Firelight Lightbox vs Smart Image Loader (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
Quick Verdict
As of April 2026, Smart Image Loader has a higher user rating (5/5 from 2 reviews) while Firelight Lightbox leads in active installations (200K+ vs 100). Both are free + premium WordPress plugins. Firelight Lightbox has accumulated 7.6M+ total downloads while Smart Image Loader has 9.3K+.
Detailed Comparison
| Metric | Firelight Lightbox | Smart Image Loader | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rating | 4.8/5 | ► | 5/5 |
| Total Reviews | 331 | ◄ | 2 |
| Active Installs | 200K+ | ◄ | 100 |
| Total Downloads | 7.6M+ | ◄ | 9.3K+ |
| Support Resolution | 43% | N/A | |
| Last Updated | 3 weeks ago | ◄ | 7 years ago |
| First Released | 2010 | 2014 | |
| Age | 16 years | 12 years | |
| WP Requires | 5.0+ | 3.8.3+ | |
| PHP Requires | 7.0+ | false+ | |
| Business Model | Free + Premium | Free | |
| Latest Version | 2.3.19 | 0.5.1 |
Rating Breakdown
Firelight Lightbox
Smart Image Loader
Download Trends
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
Smart Image Loader Reviews
No reviews yet
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Frequently Asked Questions
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Plugin data sourced from WordPress.org. Comparison and analysis by PluginSift.