FreshlyCited vs Microsoft's IndexNow plugin for WordPress

A page has to be in a search engine's index before it can show in results or in the AI answers built on them, so the question is which engines you need to reach and whether you need to see the result. This comparison covers how each tool works, cost, checks, Google and Bing coverage, reporting, and when to choose each. Plugin facts come from Microsoft's own wordpress.org listing and code, as of October 2026 (checked on October 17, 2026).

Which one is right for you?

The IndexNow plugin suits a WordPress site owner who wants Bing and the other IndexNow engines told about every change, for free, with nothing to configure beyond one click. It's made by Microsoft's Bing Webmaster team and only does IndexNow.

FreshlyCited suits anyone who also needs Google: it checks which URLs Google has indexed, pushes only the invisible ones, and shows the result. It works on any public URL, including backlinks, and sends IndexNow for sites you verify. It's a web app and API, not a WordPress plugin.

How do the IndexNow plugin and FreshlyCited work?

The IndexNow plugin watches WordPress for changes and sends each changed URL to IndexNow's shared endpoint. FreshlyCited checks URLs against Google first, sends only the unindexed ones for indexing, and adds an IndexNow notice for verified sites.

The IndexNow plugin

Microsoft's wordpress.org listing says the plugin "will automatically generate and host the API key on your site. It detects page creation/update/ deletion in WordPress and automatically submits the URLs in the background" (wordpress.org). It submits to "a generic end point https://api.indexnow.org/indexnow and these URLs are shared to all participating search engines," and it works "without the need to register and verify your site with them."

The plugin also skips pages that shouldn't be indexed. The listing says it "checks the actual rendered HTML for" <meta name="robots" content="noindex"> "tags. It also checks X-Robots-Tag HTTP headers and WordPress site-wide search engine visibility settings"; the 1.0.4 changelog lists this as "Universal noindex detection". Other features listed: turning automatic submission on or off, excluding URL paths with wildcard patterns, manual submission, retrying failed submissions, and downloading recent submissions.

Setup, per the listing: install and activate the plugin, then "Go to IndexNow admin page and click 'Let's Get Started!'". The source is on GitHub under Microsoft's organization (microsoft/indexnow-wordpress-plugin).

What we found in the plugin's code

We downloaded version 1.0.4 from wordpress.org on October 17, 2026 and read it. The plugin header names "Author: Microsoft Bing", and each submission is a standard IndexNow POST with your host, key, key file location and URL list, capped at 10,000 URLs:

// indexnow 1.0.4, admin/utils/class-indexnow-url-submission-admin-routes.php (excerpt)
$data = json_encode( array(
    'host'        => $this->remove_scheme( $site_url ),
    'key'         => $api_key,
    'keyLocation' => trailingslashit( $site_url ) . $api_key . '.txt',
    'urlList'     => array_values( $urls ),
) );
$response = wp_remote_post( 'https://api.indexnow.org/indexnow/', /* ... */ );
// 200 or 202 is logged as 'success'

That matches the protocol: indexnow.org says it "supports bulk submission of up to 10,000 URLs per POST request" (IndexNow FAQ). A 200 or 202 means the notice was received, not that a page was indexed. Our IndexNow guide explains keys and response codes.

FreshlyCited

FreshlyCited works on any public URL in four steps:

1. Paste or upload links, up to 10,000 per push with any pack or Agency plan. A pre-flight check flags pages that can't be indexed so you can skip them free.
2. Check each link against Google: Seen by Google or Invisible.
3. Push only the invisible ones to Google. For sites you verify with an IndexNow key, the push also goes through IndexNow ("Sent to Bing"), free, with a per-site off switch and for the verified host only.
4. Re-check on days 1, 3 and 7, and email you the result.

Google still decides what it indexes.

What does each one cost?

The IndexNow plugin is free, and so is IndexNow itself; there is no account or paid tier on the listing. FreshlyCited's IndexNow sending is also free for verified sites. Its cost is on the Google side, as of October 2026:

Do they check whether a page is indexed?

