Firelight Lightbox vs Default Featured Image (2026)
Detailed side-by-side comparison of two WordPress plugins, based on real-time data from WordPress.org.
Firelight Lightbox
200K+ active installs
Free + Premium
Default Featured Image
70K+ active installs
Free
Quick Verdict
As of April 2026, Default Featured Image has a higher user rating (4.9/5 from 67 reviews) while Firelight Lightbox leads in active installations (200K+ vs 70K+). Both are free + premium WordPress plugins. Firelight Lightbox has accumulated 7.6M+ total downloads while Default Featured Image has 541K+.
Detailed Comparison
| Metric | Firelight Lightbox | Default Featured Image | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rating | 4.8/5 | ► | 4.9/5 |
| Total Reviews | 331 | ◄ | 67 |
| Active Installs | 200K+ | ◄ | 70K+ |
| Total Downloads | 7.6M+ | ◄ | 541K+ |
| Support Resolution | 43% | N/A | |
| Last Updated | 3 weeks ago | ◄ | 4 months ago |
| First Released | 2010 | 2012 | |
| Age | 16 years | 14 years | |
| WP Requires | 5.0+ | 6.2+ | |
| PHP Requires | 7.0+ | 7.4+ | |
| Business Model | Free + Premium | Free | |
| Latest Version | 2.3.19 | 1.8.2 |
Rating Breakdown
Firelight Lightbox
Default Featured Image
Download Trends
Over the past 30 days, Firelight Lightbox averaged approximately 3,084 daily downloads while Default Featured Image averaged 102.
Recent Reviews
Firelight Lightbox Reviews
Very good
Recommend
Doesn’t work with sunshine photo cart
I’m using the gallery Plugin “sunshine photo cart” and it does not convert image links into a lightbox gallery. I am sick of using/adjusting 5 different lightbox plugins, because every gallery uses it
Increases the value of a photo blog
The plugin works perfect and with a beautiful, but discreet animation. I’d prefer having the possibility to force the browser via the settings to show the images in their original size if they are
Default Featured Image Reviews
Awesome plugin, great support.
Loving this plugin. And when I need to fine tune it, a quick browse through the FAQs and Support Threads and I found everything I needed. Great plugin. This topic was modified 12 months ago by
Does what is says on the tin – thanks!
A very handy little plugin that fills an obvious hole in WordPress’s feature list.
Exactly what I need
Hi Jan-Willem,I was looking for a default featured image, ChatGPT suggested your plugin. Exactly what I need. Thanks!Pascal
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Frequently Asked Questions
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Plugin data sourced from WordPress.org. Comparison and analysis by PluginSift.