FreshlyCited vs Rank Math Instant Indexing: what each one actually sends

A page has to be in Google's index before it can show in search or in the AI answers built on it, and both tools try to get pages looked at sooner. This comparison covers how each works, cost, index checks, Google and Bing coverage, reporting, and when to choose each. Rank Math facts come from Rank Math's own pages and its wordpress.org listing, as of October 2026 (checked on October 17, 2026).

Which one is right for you?

Rank Math Instant Indexing suits a WordPress site owner who wants a free plugin that pings Google on publish, update or delete, and is comfortable creating a Google Cloud project. It fits sites that publish job postings or livestreams, the pages Google built the API for.

FreshlyCited suits anyone who needs to know which URLs Google has actually indexed, across many pages, sites, clients or backlinks. It checks first, pushes only the invisible URLs, re-checks on days 1, 3 and 7, and gives the index credit back for links still not indexed after day 7. It's a web app and API, not a WordPress plugin.

How do Rank Math Instant Indexing and FreshlyCited work?

Rank Math Instant Indexing calls Google's Indexing API from WordPress with your own credentials. FreshlyCited checks each URL against Google, sends only the unindexed ones, and re-checks them.

Rank Math Instant Indexing

The wordpress.org listing says "When you publish new content or update old content on your WordPress website, the Instant Indexing plugin sends a crawl request to Google using the Google Indexing API" (wordpress.org). It lists manual submissions, removal requests, "Get Current Post Status" and "Bulk Submissions (Up to 100 URLs)".

Rank Math's setup guide has four stages, as of October 2026 (Rank Math):

1. Create a Google Cloud project and enable the Indexing API.
2. Create a service account and a JSON key for it.
3. Add the service account as an Owner of your Search Console property.
4. In "Rank Math SEO → Instant Indexing Settings", add the key and "Select the Post Types where you want the Indexing API to ping Google."

The guide notes that "The process has slightly changed since the above video was recorded." Google's prerequisites page describes the same pattern: project, service account, then owner status on the verified property.

What Google says the Indexing API is for

Google limits the Indexing API to two page types. Its quickstart says "The Indexing API can only be used to crawl pages with either JobPosting or BroadcastEvent embedded in a VideoObject," and "All submissions through the Indexing API undergo rigorous spam detection" (Google). Our Google Indexing API guide covers the API in depth.

Rank Math states this on its own pages. The listing says "Google recommends that you use the Indexing API ONLY for Job Posting and Live Streaming websites. However, it works on any type of website and many of our users have seen great results already. Please proceed with caution." The setup guide adds "we do not recommend using it on money websites" (Rank Math). Results on other page types are Rank Math's report, which we haven't tested. For ordinary posts and pages, Google's routes are a sitemap and URL Inspection; see how to submit a URL to Google.

What we found in the plugin's code

We downloaded version 1.1.22 from wordpress.org on October 17, 2026 and read it. Its default limits match Google's published quotas (200 publish requests a day, 380 requests a minute, 180 metadata requests a minute, per project, per Google), and can be changed with filters:

// fast-indexing-api 1.1.22, includes/class-instant-indexing.php
$limit_publishperday = apply_filters( 'rank_math/indexing_api/limit_publishperday', 200 );
$limit_permin        = apply_filters( 'rank_math/indexing_api/limit_perminute', 380 );
$limit_metapermin    = apply_filters( 'rank_math/indexing_api/limit_metaperminute', 180 );

The code shows the IndexNow settings tab only when Rank Math SEO is active (function_exists( 'rank_math' )), matching changelog 1.1.4: "Make use of the new IndexNow API if the Rank Math SEO plugin is also active."

FreshlyCited

FreshlyCited works on any public URL, including backlinks on sites you don't control:

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. The rest show Already seen — not pushed and use no index credit.
4. Re-check on days 1, 3 and 7, and email you the result.

No Google Cloud project or Search Console access is needed. Google still decides what it indexes.

