9 Best WordPress API Plugins in 2025 (Free + Paid)

Key Takeaways

• WordPress REST API plugins simplify integration with external apps, allowing site owners to automate tasks without coding.
• These plugins enhance functionality by enabling custom endpoints, secure authentication, and better API management.
• Using REST API plugins reduces the risk of errors and saves time compared to manual API implementation.
• Choosing the right plugin involves checking compatibility, features, reviews, support, and performance to meet your site’s needs.

As your WordPress site grows, for example, a WooCommerce store with hundreds of products, you need efficient ways to manage data, enhance functionality, and integrate with other systems.

That’s what WordPress API plugins allow you to do, specifically REST API plugins.

These plugins let your site communicate with external applications, such as integrating with a third-party service to handle e-commerce transactions, automate tasks, simplify the creation of custom endpoints, and more.

Without these plugins, managing APIs manually can become challenging for someone with little to no coding experience. One rookie mistake from a YouTube tutorial can lead to broken functionality, not to mention the time required to code everything from scratch.

In this blog, I’ll list 9 of the best WordPress REST API plugins for 2025, covering free and paid options.

Let’s get started…

What Are WordPress API Plugins?

If you are a professional web developer, you already know what “WordPress API” means. For those who don’t know, API is a feature that allows developers to integrate their websites with external applications or services.

WordPress API plugins allow you to implement this functionality quickly and easily without manual coding. These plugins extend the capabilities of the WordPress REST API, allowing your site to interact more effectively with external applications.

API plugins can be used to customize API endpoints, enhance security with authentication, and simplify tasks like collecting and presenting data from various sources.

Update WordPress API Plugins Seamlessly With Safe Updates

SafeUpdates automatically handles core updates, plugins, and themes, allowing you to leverage the latest version of each.

Learn More

Best WordPress REST API Plugins

Here’s our list of the 17 top paid and free WordPress REST API plugins in 2025:

1. WP OAuth Server

WP OAuth Server is a plugin that lets your site function as a full OAuth 2.0 authorization server. With it, third-party platforms can securely use WordPress credentials for authentication. This is especially handy for developers looking to set up single sign-on (SSO) or integrate WordPress with other OAuth 2.0-compatible apps and services.

Key Features:

• Supports all OAuth 2.0 grant types, including Auth-Code, Client Credentials, and OpenID Connect.
• Lets you authenticate users via the WP REST API.
• Offers unlimited client connections and role-based client restrictions.
• Comes with built-in support for OpenID Discovery, PKCE, and Rocket Chat compatibility.
• Includes PHP 8 compatibility and support for WordPress subdomains and subdirectories.

Pricing:

• Personal Level: $89.00
• Business Level: $149.00
• Developer Level: $499.00
• Also offers an All Access Bundle for $199.00.

Rating & Reviews:

With over 3,000 active installations and 40 reviews, WP OAuth Server has a 4 out of 5-star rating on WordPress.org.

2. Ultimate Endpoints With Rest API

Ultimate Endpoints With REST API plugin makes creating and managing custom endpoints for the WordPress REST API easy. It offers a user-friendly interface where admins can generate secret keys for authentication, set up custom endpoint URLs, and track API activity.

Features:

• Allows quick creation of APIs and custom endpoints.
• Supports authentication using secret keys.
• Provides an option to deactivate secret keys if needed.
• Can Log API requests and responses.
• Automatically deletes logs to manage system resources.

Pricing:

• Available for free on the WordPress plugin repository.

Rating & Reviews:

With over 500 active installations, this plugin has a 5-star rating based on 6 reviews.

3. WPGetAPI

WPGetAPI makes it easy to link your WordPress site with external REST APIs. This plugin lets you pull data from different APIs and show it on your pages or posts without writing custom code.

If you want to display social media feeds, weather updates, or stock prices on your site, WPGetAPI helps you seamlessly add this third-party information.

Key Features:

• Connects WordPress to REST APIs.
• Supports multiple APIs and endpoints.
• Can display API data using template tags or shortcodes.
• Supports POST, PUT, GET, PATCH, and DELETE methods.
• Allows inclusion of query strings, headers, and body parameters.

