Preloader vs Lightweight Loading Bar (2026)
Detailed side-by-side comparison of two WordPress plugins, based on real-time data from WordPress.org.
Quick Verdict
As of April 2026, Preloader has a higher user rating (4.1/5 from 41 reviews) and leads in active installations (10K+ vs 10). Both are free WordPress plugins. Preloader has accumulated 285K+ total downloads while Lightweight Loading Bar has 1.2K+.
Detailed Comparison
| Metric | Preloader | Lightweight Loading Bar | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rating | 4.1/5 | ◄ | 1/5 |
| Total Reviews | 41 | ◄ | 1 |
| Active Installs | 10K+ | ◄ | 10 |
| Total Downloads | 285K+ | ◄ | 1.2K+ |
| Support Resolution | N/A | N/A | |
| Last Updated | 4 months ago | ◄ | 7 years ago |
| First Released | 2015 | 2018 | |
| Age | 11 years | 8 years | |
| WP Requires | 5.8+ | 2.8.0+ | |
| PHP Requires | 7.4+ | false+ | |
| Business Model | Free | Free | |
| Latest Version | 2.0.2 | 1.4 |
Rating Breakdown
Preloader
Lightweight Loading Bar
Download Trends
Recent Reviews
Preloader Reviews
So many affiliate spam
such simple thing as preloader, didn’t expect so many affiliate links This topic was modified 10 months, 1 week ago by Mohaymenul Islam.
Got stuck on preloading screen
Preloader got stuck and never disappeared to display the website. Also you are limited to 128x128px
Terrible, Don’t Waste Your Time.
Couldn’t get it to work on a very basic WP install. Better preloader plugins to choose from. Sadly it seems a quickly built plugin just designed to generate some ad revenue and waste people’s time. Ve
Lightweight Loading Bar Reviews
No reviews yet
More Plugins Worth Comparing
Top alternatives in the same category as Preloader and Lightweight Loading Bar
Easily add a pure CSS animated preloader to your WordPress website.
Page Loader is a free Wordpress plugin to show a loader animation while page is being loaded.
Preloader Awesome help You to create page loading animation WordPress with spinner or You can upload Your own GIF.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Plugin data sourced from WordPress.org. Comparison and analysis by PluginSift.