Simple Lightbox vs Lightbox with PhotoSwipe (2026)
Detailed side-by-side comparison of two WordPress plugins, based on real-time data from WordPress.org.
Lightbox with PhotoSwipe
20K+ active installs
Free
Quick Verdict
As of April 2026, Lightbox with PhotoSwipe has a higher user rating (4.9/5 from 113 reviews) while Simple Lightbox leads in active installations (100K+ vs 20K+). Both are free WordPress plugins. Simple Lightbox has accumulated 3.0M+ total downloads while Lightbox with PhotoSwipe has 941K+. Lightbox with PhotoSwipe has a higher support resolution rate (91% vs 0%).
Detailed Comparison
| Metric | Simple Lightbox | Lightbox with PhotoSwipe | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rating | 4.3/5 | ► | 4.9/5 |
| Total Reviews | 236 | ◄ | 113 |
| Active Installs | 100K+ | ◄ | 20K+ |
| Total Downloads | 3.0M+ | ◄ | 941K+ |
| Support Resolution | 0% | ► | 91% |
| Last Updated | 1 month ago | ► | 1 month ago |
| First Released | 2010 | 2017 | |
| Age | 16 years | 9 years | |
| WP Requires | 5.3+ | 5.3+ | |
| PHP Requires | 5.6.20+ | false+ | |
| Business Model | Free | Free | |
| Latest Version | 2.9.5 | 5.8.3 |
Rating Breakdown
Simple Lightbox
Lightbox with PhotoSwipe
Download Trends
Over the past 30 days, Simple Lightbox averaged approximately 895 daily downloads while Lightbox with PhotoSwipe averaged 193.
Recent Reviews
Simple Lightbox Reviews
Does not do anything
Just does not work. This topic was modified 6 months, 3 weeks ago by Benjamin Stocker.
Worked straight out of the box!
Couldn’t be simpler. Downloaded, installed, activated and now all my post images open in a lightbox. Brilliant!
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.
Lightbox with PhotoSwipe Reviews
Works perfect
Perfekt to show images in a lightbox. 100% support. Fast and competent.
Sharp photos finally
A sleek plugin that is well documented. Good support. I can’t prove it, but it seems to me that with Arno Welzel’s “Lightbox with PhotoSwipe” plugin, my photos on the website are finally as sharp a
Lightbox was easy to implement
I was able to easily implement Lightbox on all images. When I first activated this plugin, the Lightbox displayed and behaved strangely, but after switching to PhotoSwipe version 4 on the settings
More Lightbox Worth Comparing
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is Simple Lightbox or Lightbox with PhotoSwipe more popular?
Which has better ratings — Simple Lightbox or Lightbox with PhotoSwipe?
Are Simple Lightbox and Lightbox with PhotoSwipe free?
Which plugin has better support — Simple Lightbox or Lightbox with PhotoSwipe?
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Plugin data sourced from WordPress.org. Comparison and analysis by PluginSift.