We see this question a LOT and the answer is maybe. The issue typically isn’t with the number of plugins you install but rather the size, function and quality of the plugins.
- Large plugins: Everything but the kitchen sink plugins typically include features for just about everything which makes plugin management easy for you as the user, but it could slow your website down as the more a single plugin does then the more resources it will require.
- Plugin conflicts: The top issues we see related to plugins are incompatibility or duplicate features. Some plugins simply don’t work when installed on the same website (for example, WooCommerce does not work with W3 Total Cache). Similarly, you really should avoid duplicate functionality. You only need one slider plugin, one SEO plugin, one security plugin, etc.
- Poor quality: You may come across a plugin that sounds great but once installed slows or brings your website down to a halt completely. Unfortunately, there are a lot of poorly coded plugins floating around the web, which is why we always recommend using plugins for reputable sources