PluginSift

Autoptimize vs Lightbox with PhotoSwipe (2026)

Detailed side-by-side comparison of two WordPress plugins, based on real-time data from WordPress.org.

Autoptimize

Autoptimize

4.7(1,424)

900K+ active installs

Free

Updated 3 weeks ago
View Autoptimize
VS
Lightbox with PhotoSwipe

Lightbox with PhotoSwipe

4.9(113)

20K+ active installs

Free

Updated 1 month ago
View Lightbox with PhotoSwipe

Quick Verdict

As of April 2026, Lightbox with PhotoSwipe has a higher user rating (4.9/5 from 113 reviews) while Autoptimize leads in active installations (900K+ vs 20K+). Both are free WordPress plugins. Autoptimize has accumulated 43M+ total downloads while Lightbox with PhotoSwipe has 940K+. Lightbox with PhotoSwipe has a higher support resolution rate (91% vs 40%).

Detailed Comparison

Rating
4.7/5Autoptimize
►
Lightbox with PhotoSwipe4.9/5
Total Reviews
1,424Autoptimize
◄
Lightbox with PhotoSwipe113
Active Installs
900K+Autoptimize
◄
Lightbox with PhotoSwipe20K+
Total Downloads
43M+Autoptimize
◄
Lightbox with PhotoSwipe940K+
Support Resolution
40%Autoptimize
►
Lightbox with PhotoSwipe91%
Last Updated
3 weeks agoAutoptimize
◄
Lightbox with PhotoSwipe1 month ago
First Released
2009Autoptimize
Lightbox with PhotoSwipe2017
Age
17 yearsAutoptimize
Lightbox with PhotoSwipe9 years
WP Requires
5.3+Autoptimize
Lightbox with PhotoSwipe5.3+
PHP Requires
7.1+Autoptimize
Lightbox with PhotoSwipefalse+
Business Model
FreeAutoptimize
Lightbox with PhotoSwipeFree
Latest Version
3.1.15Autoptimize
Lightbox with PhotoSwipe5.8.3

Rating Breakdown

Autoptimize

4.7/5(1,424 reviews)
5
90%
4
2%
3
1%
2
1%
1
5%

Lightbox with PhotoSwipe

4.9/5(113 reviews)
5
96%
4
3%
3
0%
2
0%
1
1%

Recent Reviews

Autoptimize Reviews

by uniqf0x

avoid

causes critical error, also no way to deactivate or remove without it crippling my wp site. don’t use it.

by kkrajk

Injects Malware.

Not one but this happened twice in about 6 months across 2 sites. This topic was modified 1 week, 6 days ago by kkrajk.

by davo342

Mala idea adquirir la versión PRO

Pague la versión PRO, y realmente fue un desastre, mi web tuvo constantes caídas, excesiva cantidad de cache, problemas con el CSS, realmente fue una perdida de dinero en el Plugin

Lightbox with PhotoSwipe Reviews

by Michael Rieder

Works perfect

Perfekt to show images in a lightbox. 100% support. Fast and competent.

by Roland Bischoff

Sharp photos finally

A sleek plugin that is well documented. Good support. I can’t prove it, but it seems to me that with Arno Welzel’s “Lightbox with PhotoSwipe” plugin, my photos on the website are finally as sharp a

by niguramu

Lightbox was easy to implement

I was able to easily implement Lightbox on all images. When I first activated this plugin, the Lightbox displayed and behaved strangely, but after switching to PhotoSwipe version 4 on the settings

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Autoptimize or Lightbox with PhotoSwipe more popular?
Autoptimize has 900K+ active installations while Lightbox with PhotoSwipe has 20K+. Autoptimize is the more widely-used plugin as of April 2026.
Which has better ratings — Autoptimize or Lightbox with PhotoSwipe?
Autoptimize has a 4.7/5 rating from 1,424 reviews, while Lightbox with PhotoSwipe has a 4.9/5 rating from 113 reviews.
Are Autoptimize and Lightbox with PhotoSwipe free?
Autoptimize is free and Lightbox with PhotoSwipe is free. Both can be downloaded from the WordPress.org plugin directory.
Which plugin has better support — Autoptimize or Lightbox with PhotoSwipe?
As of April 2026, Autoptimize has a 40% support resolution rate while Lightbox with PhotoSwipe has a 91% rate.
Which plugin is updated more frequently?
Autoptimize was last updated 3 weeks ago and Lightbox with PhotoSwipe was last updated 1 month ago.

Plugin data sourced from WordPress.org. Comparison and analysis by PluginSift.