Firelight Lightbox vs Polaroid Gallery (2026)
Detailed side-by-side comparison of two WordPress plugins, based on real-time data from WordPress.org.
Firelight Lightbox
200K+ active installs
Free + Premium
Quick Verdict
As of April 2026, Firelight Lightbox has a higher user rating (4.8/5 from 331 reviews) and leads in active installations (200K+ vs 1.0K+). Both are free + premium WordPress plugins. Firelight Lightbox has accumulated 7.6M+ total downloads while Polaroid Gallery has 82K+.
Detailed Comparison
| Metric | Firelight Lightbox | Polaroid Gallery | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rating | 4.8/5 | ◄ | 3.8/5 |
| Total Reviews | 331 | ◄ | 4 |
| Active Installs | 200K+ | ◄ | 1.0K+ |
| Total Downloads | 7.6M+ | ◄ | 82K+ |
| Support Resolution | 43% | N/A | |
| Last Updated | 3 weeks ago | ◄ | 9 years ago |
| First Released | 2010 | 2010 | |
| Age | 16 years | 16 years | |
| WP Requires | 5.0+ | 3.1+ | |
| PHP Requires | 7.0+ | false+ | |
| Business Model | Free + Premium | Free | |
| Latest Version | 2.3.19 | 2.2 |
Rating Breakdown
Firelight Lightbox
Polaroid Gallery
Download Trends
Over the past 30 days, Firelight Lightbox averaged approximately 3,084 daily downloads while Polaroid Gallery averaged 5.
Recent Reviews
Firelight Lightbox Reviews
Very good
Recommend
Doesn’t work with sunshine photo cart
I’m using the gallery Plugin “sunshine photo cart” and it does not convert image links into a lightbox gallery. I am sick of using/adjusting 5 different lightbox plugins, because every gallery uses it
Increases the value of a photo blog
The plugin works perfect and with a beautiful, but discreet animation. I’d prefer having the possibility to force the browser via the settings to show the images in their original size if they are
Polaroid Gallery Reviews
Not compatible with WordPress 5.5 and current jQuery
This plugin is not compatible with WordPress 5.5 and jQuery 1.12.4. Advise is to look for a different plugin.
Great
Easy to use. Great Work!
easy gallery, good integrated
I like the plugin Polaroid Gallery, because it is easy to use and is well integrated into the wordpress system without using own folders etc. One wish is a touch-friendly handling on mobile devices.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is Firelight Lightbox or Polaroid Gallery more popular?
Which has better ratings — Firelight Lightbox or Polaroid Gallery?
Are Firelight Lightbox and Polaroid Gallery free?
Which plugin has better support — Firelight Lightbox or Polaroid Gallery?
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Plugin data sourced from WordPress.org. Comparison and analysis by PluginSift.