Simple Lightbox vs Mixed Media Gallery Blocks (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
Mixed Media Gallery Blocks

Mixed Media Gallery Blocks

4.8(114)

40K+ active installs

Free

Updated 3 weeks ago
View Mixed Media Gallery Blocks

Quick Verdict

As of April 2026, Mixed Media Gallery Blocks has a higher user rating (4.8/5 from 114 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 Mixed Media Gallery Blocks has 1.1M+. Mixed Media Gallery Blocks has a higher support resolution rate (100% vs 0%).

Detailed Comparison

Rating
4.3/5Simple Lightbox
Mixed Media Gallery Blocks4.8/5
Total Reviews
236Simple Lightbox
Mixed Media Gallery Blocks114
Active Installs
100K+Simple Lightbox
Mixed Media Gallery Blocks40K+
Total Downloads
3.0M+Simple Lightbox
Mixed Media Gallery Blocks1.1M+
Support Resolution
0%Simple Lightbox
Mixed Media Gallery Blocks100%
Last Updated
1 month agoSimple Lightbox
Mixed Media Gallery Blocks3 weeks ago
First Released
2010Simple Lightbox
Mixed Media Gallery Blocks2019
Age
16 yearsSimple Lightbox
Mixed Media Gallery Blocks7 years
WP Requires
5.3+Simple Lightbox
Mixed Media Gallery Blocks6.6+
PHP Requires
5.6.20+Simple Lightbox
Mixed Media Gallery Blocks5.3.8+
Business Model
FreeSimple Lightbox
Mixed Media Gallery BlocksFree
Latest Version
2.9.5Simple Lightbox
Mixed Media Gallery Blocks3.3.2.3

Rating Breakdown

Simple Lightbox

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

Mixed Media Gallery Blocks

4.8/5(114 reviews)
5
93%
4
2%
3
1%
2
1%
1
4%

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.

Mixed Media Gallery Blocks Reviews

by ludwigarcache

Perfect.. but

Amazing plugin, perfect in every detail with everything you need, only missing a simple option to position the caption.

by Dejan Buric

Best WP Lightbox plugin

The best WP Lightbox plugin out of many I’ve tried.

by aaaaabb

Works fine!

Does the job well. Can show minimalistic galleries if needed.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Simple Lightbox or Mixed Media Gallery Blocks more popular?
Simple Lightbox has 100K+ active installations while Mixed Media Gallery Blocks has 40K+. Simple Lightbox is the more widely-used plugin as of April 2026.
Which has better ratings — Simple Lightbox or Mixed Media Gallery Blocks?
Simple Lightbox has a 4.3/5 rating from 236 reviews, while Mixed Media Gallery Blocks has a 4.8/5 rating from 114 reviews.
Are Simple Lightbox and Mixed Media Gallery Blocks free?
Simple Lightbox is free and Mixed Media Gallery Blocks is free. Both can be downloaded from the WordPress.org plugin directory.
Which plugin has better support — Simple Lightbox or Mixed Media Gallery Blocks?
As of April 2026, Simple Lightbox has a 0% support resolution rate while Mixed Media Gallery Blocks has a 100% rate.
Which plugin is updated more frequently?
Simple Lightbox was last updated 1 month ago and Mixed Media Gallery Blocks was last updated 3 weeks ago.

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