What does each one cost?

Rank Math Instant Indexing is free ("Completely FREE" on wordpress.org), and Google says "All use of the Indexing API is available without payment" (Google). The cost is setup time and the default quota.

FreshlyCited, as of October 2026:

Do they check whether a page is indexed?

Rank Math Instant Indexing doesn't check Google's index; FreshlyCited checks it before and after every push. The plugin's status button calls the Indexing API's metadata endpoint, which Google says shows "the last time Google received each kind of notification for a given URL" and "only returns whether you successfully submitted a request" (Google). The plugin's FAQ agrees: "Whether or not Google will index your content after crawling is and always will be in Google's control."

Rank Math SEO, a separate plugin, does show index status through its URL Inspection API integration under "Rank Math SEO → Analytics → Index Status". Rank Math says that API has "a daily usage limit of 2000 queries per day" and some columns are PRO-only (Rank Math). It covers your own verified site, not backlinks elsewhere.

FreshlyCited's visibility check shows Seen by Google or Invisible for any public URL, at 1 check credit each.

Been pinging the Indexing API without knowing what got indexed? Check those URLs against Google free.

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

Both can reach Google and IndexNow engines, by different routes. IndexNow is an open "this page changed" notice that Bing and other participating engines accept; Google doesn't use it.

Rank Math says "The IndexNow API submission is available in Rank Math Free out of the box" and "Currently, Bing, Yandex, Seznam, and Naver are the only search engines that use the IndexNow feature" (Rank Math). That list has grown since: as of October 2026, indexnow.org names more participating engines, and Google still isn't one. See IndexNow on WordPress, and Microsoft's own plugin in FreshlyCited vs the IndexNow plugin.

What reporting do you get?

Rank Math Instant Indexing reports what was sent and the API's response; FreshlyCited reports what Google has indexed, link by link. The plugin has a Console tab, and an "IndexNow History" tab with response codes when Rank Math SEO is active.

FreshlyCited records each link's status before the push and after each 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); see API and MCP.

Rank Math Instant Indexing vs FreshlyCited at a glance

As of October 2026 (checked on October 17, 2026), from wordpress.org, rankmath.com and our own product.

As of October 2026 the current WordPress release is 7.1.3, and the listing carries wordpress.org's notice: "This plugin hasn't been tested with the latest 3 major releases of WordPress." Here is the listing data as it came back on October 17, 2026:

curl -s "https://api.wordpress.org/plugins/info/1.2/?action=plugin_information&slug=fast-indexing-api" \
  | jq '{name, version, tested, active_installs, last_updated, rating, num_ratings}'
# "name": "Instant Indexing for Google", "version": "1.1.22", "tested": "6.6.10",
# "active_installs": 200000, "last_updated": "2025-11-21 9:24am GMT", "rating": 72, "num_ratings": 36

When should you choose Rank Math Instant Indexing, and when FreshlyCited?

Choose Rank Math Instant Indexing for a free, in-WordPress sender; choose FreshlyCited for checks, re-checks and a record of what Google indexed.

Choose Rank Math Instant Indexing if

• Your site publishes job postings or livestreams, the pages the Indexing API is for.
• You want a free plugin that notifies Google automatically on publish, update or delete.
• You already run Rank Math SEO and want Indexing API, IndexNow and index status in one dashboard.
• You're comfortable with Google Cloud and Search Console ownership settings.

Choose FreshlyCited if

• Most of your URLs are ordinary posts, pages, docs or product pages.
• You need to know what Google indexed, and pay only for links that get indexed.
• You push backlinks or client pages on sites where you can't add a service account.
• You report to clients or run many sites and want re-checks, shareable reports, an API or MCP.

Comparing more options? See WordPress indexing plugins compared, the WordPress indexing guide, and Google indexing tools compared.

Want to see which of your WordPress URLs Google has indexed? Check your pages free: 10 free links to try, then 100 free checks a month, no card needed.