten map plugins for WordPress sites
Basic Google Maps Placemarks
Best for: Adding markers to a Google Map as their own post type, then placing the map on a page with a shortcode.
Easy Google Maps
Best for: Describing each location with text and photos on an interactive Google Map, with marker categories, a filter and clustering.
Leaflet Map
Best for: People who want maps built on an open-source JavaScript library, with OpenStreetMap tiles by default and settings per map.
MapGeo
Best for: Colouring in regions on a world, continent or single country map, with coloured markers, rather than pinning street addresses.
MapPress
Best for: Unlimited maps and markers through Gutenberg map blocks or the classic editor, with no upgrade required, according to its listing.
Maps Widget for Google Maps
Best for: A quick Google Map shown as a thumbnail that opens in a lightbox, for sites that only need one map.
OSM
Best for: Getting a map with a marker onto a page fast, using OpenStreetMap rather than Google.
WP Go Maps
Best for: Adding a customised map, map block or store locator to posts and pages, with Google Maps, Leaflet or OpenLayers behind it.
WP Maps
Best for: Map listings with search, filters, marker categories and clustering, on Google Maps, OpenStreetMap or Mapbox.
WP Store Locator
Best for: Businesses with several branches, dealers or clinics that want customers to find the nearest one on OpenStreetMap.
Google Maps, OpenStreetMap or Leaflet underneath
Several plugins here are built around Google Maps, others use OpenStreetMap or the open-source Leaflet library, and a couple let you choose between providers. The store locator on this list says on its own listing that it runs on OpenStreetMap out of the box, with no API key and no Google account needed.
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That's the practical difference for a small business. A Google map is the one your customers already know, while the OpenStreetMap and Leaflet options keep Google out of the setup. Check each listing for what it needs before you start, so you're not stuck halfway through looking for a key.
Which map setup for which site
- One office or shop on a contact page: a simple widget or block that shows a single map with a marker.
- Lots of locations with search and filters: a plugin with marker categories, filters and clustering.
- Customers looking for their nearest branch: a store locator.
- Sales regions, coverage areas or a world map: an interactive region map rather than a street map.
- Keeping Google out of it: an OpenStreetMap or Leaflet plugin.
Rating counts tell a different story from installs
Leaflet Map shows 30,000+ active installs but only 58 ratings in the WordPress.org plugin directory, as of Oct 2026, while Maps Widget for Google Maps shows 512 ratings on 20,000+ active installs. So the plugin with fewer installs has far more people rating it.
A high score built on a few dozen ratings tells you much less than a slightly lower score built on hundreds. The Leaflet plugin's 4.9 is the highest rating on this list, but it rests on those 58 votes, so read the reviews and the support forum before you treat it as settled.
Getting a map onto your contact page
- Write down every location you want on the map, with the full address, before you install anything.
- Decide whether you need Google Maps, or whether OpenStreetMap will do the job.
- Check the plugin's last updated date and its number of ratings on WordPress.org.
- Add the map to one page first and check it on your phone, since plenty of people look up directions there.
- Make sure the address on the map matches the one on your Google Business Profile.
Do you make a WordPress maps plugin? Tool makers can ask to be considered for a featured place on this list.
Plain advice on picking a maps plugin
Match the plugin to the number of places you need to show. One location needs a simple map, a chain of shops needs a store locator, and a coverage area needs a region map. Pick the map service you're happy to set up, then look for plenty of ratings and a recent update, not just a high score.
A map on your site helps visitors, but for local search your reviews matter too. My guide to how reviews help your local map rankings explains why.
Want your tool on this list? Featured spots and reviews here are paid partnerships. Here's how to partner with me.
Frequently asked questions
What's the easiest way to add a map to WordPress?
Install a maps plugin, add your address as a marker, and place the map with a block or a shortcode. For one location, a simple single-map plugin is all you need.
Do I need a Google API key for a WordPress map?
Not always. Plugins that use OpenStreetMap or Leaflet don't rely on Google, and one store locator here says on its listing that it needs no API key.
Can a WordPress map show my nearest store?
Yes, that's what a store locator does: visitors search and see the branch, dealer or office closest to them.
Are WordPress maps plugins free?
Three listings here name a free version or free use, as of Oct 2026, and the rest don't say either way. Check the free plan column and the listing before you install.
Which maps plugin has the most active installs?
On this list, WP Go Maps shows 300,000+ active installs in the WordPress.org plugin directory, as of Oct 2026.
