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WP REST Yoast Meta

By Acato

Developer Tools & Customization / API & Webhook Integration

Reviewed by Omar Dabbas

Trusted WordPress expert with 20+ years of experience evaluating plugins for the WP ecosystem.

WP REST Yoast Meta Review - In-Depth Analysis

Integrate Yoast SEO meta tags into the WP REST API. Adds a custom endpoint for redirects.

Performance Overview

WPS Score

6.91/10

User Rating

5/5 (based on 6+ reviews)

Active Installations

1,000+

Update Frequency

Below Average It is calculated using the weighted average of same category plugins.

Security Score

1 / 10 (Very Low Risk) It is calculated using the weighted average of all versions.

What It Does

This plugin is no longer updated, but is open for adoption. As of Yoast SEO version 16.7, the functionality provided by this plugin is now part of the Yoast SEO plugin itself. This plugin will no longer be updated, but is open for adoption. If you are interested in adopting this plugin, please contact the authors.

Are you using WordPress for a headless set-up, using the WP REST API? And would you like to use the Yoast SEO plugin just like you would for any other project? This plugin adds the meta tags generated by the Yoast SEO plugin to the WP REST API output, allowing your headless set-up to implement them. Also when you are using Yoast SEO Premium you have the option to retrieve redirects through the API: this plugin adds a custom endpoint to provide those redirects in a JSON format. Since Yoast 11.0, JSON LD Schema.org data is also supported and is now also available through the WP REST API when using this plugin.

Installation from within WordPress: Visit 'Plugins > Add New' (or 'My Sites > Network Admin > Plugins > Add New' if you are on a multisite installation). Search for 'WP REST Yoast Meta'. Activate the WP REST Yoast Meta plugin through the 'Plugins' menu in WordPress.

Installation manually: Upload the wp-rest-yoast-meta folder to the /wp-content/plugins/ directory. Activate the WP REST Yoast Meta plugin through the 'Plugins' menu in WordPress.

Comparing to Alternatives

WP REST Yoast Meta stands out in its category by specifically enabling Yoast SEO meta data integration with the WordPress REST API, a niche not fully covered by other plugins.

Top alternatives

Strengths

Seamless integration of Yoast SEO meta data into REST API responses
Highly rated with perfect user satisfaction
Simple installation and immediate functionality
Supports headless WordPress setups effectively
No known security vulnerabilities

Weaknesses

Limited to Yoast SEO meta data only
No premium or extended features available
May not cover other SEO plugins or custom meta fields

User Sentiment Analysis

With a perfect 5-star rating from all reviewers, users consistently praise the plugin's reliability and essential functionality for headless WordPress setups.

Positive highlights

'Best plugin for headless WP with Yoast' - lordwill000
'Must have for Single Page Applications' - Rory Michael Heaney
'Much better to make use of the existing Yoast SEO settings' - Cris
'Works As Expected!' - mread1208
'This plugin helped me to get all the Yoast meta data in JSON format' - AnnemarieH

Common complaints

Weaknesses

No advanced features beyond basic Yoast meta integration
Lacks a pro version with additional capabilities
Functionality limited to Yoast SEO plugin users

Who Should Use This?

Best for

Developers and site builders using WordPress as a headless CMS who rely on Yoast SEO and need its meta data accessible via the REST API.

Not ideal for

Users who do not use Yoast SEO or require integration of other SEO plugins or custom meta fields, as this plugin is specialized and limited in scope.

Pricing & Value

Free version includes

The free version fully enables Yoast SEO meta data exposure through the REST API, providing essential functionality for headless WordPress projects.

Final Verdict

WP REST Yoast Meta is a highly focused and well-executed plugin that perfectly serves its niche of exposing Yoast SEO meta data via the WordPress REST API. Its flawless user ratings and lack of security issues make it a reliable choice for developers working with headless WordPress setups.

While it lacks advanced features and a paid version, its free offering delivers exactly what it promises with no compromises. Users needing broader SEO meta support may consider alternatives, but for Yoast SEO integration, this plugin is an excellent solution.

Other Notable Features

Here are a few other notable features of this free WP REST Yoast Meta plugin.

WP REST API

Yoast SEO

API integration

Screenshots

FAQ

For each post/page/… you can find an array of meta tags in that object under yoast_meta.

Yes you can! Use the hook wp_rest_yoast_meta/filter_yoast_meta like this:

/**  * Add a custom meta tag.  */ function wpym_add_custom_meta_tag( $yoast_meta ) {     $yoast_meta[] = array(         'property' => 'og:type',         'content' => 'article'     );     return $yoast_meta; } add_filter( 'wp_rest_yoast_meta/filter_yoast_meta', 'wpym_add_custom_meta_tag', 10, 1);

Yes you can! Use the hook wp_rest_yoast_meta/filter_post_types like this:

/**  * Remove Yoast Meta from the page post type  */ function wpym_remove_post_type( $post_types ) {     foreach ( $post_types as $key => $post_type ) {         if ( 'page' === $post_type->name ) {             unset( $post_types[ $key ] );         }     }      return $post_types; }  add_filter( 'wp_rest_yoast_meta/filter_post_types', 'wpym_remove_post_type', 10, 1 );