WordPress Plugin vs Chrome Extension vs Web App: What Each One Does
SEOvault AI ships as three separate products that solve different problems. You can use them independently or together. This guide explains what each one does, who it is for, and how they relate.
The three products at a glance
Section titled “The three products at a glance”| Product | What it is | Where it runs | Requires another product? |
|---|---|---|---|
| WordPress Plugin | Full SEO plugin (meta, schema, sitemaps, AI visibility, 404s, redirects) | On your WordPress site | No – works standalone |
| Chrome Extension | AI writing assistant side panel | In your browser, inside the WordPress editor | No – works standalone |
| Web App | Centralized publishing workspace | In your browser, at app.seovaultai.com | Requires a WordPress connection (connector plugin or full SEO plugin) |
WordPress Plugin: on-site SEO foundation
Section titled “WordPress Plugin: on-site SEO foundation”The SEOvault AI WordPress plugin is a complete SEO plugin installed on your WordPress site. It handles all on-site SEO output:
- SEO titles, meta descriptions, and focus keywords
- JSON-LD schema markup with health checks
- XML sitemaps (WordPress core sitemap integration)
- Open Graph and Twitter/X Card metadata
- Canonical URLs and robots directives
- llms.txt publishing for AI visibility
- Robots.txt policy controls
- 404 monitoring and redirect management
- Image SEO (automatic ALT and title attributes)
- Breadcrumbs
- Local SEO and WooCommerce SEO
- SEO Analyzer (site-wide scan)
- IndexNow (instant indexing notifications)
The plugin works entirely on your WordPress site. It does not require the Chrome extension or the web app to function. All SEO output is generated server-side and printed into your page HTML.
Who it is for: anyone who wants a WordPress SEO plugin. You do not need to be an SEOvault AI subscriber to use the plugin – the SEO features run on your site without any external dependency.
Where to find it: the plugin is installed on your WordPress site. After activation, go to SEOvault AI in the WordPress admin sidebar.
Chrome Extension: in-editor AI assistant
Section titled “Chrome Extension: in-editor AI assistant”The Chrome Extension opens as a side panel inside the WordPress block editor. It provides AI-powered writing and optimization tools without requiring a WordPress plugin:
- Draft analysis and SEO scoring
- SEO title and meta description generation
- TL;DR, FAQ, and table of contents generation
- Humanizer for rewriting selected text
- Rich blocks and pretty tables
- Zen Mode for distraction-free editing
- Right-click research tools and screenshot capture
The extension communicates directly with your WordPress site through the REST API. It does not require the full SEO plugin to be installed. If the full SEO plugin is active, the extension can read and write the plugin’s SEO fields (title, description, focus keyword).
Who it is for: solo writers and editors who want AI assistance directly inside the WordPress editor without installing a full SEO plugin.
Where to find it: the extension is installed from the Chrome Web Store and opens as a side panel in your browser.
Web App: centralized publishing workspace
Section titled “Web App: centralized publishing workspace”The Web App is a browser-based dashboard at app.seovaultai.com. It provides a centralized workspace for managing content across one or more WordPress sites:
- Multi-site management from one dashboard
- Browse and edit posts from a left-side content panel
- AI-powered article generation (Basic Writer, Ultra Writer)
- Advanced internal linking and autolinking
- Brand Kit for consistent voice
- Team collaboration and shared workspaces
- Saved article history in the cloud
- Rewrite existing articles with AI
The Web App connects to your WordPress site through a secure REST API. There are two ways to connect:
- Connector plugin – a lightweight, separate plugin published on WordPress.org. Its only job is API communication. Existing docs cover this setup.
- Full SEO plugin – the SEOvault AI WordPress plugin has a built-in REST API at
seovaultai/v1with site key authentication. If you have the full plugin installed, you do not need the connector plugin.
Who it is for: agencies, content teams, and multi-site operators who want a centralized dashboard for publishing and SEO management.
Where to find it: the web app runs in your browser at app.seovaultai.com.
How the products relate
Section titled “How the products relate”The three products are designed to work independently but complement each other when combined:
Plugin only
Section titled “Plugin only”You get full WordPress SEO output (meta, schema, sitemaps, social tags, 404 monitoring, redirects, AI visibility). No AI content generation, no multi-site dashboard, no team collaboration. The plugin manages SEO output on your site.
Extension only
Section titled “Extension only”You get AI writing assistance inside the WordPress editor. No dedicated SEO plugin on your site – the extension handles analysis and content generation, but does not manage meta tags, schema, or sitemaps. Good for sites that already have an SEO plugin or use a theme with built-in SEO.
Web App only
Section titled “Web App only”You get a centralized publishing workspace with AI content tools. Requires a WordPress connection via the connector plugin or the full SEO plugin. Good for managing content across multiple sites from one place.
Plugin + Extension
Section titled “Plugin + Extension”The full SEO plugin handles on-site SEO output. The extension provides AI writing assistance inside the editor and can read/write the plugin’s SEO fields. This combination gives you both server-side SEO management and in-editor AI tools without needing the web app.
Plugin + Web App
Section titled “Plugin + Web App”The full SEO plugin handles on-site SEO output and provides the REST API connection for the web app. You do not need the separate connector plugin. The web app adds AI content generation, bulk management, multi-site control, and team collaboration.
All three
Section titled “All three”The plugin handles SEO output and API connection. The extension provides in-editor AI assistance. The web app provides centralized management and advanced content workflows. This is the most complete setup.
Which combination should you choose?
Section titled “Which combination should you choose?”- I just want WordPress SEO – install the plugin. Done.
- I want AI help writing inside WordPress – install the Chrome extension.
- I manage multiple sites and want a dashboard – use the web app with the connector plugin or the full SEO plugin.
- I want SEO output plus AI writing tools – install the plugin and the extension.
- I want everything – install the plugin, the extension, and use the web app.
A note on the connector plugin vs the full SEO plugin
Section titled “A note on the connector plugin vs the full SEO plugin”If you already use the SEOvault AI connector plugin (the lightweight one from WordPress.org) and want to switch to the full SEO plugin:
- The full SEO plugin preserves your existing site key and connection status during activation
- You can deactivate the connector plugin after activating the full SEO plugin – the web app will continue working through the full plugin’s built-in REST API
- Your web app connection does not need to be re-established
For installation instructions, see Install and Activate the SEOvault AI SEO Plugin.