WP Delicious vs WP Recipe Maker
WP Delicious builds a recipe site, with recipe pages, an index and user accounts. WP Recipe Maker builds recipe cards for blog posts and adds site features in its higher tiers.
WP Recipe Maker has more than 50,000 active installs; WP Delicious has about 4,000. Both are highly rated.
Both plugins have a checked value for 17 of 30 features, and they differ on 8 of them.
Verdict
Choose WP Recipe Maker for a blog where the recipe card is the main need. Choose WP Delicious to build a recipe site with an index and accounts on a small budget, especially if you want to pay once.
Choose WP Delicious if
- You want a recipe index, advanced search and favourites without paying.
- You want a lifetime licence.
- You want visitor submissions for less; they are in WP Delicious Pro at $59, against WP Recipe Maker Elite at $149.
Choose WP Recipe Maker if
- You want the widest importer list and a free template editor.
- You need nutrition calculation and unit conversion that are confirmed and documented.
- You want a design that does not rely on a companion theme.
- You want Guided Recipes markup confirmed free.
At a glance
| WP Delicious | WP Recipe Maker | |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Recipe site plugin | Recipe card plugin |
| Active installs | 4,000+ | 50,000+ |
| Rating | 4.9 / 5 (71 ratings) | 4.96 / 5 (355 ratings) |
| Last updated | Oct 8, 2026 | Oct 15, 2026 |
| Free version | Yes | Yes |
| Price | From $59 / year | From $49 / year |
| Lifetime licence | Available | Not listed |
| Refunds | 14-day money-back guarantee | 30-day money-back guarantee |
Feature by feature
| Feature | WP Delicious | WP Recipe Maker |
|---|---|---|
| Structured data | ||
| Recipe schema (JSON-LD)Outputs Recipe structured data as JSON-LD, the format Google recommends for recipe rich results. | YesFree | YesFree |
| Guided Recipes markupMarks each step so the recipe is eligible for step-by-step guidance on smart displays and Google Assistant. | Not checked | YesFree |
| Editors and placement | ||
| Block editor (Gutenberg)Has its own block for adding a recipe in the WordPress block editor. | YesFreeNine blocks. | YesFree |
| Classic EditorRecipes can be added to posts from the Classic Editor. | Not checked | YesFree |
| ElementorHas its own Elementor widget. | PartialFreeThrough the free Delisho companion plugin. | YesFree |
| ShortcodeA shortcode displays a recipe or a recipe listing anywhere shortcodes run. | PartialFreeA shortcode exists for the "Surprise Me" random recipe feature only. | YesFree |
| Recipe card inside a postA full recipe card can be placed inside a normal blog post, under your own writing. | YesFreeThe Dynamic Recipe Card block. | YesFree |
| 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. | 3 layouts free; 8 in Pro | Template Editor with unlimited custom templates (free); extra templates in Premium |
| Template editorA visual tool for changing the structure of a recipe template, beyond colours. | Not checked | YesFree |
| Ingredients | ||
| Ingredient groupsIngredients can be split under headings such as "For the sauce". | Not checked | YesFree |
| Adjustable servingsReaders change the number of servings and the quantities recalculate. | Not checked | YesPaid: Premium |
| Unit conversionReaders switch between US and metric units on the recipe. | Not checked | YesPaid: Pro |
| Ingredient linksIngredients can link out, for example to an affiliate product. | Not checked | YesPaid: Premium |
| Equipment listA section listing the tools a recipe needs, shown to readers. | YesPaid: Pro | YesPaid: PremiumEquipment links are confirmed in Premium. Whether a plain equipment list is free was not checked. |
| Instructions | ||
| Step photosA photo or video can be attached to an individual step. | Not checked | YesFree |
| TimersTimes in the instructions become timers the reader can start. | YesPaid: Pro | YesPaid: Premium |
| Nutrition | ||
| Nutrition labelNutrition values are entered by hand and shown as a nutrition facts label. | YesFree | YesPaid: Premium |
| Automatic nutrition calculationNutrition values are calculated from the ingredient list using a food database. | Not checked | YesPaid: ProUses the Spoonacular API. |
| Reader tools | ||
| Star ratingsReaders can rate a recipe out of five stars. | YesFree | YesFreeRatings through comments are free. Rating inside the card needs Premium. |
| 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. | YesFree | YesFree |
| Cook modeA switch keeps the reader's screen awake while cooking. | PartialPaid: ProA focused reading mode. A keep-screen-awake switch was not confirmed. | YesPaid: Premium |
| Saved recipesReaders can save recipes and find them again later. | YesFree | YesPaid: Premium |
| Meal planner and shopping listReaders build a meal plan or shopping list from recipes on the site. | PartialPaid add-onThe meal planner is a paid add-on. A shopping list was not confirmed. | YesPaid: Elite |
| Building a recipe site | ||
| Recipe index and searchListing pages where visitors browse, filter and search all recipes. | YesFree | PartialFreeRecipe search is free. A browsable index needs the separate WP Ultimate Post Grid plugin. |
| Visitor-submitted recipesVisitors send in recipes through a form on the site, for you to moderate. | YesPaid: Pro | YesPaid: Elite |
| WPML or Polylang supportDeclares compatibility with a multilingual plugin so recipes can be translated. | Not checked | Not checked |
| Migration and extras | ||
| ImportersWhich other recipe plugins it can import recipes from. | Not checked | 20+ plugins, including Tasty Recipes, Create, WP Delicious, Recipe Card Blocks, Cooked and Zip Recipes |
| AI recipe draftingGenerates a recipe draft with an AI model. | YesPaid add-on | 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.