Neither tool checks Bing's index, and only FreshlyCited checks Google's. The plugin reports whether each IndexNow submission succeeded or failed. Its FAQ says "Indexing of URLs is specific and dependent on each search engine's rules, please reach out to individual search engine for debugging and resolution," and indexnow.org says "Submitting a URL does not guarantee immediate indexing" (IndexNow FAQ). To see what Bing has done, the listing points to "IndexNow insights and more in Bing Webmaster tools"; see our Bing Webmaster Tools guide.

FreshlyCited checks each URL against Google before the push and again on days 1, 3 and 7, showing Seen by Google or Invisible. For Bing it shows "Sent to Bing", not an index status.

If Bing gets your updates but you can't tell whether Google has the pages, check your URLs against Google free.

Which engines does each one reach: Google, Bing or both?

The IndexNow plugin reaches IndexNow engines only; FreshlyCited reaches Google for any public URL and IndexNow engines for verified sites.

As of October 2026, indexnow.org says a submission "will be shared across all IndexNow-enabled search engines," meaning Bing and the other participating engines. Google isn't one of them; our page on IndexNow and Google covers what that means. For Google, the routes are a sitemap, URL Inspection or a push, compared in our Google indexing tools comparison.

What reporting do you get?

The IndexNow plugin shows recent submissions in WordPress; FreshlyCited reports each link's Google status before and after. The plugin's FAQ says "We are providing a limited number of URLs submitted on the WordPress dashboard (20 successful and 20 failed)," which you can download.

FreshlyCited records every push and re-check. You can share a client report as a link: your logo on Agency Starter ($59/mo), full white-label on Agency Pro and Scale. The full API comes with any pack or Agency plan (read-only on Free). MCP (Model Context Protocol: a standard way for AI assistants such as Claude or Cursor to use a tool directly) is on Agency Pro ($199/mo) and Agency Scale ($599/mo).

IndexNow plugin vs FreshlyCited at a glance

As of October 2026 (checked on October 17, 2026), from wordpress.org, the plugin's GitHub repository and our own product.

You can pull the listing data yourself; this is what it returned on October 17, 2026:

curl -s "https://api.wordpress.org/plugins/info/1.2/?action=plugin_information&slug=indexnow" \
  | jq '{name, version, tested, active_installs, last_updated, rating, num_ratings}'
# "name": "IndexNow Plugin", "version": "1.0.4", "tested": "7.0.7",
# "active_installs": 100000, "last_updated": "2026-06-26 11:14am GMT", "rating": 64, "num_ratings": 47

When should you choose the IndexNow plugin, and when FreshlyCited?

Choose the IndexNow plugin for free, automatic IndexNow from WordPress; choose FreshlyCited when Google matters and you need to see what was indexed.

Choose the IndexNow plugin if

• You want Bing and the other IndexNow engines told about every publish, update and delete, for free.
• You'd rather not create an account anywhere: the plugin makes and hosts the key itself.
• You want a plugin made by Microsoft's Bing Webmaster team, with open-source code and noindex detection built in.
• Google is already handled by your sitemap and Search Console.

Choose FreshlyCited if

• You need to know which URLs Google has indexed, and pay only for links that get indexed.
• You want Google and IndexNow from one push, with re-checks on days 1, 3 and 7.
• You push backlinks, guest posts or client pages on sites you don't control.
• You report to clients or run many sites, and want shareable reports, an API or MCP.

The two can work together: keep the plugin sending IndexNow from WordPress and use FreshlyCited for Google, with FreshlyCited's IndexNow switched off for that site so the same change isn't sent twice. For more options, see IndexNow on WordPress, WordPress indexing plugins compared, the WordPress indexing guide, how smart push works, and FreshlyCited vs Rank Math Instant Indexing.

Already on IndexNow and want the Google side covered? Check your pages free: 10 free links to try, then 100 free checks a month, no card needed.