PluginSift

Simple Lightbox vs FancyBox for WordPress (2026)

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

Simple Lightbox

Simple Lightbox

4.3(236)

100K+ active installs

Free

Updated 1 month ago
View Simple Lightbox
VS
FancyBox for WordPress

FancyBox for WordPress

4.6(92)

40K+ active installs

Free

Updated 11 months ago
View FancyBox for WordPress

Quick Verdict

As of April 2026, FancyBox for WordPress has a higher user rating (4.6/5 from 92 reviews) while Simple Lightbox leads in active installations (100K+ vs 40K+). Both are free WordPress plugins. Simple Lightbox has accumulated 3.0M+ total downloads while FancyBox for WordPress has 1.9M+.

Detailed Comparison

Rating
4.3/5Simple Lightbox
►
FancyBox for WordPress4.6/5
Total Reviews
236Simple Lightbox
◄
FancyBox for WordPress92
Active Installs
100K+Simple Lightbox
◄
FancyBox for WordPress40K+
Total Downloads
3.0M+Simple Lightbox
◄
FancyBox for WordPress1.9M+
Support Resolution
0%Simple Lightbox
FancyBox for WordPressN/A
Last Updated
1 month agoSimple Lightbox
◄
FancyBox for WordPress11 months ago
First Released
2010Simple Lightbox
FancyBox for WordPress2009
Age
16 yearsSimple Lightbox
FancyBox for WordPress17 years
WP Requires
5.3+Simple Lightbox
FancyBox for WordPress5.6+
PHP Requires
5.6.20+Simple Lightbox
FancyBox for WordPress7.4+
Business Model
FreeSimple Lightbox
FancyBox for WordPressFree
Latest Version
2.9.5Simple Lightbox
FancyBox for WordPress3.3.7

Rating Breakdown

Simple Lightbox

4.3/5(236 reviews)
5
79%
4
4%
3
2%
2
1%
1
14%

FancyBox for WordPress

4.6/5(92 reviews)
5
83%
4
7%
3
2%
2
1%
1
8%

Recent Reviews

Simple Lightbox Reviews

by Benjamin Stocker

Does not do anything

Just does not work. This topic was modified 6 months, 3 weeks ago by Benjamin Stocker.

by splinter1

Worked straight out of the box!

Couldn’t be simpler. Downloaded, installed, activated and now all my post images open in a lightbox. Brilliant!

by skylabb

Simple Yet Awesome

I like the simplicity of the plugin and it works with WP native image block. The ability to automatically group single images on a page or post and browse through them in the model box is great.

FancyBox for WordPress Reviews

by Vital_V_G

Идеальный плагин Fancybox

Замечательный плагин  Fancybox! Легкий, удобный, справляется со своими функциями! Функционал не нагружен всякими ползунками, пикселями, настройками. Установил и пользуешься! От читателей (под

by joseyaz

Perfect!

It’s lightweight, non-intrusive, and does its job perfectly. Thank you.

by stsalv

Very well

That’s what you need

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Simple Lightbox or FancyBox for WordPress more popular?
Simple Lightbox has 100K+ active installations while FancyBox for WordPress has 40K+. Simple Lightbox is the more widely-used plugin as of April 2026.
Which has better ratings — Simple Lightbox or FancyBox for WordPress?
Simple Lightbox has a 4.3/5 rating from 236 reviews, while FancyBox for WordPress has a 4.6/5 rating from 92 reviews.
Are Simple Lightbox and FancyBox for WordPress free?
Simple Lightbox is free and FancyBox for WordPress is free. Both can be downloaded from the WordPress.org plugin directory.
Which plugin has better support — Simple Lightbox or FancyBox for WordPress?
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?
Simple Lightbox was last updated 1 month ago and FancyBox for WordPress was last updated 11 months ago.

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