LightStart – Maintenance Mode, Coming… vs Marquee Running Text (2026)
Detailed side-by-side comparison of two WordPress plugins, based on real-time data from WordPress.org.
LightStart – Maintenance Mode, Coming…
500K+ active installs
Free
Quick Verdict
As of April 2026, Marquee Running Text has a higher user rating (4.6/5 from 5 reviews) while LightStart – Maintenance Mode, Coming… leads in active installations (500K+ vs 5.0K+). Both are free WordPress plugins. LightStart – Maintenance Mode, Coming… has accumulated 19M+ total downloads while Marquee Running Text has 38K+. LightStart – Maintenance Mode, Coming… has a higher support resolution rate (50% vs 0%).
Detailed Comparison
| Metric | LightStart – Maintenance Mode, Coming… | Marquee Running Text | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rating | 4.3/5 | ► | 4.6/5 |
| Total Reviews | 860 | ◄ | 5 |
| Active Installs | 500K+ | ◄ | 5.0K+ |
| Total Downloads | 19M+ | ◄ | 38K+ |
| Support Resolution | 50% | ◄ | 0% |
| Last Updated | 2 weeks ago | ◄ | 3 months ago |
| First Released | 2010 | 2023 | |
| Age | 16 years | 3 years | |
| WP Requires | 4.7+ | 5.0+ | |
| PHP Requires | 7.1+ | 5.6+ | |
| Business Model | Free | Free | |
| Latest Version | 2.6.20 | 1.1.7 |
Rating Breakdown
LightStart – Maintenance Mode, Coming…
Marquee Running Text
Download Trends
Over the past 30 days, LightStart – Maintenance Mode, Coming… averaged approximately 1,064 daily downloads while Marquee Running Text averaged 38.
Recent Reviews
LightStart – Maintenance Mode, Coming… Reviews
Not for the faint hearted or newbies
My isssue (which I’m currently waiting for help with)- is that it broke my Woocommerce/Divi Shop. The Maintenance Mode is still active on my Homepage even after deactivating Lightstart.I’m sure it wil
Installed Unwanted Plugins
The actual plugin I wanted to use worked fine but it installed two other plugins – an image optimization plugin and some other plugin called Otter. No prompts, notification or nothing. Very sketch.
Excellent Lightweight Easy to use
LightStart is a great addition to any WordPress site if you’re looking for a lightweight, reliable, and easy-to-use solution. It installs quickly, works smoothly without slowing down performance, and
Marquee Running Text Reviews
Free is usable but Pro didn’t work on Astra Pro theme
I used the Free version and it allows you to add up to 5 “marquees” or text sections. It automatically puts the marquee at the very top of your pages (use Astra Pro theme). No way to add “marquees” mo
does what it says
this plugin does exactly what it says it will.very handy if your after some scrolling text.
Option to remove / replace the dot before the running text
Hello Developers, is there an option to remove (hide) or replace the dot before the running text? Thanks.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is LightStart – Maintenance Mode, Coming… or Marquee Running Text more popular?
Which has better ratings — LightStart – Maintenance Mode, Coming… or Marquee Running Text?
Are LightStart – Maintenance Mode, Coming… and Marquee Running Text free?
Which plugin has better support — LightStart – Maintenance Mode, Coming… or Marquee Running Text?
Which plugin is updated more frequently?
Plugin data sourced from WordPress.org. Comparison and analysis by PluginSift.