Simple Lightbox vs JJ NextGen Unload (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
JJ NextGen Unload

JJ NextGen Unload

5(1)

10 active installs

Free

Updated 15 years ago
View JJ NextGen Unload

Quick Verdict

As of April 2026, JJ NextGen Unload has a higher user rating (5/5 from 1 reviews) while Simple Lightbox leads in active installations (100K+ vs 10). Both are free WordPress plugins. Simple Lightbox has accumulated 3.0M+ total downloads while JJ NextGen Unload has 6.2K+.

Detailed Comparison

Rating
4.3/5Simple Lightbox
JJ NextGen Unload5/5
Total Reviews
236Simple Lightbox
JJ NextGen Unload1
Active Installs
100K+Simple Lightbox
JJ NextGen Unload10
Total Downloads
3.0M+Simple Lightbox
JJ NextGen Unload6.2K+
Support Resolution
0%Simple Lightbox
JJ NextGen UnloadN/A
Last Updated
1 month agoSimple Lightbox
JJ NextGen Unload15 years ago
First Released
2010Simple Lightbox
JJ NextGen Unload2011
Age
16 yearsSimple Lightbox
JJ NextGen Unload15 years
WP Requires
5.3+Simple Lightbox
JJ NextGen Unload1.79+
PHP Requires
5.6.20+Simple Lightbox
JJ NextGen Unloadfalse+
Business Model
FreeSimple Lightbox
JJ NextGen UnloadFree
Latest Version
2.9.5Simple Lightbox
JJ NextGen Unload1.0.2

Rating Breakdown

Simple Lightbox

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

JJ NextGen Unload

5/5(1 reviews)
5
100%
4
0%
3
0%
2
0%
1
0%

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.

JJ NextGen Unload Reviews

No reviews yet

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Simple Lightbox or JJ NextGen Unload more popular?
Simple Lightbox has 100K+ active installations while JJ NextGen Unload has 10. Simple Lightbox is the more widely-used plugin as of April 2026.
Which has better ratings — Simple Lightbox or JJ NextGen Unload?
Simple Lightbox has a 4.3/5 rating from 236 reviews, while JJ NextGen Unload has a 5/5 rating from 1 reviews.
Are Simple Lightbox and JJ NextGen Unload free?
Simple Lightbox is free and JJ NextGen Unload is free. Both can be downloaded from the WordPress.org plugin directory.
Which plugin has better support — Simple Lightbox or JJ NextGen Unload?
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 JJ NextGen Unload was last updated 15 years ago.

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