Are they really plug and play or do I need a professional to install? How is the performance compared to others that offer similar product.

These are, Plug and Play! They have the same 3 prong plug as stock. It is as simple as changing the bulb. The performance is really exceptional. Great clean white light with more focused beam pattern than standard bulbs or H4 setups. They are not the high dollar Speaker brand headlights, but a great runner up, at a much easier to justify price.