Pricing:

WPGetAPI offers both a free version and a pro version:

• PRO: $65 annually (ex. VAT)
• PRO Plus: $125 annually (ex. VAT)

Rating & Reviews:

WPGetAPI has over 10,000 active installations and is rated 5 stars based on 26 reviews.

4. miniOrange REST API Authentication

The miniOrange REST API Authentication plugin helps secure your WordPress REST APIs by ensuring only authorized users can access them. It supports multiple authentication methods to protect the data exchanged between WordPress and external apps. This is especially useful for administrators and developers who must safeguard API endpoints and boost their site’s security.

Key Features:

• Provides authentication for all REST API endpoints, including standard and custom ones.
• It supports Basic Authentication, JWT Token Authentication, API Key Authentication, OAuth 2.0, and third-party OAuth 2.0/OIDC Provider Token Authentication.
• Allows or denies public access to REST APIs based on requirements.
• Enables WordPress login using access tokens or JWTs.
• Integrates with third-party providers like Azure, AWS Cognito, and Google.
• Provides role-based and capability-based access control for REST APIs.

Pricing:

• ESSENTIAL: $199
• ADVANCED: $299
• ALL-INCLUSIVE: $399

A free version with basic features is available for download from the plugin repository.

Rating & Reviews:

This plugin has 20,000 active installations and a 4.4-star rating based on 60 reviews.

5. JSON Content Importer (JCI)

The JSON Content Importer (JCI) plugin makes it easy to pull data from third-party REST APIs into your WordPress site. With the free version, you can fetch basic data using Gutenberg blocks or shortcodes with customizable settings. If you need more advanced features, the Pro version offers additional capabilities like POST/PUT methods, Twig formatting, and integration with other plugins.

Key Features:

• Minimal coding required: Insert an API URL into the JCI block to fetch and display data.
• The basic setup includes SSL checks, caching, and authentication.
• Integrates with Contact Form 7 to populate forms with JSON data and submit form data to an API.
• Uses caching to reduce the number of API requests.

Pricing:

• 1 Site: $59 per year
• 2 Sites: $79 per year
• 3 Sites: $99 per year
• 4 Sites: $119 per year
• 6 Sites: $159 per year
• 10 Sites: $214 per year
• 12 Sites: $234 per year

Rating & Reviews:

JCI has a 4.9-star rating based on 73 reviews and has 7,000 active installations.

6. Custom Endpoints for API

Custom Endpoints for API lets you create custom REST endpoints in WordPress without coding. Its user-friendly interface makes it easy to access data from various WordPress tables, such as users and posts, and tables in other plugins.

The free version handles basic tasks, but you might want to explore the paid options for more advanced features.

Key features:

• Create and register custom namespaces and routes
• Set up multiple endpoints per REST route
• Supports different HTTP methods (GET, PUT, POST, DELETE)
• Fetch data with custom conditions
• Limit the number of responses
• Supports JSON and x-www-form-urlencoded data formats

Pricing:

• Basic API Creation: $199
• Advanced API Creation: $249
• Connect External API: $299
• All-Inclusive: $399
• A limited free version is also available.

Rating & Reviews:

This plugin has over 1,000 active installations and a 4.8 out of 5-star rating based on 33 reviews.

7. Disable WP REST API

Disable WP REST API is a simple plugin that limits access to your WordPress REST API, allowing only logged-in users to interact with it. This boosts your site’s security by preventing unauthorized access to REST/JSON APIs.

It’s easy to set up and doesn’t require any complicated configuration. Plus, it’s lightweight, so it won’t affect your site’s performance.

Features:

• Limits REST/JSON access to users who are logged in
• Removes REST headers in HTTP responses
• Gets rid of REST links in the HTML head
• Works right out of the box, no configuration needed

Pricing:

Disable WP REST API is completely free to use. To show you support, you can make a donation.

Rating & Reviews:

This plugin has over 10,000 active installations and a 4.8 out of 5-star rating based on 34 reviews.

Fastest Managed WordPress Hosting For Developers at Just $14/Month*

Experience blazing fast server speeds with Cloudways LAMP + NGINX hybrid stack. Improve your Core Web Vitals today.

