Lightweight Social Icons vs Social Media Icon Widget (2026)
Detailed side-by-side comparison of two WordPress plugins, based on real-time data from WordPress.org.
Lightweight Social Icons
30K+ active installs
Free
Social Media Icon Widget
4.0K+ active installs
Free + Premium
Quick Verdict
As of April 2026, Lightweight Social Icons has a higher user rating (4.7/5 from 63 reviews) and leads in active installations (30K+ vs 4.0K+). Both are free WordPress plugins. Lightweight Social Icons has accumulated 464K+ total downloads while Social Media Icon Widget has 233K+.
Detailed Comparison
| Metric | Lightweight Social Icons | Social Media Icon Widget | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rating | 4.7/5 | ◄ | 4.2/5 |
| Total Reviews | 63 | ◄ | 17 |
| Active Installs | 30K+ | ◄ | 4.0K+ |
| Total Downloads | 464K+ | ◄ | 233K+ |
| Support Resolution | N/A | N/A | |
| Last Updated | 6 years ago | ► | 3 weeks ago |
| First Released | 2014 | 2016 | |
| Age | 12 years | 10 years | |
| WP Requires | 4.5+ | 5.0+ | |
| PHP Requires | false+ | 7.4+ | |
| Business Model | Free | Free + Premium | |
| Latest Version | 1.1 | 1.4.0 |
Rating Breakdown
Lightweight Social Icons
Social Media Icon Widget
Download Trends
Over the past 30 days, Lightweight Social Icons averaged approximately 15 daily downloads while Social Media Icon Widget averaged 102.
Recent Reviews
Lightweight Social Icons Reviews
Affects Core Web Vitals creating Ensure Text Remains Visible During Webfont Load
I don’t recommend this plugin at all. It signs a useless font which is not displayed in the front end to the users but creates core web vitals issues on the back end. The font name is fontello.woff an
It’s Light!
Hasn’t been updated but super light and solid!
Fantastic Social Icons Plugin
Tom never fails to make amazing plugins and this social icons plugin is no different. I just hope that there are plans to add a discord icon in the near future. 5/5 plugin!
Social Media Icon Widget Reviews
I like this plugin
I like this plugin
Great Plugin
Once installed and running this is a great plugin. Simple and easy to configure, would definitely recommend it for projects.
A very poor show
The icons do not appear, and the instructions are unclear, for example do you put in the full link or just the social media handle? With or without the ‘@’? It is not clear and all options throw up an
More Social Icons Worth Comparing
Top alternatives in the same category as Lightweight Social Icons and Social Media Icon Widget
Social media icons plugin for WordPress - Add 400+ social icons and share buttons. Gutenberg block, widget & Elementor support. GDPR compliant.
Upload your own social media icons or choose from font-awesome. Use widget|shortcode to place icons anywhere(sidebar, header, footer, page) in theme.
This plugin allows you to add social media floating sidebar icons connected with your social media profiles.
Increase user engagement by incorporating sticky buttons that highlight relevant information on your website.
A collection of useful widgets, neatly bundled into a single plugin.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Plugin data sourced from WordPress.org. Comparison and analysis by PluginSift.