Slider, Gallery, and Carousel by… vs essential (2026)
Detailed side-by-side comparison of two WordPress plugins, based on real-time data from WordPress.org.
Slider, Gallery, and Carousel by…
500K+ active installs
Free + Premium
Quick Verdict
As of April 2026, essential has a higher user rating (5/5 from 1 reviews) while Slider, Gallery, and Carousel by… leads in active installations (500K+ vs 10). Both are free + premium WordPress plugins. Slider, Gallery, and Carousel by… has accumulated 33M+ total downloads while essential has 1.9K+.
Detailed Comparison
| Metric | Slider, Gallery, and Carousel by… | essential | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rating | 4.6/5 | ► | 5/5 |
| Total Reviews | 731 | ◄ | 1 |
| Active Installs | 500K+ | ◄ | 10 |
| Total Downloads | 33M+ | ◄ | 1.9K+ |
| Support Resolution | 82% | N/A | |
| Last Updated | 1 week ago | ◄ | 11 years ago |
| First Released | 2013 | 2014 | |
| Age | 13 years | 12 years | |
| WP Requires | 5.0+ | 4.0+ | |
| PHP Requires | 7.0+ | false+ | |
| Business Model | Free + Premium | Free | |
| Latest Version | 3.107.0 | 1.0.2 |
Rating Breakdown
Slider, Gallery, and Carousel by…
essential
Download Trends
Recent Reviews
Slider, Gallery, and Carousel by… Reviews
Works great!
Works great!
Great plugin and service
As a novice the plugin is easy to use and make it all look very good. Also Steve at Metaslider did an excellent job with an issue I had. Highly recommendable!
Excellent Slider Plugin
I really appreciate the Effort that MetaSlider has put into making the slideshow accessible.
essential Reviews
No reviews yet
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is Slider, Gallery, and Carousel by… or essential more popular?
Which has better ratings — Slider, Gallery, and Carousel by… or essential?
Are Slider, Gallery, and Carousel by… and essential free?
Which plugin has better support — Slider, Gallery, and Carousel by… or essential?
Which plugin is updated more frequently?
Plugin data sourced from WordPress.org. Comparison and analysis by PluginSift.