Plugixa Recipe vs Cooked
Both plugins aim at recipe sites more than at blog posts, and both are generous in the free version.
Cooked dates from 2013, has about 3,000 active installs and is now maintained by a new owner. Plugixa Recipe is new.
Both plugins have a checked value for 16 of 30 features, and they differ on 8 of them.
Verdict
Both give readers step timers free. Plugixa Recipe gives a community site more for free, since ratings, saved recipes, submissions and nutrition calculation do not need a paid plan. Check Cooked's recent reviews before deciding, because its older ones are mixed.
Choose Plugixa Recipe if
- You want ratings, saved recipes, visitor submissions and nutrition calculation free; Cooked puts all four in Pro.
- You want a block and an Elementor widget for listings.
- You want a visual editor for listing designs.
Choose Cooked if
- You want a full-screen cooking view.
- You want a shortcode-based template system you can restructure yourself.
At a glance
| Plugixa Recipe | Cooked | |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Recipe site plugin | Recipe site plugin |
| Active installs | Fewer than 10 | 3,000+ |
| Rating | No ratings yet | 3.89 / 5 (90 ratings) |
| Last updated | Oct 16, 2026 | Oct 5, 2026 |
| Free version | Yes | Yes |
| Price | From €39 / year | From $49 / year |
| Lifetime licence | Not listed | Not listed |
| Refunds | 14-day refund for defects only | Not stated on the pricing page |
Feature by feature
| Feature | Plugixa Recipe | Cooked |
|---|---|---|
| Structured data | ||
| Recipe schema (JSON-LD)Outputs Recipe structured data as JSON-LD, the format Google recommends for recipe rich results. | YesFreeRecipe JSON-LD with breadcrumbs on recipe pages and an ItemList on listings. It can be switched off site-wide or per recipe. | PartialFreeThe plugin outputs schema.org recipe data, described as microdata on wordpress.org. JSON-LD was not confirmed. |
| Guided Recipes markupMarks each step so the recipe is eligible for step-by-step guidance on smart displays and Google Assistant. | YesFreeSteps are marked as HowToStep, and named step groups as HowToSection. | Not checked |
| Editors and placement | ||
| Block editor (Gutenberg)Has its own block for adding a recipe in the WordPress block editor. | YesFreeA Recipe block that embeds one existing recipe, and a block for recipe listings. Recipes are written in the plugin's own editor. | Not checked |
| Classic EditorRecipes can be added to posts from the Classic Editor. | PartialFreeThrough the shortcode. There is no editor button. | Not checked |
| ElementorHas its own Elementor widget. | YesFreeA widget that embeds one recipe and a widget for recipe listings. | Not checked |
| ShortcodeA shortcode displays a recipe or a recipe listing anywhere shortcodes run. | YesFree | YesFree |
| Recipe card inside a postA full recipe card can be placed inside a normal blog post, under your own writing. | YesFreeEmbeds an existing recipe in a post; the recipe's own page then names the post as canonical. | Not checked |
| Standalone recipe pagesEach recipe gets its own page and URL, separate from blog posts. | YesFree | Not checked |
| Design | ||
| Templates and layoutsHow many recipe designs come with the plugin. | 4 listing layouts, all free; 1 recipe page template, plus print and round-up views | 3 layouts, in Pro |
| Template editorA visual tool for changing the structure of a recipe template, beyond colours. | PartialFreeA visual editor for listing designs (columns, colours, type, spacing). The single recipe page has one template, changed only by a theme template override. | PartialFreeA shortcode-based template system, not a visual editor. |
| Ingredients | ||
| Ingredient groupsIngredients can be split under headings such as "For the sauce". | YesFree | YesFree |
| Adjustable servingsReaders change the number of servings and the quantities recalculate. | YesFree | YesFree |
| Unit conversionReaders switch between US and metric units on the recipe. | YesFreeConverts the volume and weight units in the site's units table, which ships with the common ones. Other lines stay as written. | Not checked |
| Ingredient linksIngredients can link out, for example to an affiliate product. | YesFreeA link per ingredient, entered by hand and marked nofollow. There is no global link manager. | Not checked |
| Equipment listA section listing the tools a recipe needs, shown to readers. | YesFree | Not checked |
| Instructions | ||
| Step photosA photo or video can be attached to an individual step. | YesFreeA photo and a video per step in the editor; the public form takes a photo per step. | Not checked |
| TimersTimes in the instructions become timers the reader can start. | YesFree | YesFree |
| Nutrition | ||
| Nutrition labelNutrition values are entered by hand and shown as a nutrition facts label. | YesFree | YesFree |
| Automatic nutrition calculationNutrition values are calculated from the ingredient list using a food database. | YesFreeCalculated from USDA FoodData Central with your own free API key. It is off by default, and you confirm each ingredient match and weight. | YesPaid: ProUses the Edamam API. |
| Reader tools | ||
| Star ratingsReaders can rate a recipe out of five stars. | YesFreeIts own review system with moderation, optional photos and helpful votes. It does not use WordPress comments. | YesPaid: Pro |
| Print viewA print button opens a clean, printable version of the recipe. | YesFree | YesFree |
| Jump to recipeA button at the top of a post scrolls straight to the recipe card. | YesFreeOn posts that embed a recipe, with a print button next to it. Recipe pages do not need it. | Not checked |
| Cook modeA switch keeps the reader's screen awake while cooking. | YesFree | PartialFreeA full-screen cooking view. A keep-screen-awake switch was not confirmed. |
| Saved recipesReaders can save recipes and find them again later. | YesFreeLogged-in users save recipes and see them on a "saved recipes" account page. | YesPaid: Pro |
| Meal planner and shopping listReaders build a meal plan or shopping list from recipes on the site. | PartialFreeVisitors have a shopping list, kept in the browser or in their account. Meal plans are made by site editors in the admin. | Not checked |
| Building a recipe site | ||
| Recipe index and searchListing pages where visitors browse, filter and search all recipes. | YesFree | YesFree |
| Visitor-submitted recipesVisitors send in recipes through a form on the site, for you to moderate. | YesFree | YesPaid: Pro |
| WPML or Polylang supportDeclares compatibility with a multilingual plugin so recipes can be translated. | YesFreeWPML and Polylang support, with translatable categories and cuisines and a language per recipe. | Not checked |
| Migration and extras | ||
| ImportersWhich other recipe plugins it can import recipes from. | WP Recipe Maker, Tasty Recipes, Create, WP Delicious, Cooked, Zip Recipes and Recipe Card Blocks, plus CSV and JSON (Pro) | CSV import |
| AI recipe draftingGenerates a recipe draft with an AI model. | YesPaid: ProDrafts from a topic, a URL or an uploaded document, with your own OpenAI or Gemini key. | Not checked |
- Yes: The plugin does this.
- Partial: It does part of this; the note says what is missing.
- No: The plugin does not do this.
- Not checked: We could not confirm it from the vendor's own pages, so we do not claim either way.