Smart Slider 3 vs Weaver Show Sliders (2026)

Detailed side-by-side comparison of two WordPress plugins, based on real-time data from WordPress.org.

Smart Slider 3

Smart Slider 3

4.9(1,119)

800K+ active installs

Free + Premium

Updated 1 week ago
View Smart Slider 3
VS
Weaver Show Sliders

Weaver Show Sliders

4.5(6)

1.0K+ active installs

Free

Updated 3 years ago
View Weaver Show Sliders

Quick Verdict

As of April 2026, Smart Slider 3 has a higher user rating (4.9/5 from 1,119 reviews) and leads in active installations (800K+ vs 1.0K+). Both are free + premium WordPress plugins. Smart Slider 3 has accumulated 23M+ total downloads while Weaver Show Sliders has 66K+.

Detailed Comparison

Rating
4.9/5Smart Slider 3
Weaver Show Sliders4.5/5
Total Reviews
1,119Smart Slider 3
Weaver Show Sliders6
Active Installs
800K+Smart Slider 3
Weaver Show Sliders1.0K+
Total Downloads
23M+Smart Slider 3
Weaver Show Sliders66K+
Support Resolution
67%Smart Slider 3
Weaver Show SlidersN/A
Last Updated
1 week agoSmart Slider 3
Weaver Show Sliders3 years ago
First Released
2015Smart Slider 3
Weaver Show Sliders2014
Age
11 yearsSmart Slider 3
Weaver Show Sliders12 years
WP Requires
5.0+Smart Slider 3
Weaver Show Sliders5.4+
PHP Requires
7.0+Smart Slider 3
Weaver Show Slidersfalse+
Business Model
Free + PremiumSmart Slider 3
Weaver Show SlidersFree
Latest Version
3.5.1.34Smart Slider 3
Weaver Show Sliders1.7

Rating Breakdown

Smart Slider 3

4.9/5(1,119 reviews)
5
95%
4
2%
3
0%
2
1%
1
2%

Weaver Show Sliders

4.5/5(6 reviews)
5
83%
4
0%
3
0%
2
17%
1
0%

Recent Reviews

Smart Slider 3 Reviews

by denisrcekg

Хорош!!

Данный слайдер используется на нашем сайте2 разных слайдера размещены в разных локацияхНемного придётся изучить плагин, чтобы привыкнуть и адаптировать каждый слайд к определённому типу устройств. Даж

by manos555

Stunning visuals without the complexity!

I used Smart Slider 3 for my project and the results are amazing. I’m not a web designer, but this plugin allowed me to create beautiful, professional-looking sliders in no time.What I appreciate most

by vinnyrajput

ONE OF THE BEST SLIDER

I HAVE BEEN USING THIS PLUGIN FOR MULIPLE WEBSITES IT IS BEST.

Weaver Show Sliders Reviews

by digihulpdienst

Too complex

It does not work for me. I had a photo slider and then it was all gone. (In Weaver Xtreme theme). To process to create a slider is very complex. Now I use an other plugin that is working intuitive and

by rattenkind

only slider that not only handles posts, but also shortcode-generated content

This slider is just awesome! True, it’s interface is a bit less intuitive and slightly more nerdy than most other sliders, but: it’s the only slider I could find that correctly displays shortcode con

by ytacc

Awesome great powerful slider

this is the only slider(free) I could find which able to get the query of custom post type and its taxonomy and responsive as well. Hope there is an update soon. Thanks!

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Smart Slider 3 or Weaver Show Sliders more popular?
Smart Slider 3 has 800K+ active installations while Weaver Show Sliders has 1.0K+. Smart Slider 3 is the more widely-used plugin as of April 2026.
Which has better ratings — Smart Slider 3 or Weaver Show Sliders?
Smart Slider 3 has a 4.9/5 rating from 1,119 reviews, while Weaver Show Sliders has a 4.5/5 rating from 6 reviews.
Are Smart Slider 3 and Weaver Show Sliders free?
Smart Slider 3 is free + premium and Weaver Show Sliders is free. Both can be downloaded from the WordPress.org plugin directory.
Which plugin has better support — Smart Slider 3 or Weaver Show Sliders?
Support resolution data is not available for all plugins. Check each plugin's WordPress.org support forum for current response quality.
Which plugin is updated more frequently?
Smart Slider 3 was last updated 1 week ago and Weaver Show Sliders was last updated 3 years ago.

Plugin data sourced from WordPress.org. Comparison and analysis by PluginSift.