TRY NOW

8. WP REST Cache

WP REST Cache enhances the performance of your site by offering caching capabilities for WordPress REST API endpoints. It works with both default and custom endpoints, and you have the option to set how long the cache lasts, clear it manually, and even track how often it’s been used. If you wanna check out some WordPress caching plugins, check out our detailed blog.

Features:

• Caches default and custom WordPress REST API GET-endpoints
• Automatically clears caches when content is updated
• Lets you manually clear all or specific caches
• Keeps a count of how often a cache has been used
• Allows setting custom timeouts for caches
• Supports custom endpoint registration for caching
• Automatically regenerates caches as needed

Pricing:

This plugin is free to use and comes with a solid range of features.

Rating & Reviews:

WP REST Cache has over 10,000 active installations and a rating of 4.9 out of 5 stars based on 39 reviews.

Also check out: Breeze Cache Plugin for Faster WordPress Websites

9. Disable REST API

Disable REST API lets you control who can access your site’s REST API. It blocks access so that only authorized users or certain endpoints can use it. If someone without permission tries to make a request, they’ll see a “denied” message in their browser. This helps protect your site from unauthorized access and keeps your data secure.

Features:

• Disable API functionality entirely if needed
• Filters available to fine-tune which parts of the API are disabled
• Whitelist specific endpoints for continued access
• Restrict access to unauthenticated users

Pricing:

This is a completely free-to-use plugin.

Rating & Reviews:

Though it hasn’t been tested with the latest three major WordPress releases, Disable REST API is actively used on over 90,000 sites and rated 4.8 out of 5 stars based on 37 reviews.

How to Choose the Best WordPress API Plugin?

• Check Compatibility: Ensure the plugin is compatible with your current WordPress setup. Look at the plugin’s documentation and update history to ensure it works well with your WordPress version and other plugins.
• Read Reviews: Review user reviews and ratings to see how others have experienced the plugin. Pay attention to feedback on functionality, ease of use, and any issues they encountered.
• Check Features: Compare the features of different plugins. Some may offer more customization or integration options than others.
• Check for Support: Look for plugins frequently updated and tested with the latest WordPress versions. A plugin with good support can be invaluable if you run into issues. Check if the developer offers documentation, forums, or direct support.
• Test Performance: Make sure the plugin doesn’t slow down your site. Some plugins can impact performance, so it’s worth testing how it affects your site before fully committing.
• Review Pricing: While many plugins offer free versions, they come with limitations. Compare the pricing of premium versions if you need additional features.

How to Use a WordPress API Plugin?

I’ll use JSON Content Importer (JCI) as an example to show you how easy it is to use an API plugin in WordPress.

• To get started, simply install and activate this plugin in WordPress.

• Once installed, feel free to explore all the different settings this plugin offers. But for the sake of simplicity, I’ll create a new post using the block editor to show you how to use this API plugin.

• Now, add a block and click on the “JSON Content Importer FREE” block.

• Next, paste the URL of any API into the block from the right-hand menu. It can be a weather API or an API that displays quotes…whatever it may be. You can display it on your site using this plugin.

• Click on “Create JCI-Template for JSON.” This will generate a template based on the JSON data.

• Click the “Try Template” to see how the JSON data merges with the template. If there are any errors, you’ll be notified here.

• Finally, preview your page to check everything looks good.

Use Case of WordPress API Plugins — Cloudways API?

In this blog, we explored a range of WordPress API plugins that can improve your site’s functionality. To give you a practical example of how APIs can be truly useful, let’s look at how the Cloudways API works.

If you manage multiple websites or apps and want to streamline your tasks, Cloudways API can simplify various management processes, helping you automate and manage your web operations more efficiently.

If you want to learn how to build a PHP REST API, check our detailed guide.

Wrapping Up

Finding the right WordPress API Plugin doesn’t have to be a headache. We’ve highlighted several top options that can help you implement complex functionalities like integrating your site with external applications or the ability to customize API endpoints without coding.

We hope this guide makes finding the right Rest API Plugins for WordPress easier. If you have any suggestions, let me know in the comments.