WebP Express vs Lightbox with PhotoSwipe (2026)
Detailed side-by-side comparison of two WordPress plugins, based on real-time data from WordPress.org.
Lightbox with PhotoSwipe
20K+ active installs
Free
Quick Verdict
As of April 2026, Lightbox with PhotoSwipe has a higher user rating (4.9/5 from 113 reviews) while WebP Express leads in active installations (300K+ vs 20K+). Both are free WordPress plugins. WebP Express has accumulated 4.1M+ total downloads while Lightbox with PhotoSwipe has 940K+. Lightbox with PhotoSwipe has a higher support resolution rate (91% vs 0%).
Detailed Comparison
| Metric | WebP Express | Lightbox with PhotoSwipe | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rating | 4.4/5 | ► | 4.9/5 |
| Total Reviews | 160 | ◄ | 113 |
| Active Installs | 300K+ | ◄ | 20K+ |
| Total Downloads | 4.1M+ | ◄ | 940K+ |
| Support Resolution | 0% | ► | 91% |
| Last Updated | 2 months ago | ► | 1 month ago |
| First Released | 2018 | 2017 | |
| Age | 8 years | 9 years | |
| WP Requires | 4.0+ | 5.3+ | |
| PHP Requires | 5.6+ | false+ | |
| Business Model | Free | Free | |
| Latest Version | 0.25.14 | 5.8.3 |
Rating Breakdown
WebP Express
Lightbox with PhotoSwipe
Download Trends
Over the past 30 days, WebP Express averaged approximately 1,187 daily downloads while Lightbox with PhotoSwipe averaged 193.
Recent Reviews
WebP Express Reviews
Good plugin
Good plugin. Thanks for the update.
Excelent and good free plugin
Excelent and good free plugin for convert images jpg/png a webp
Amazing
This stuff is the real deal: just an app that works, no hassling like premium versions or special features. Thank you.
Lightbox with PhotoSwipe Reviews
Works perfect
Perfekt to show images in a lightbox. 100% support. Fast and competent.
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
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
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is WebP Express or Lightbox with PhotoSwipe more popular?
Which has better ratings — WebP Express or Lightbox with PhotoSwipe?
Are WebP Express and Lightbox with PhotoSwipe free?
Which plugin has better support — WebP Express or Lightbox with PhotoSwipe?
Which plugin is updated more frequently?
Plugin data sourced from WordPress.org. Comparison and analysis by PluginSift.