PluginSift

Smart Slider 3 vs Carousel Slider (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
Carousel Slider

Carousel Slider

4.3(160)

30K+ active installs

Free

Updated 4 months ago
View Carousel Slider

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 30K+). Both are free + premium WordPress plugins. Smart Slider 3 has accumulated 23M+ total downloads while Carousel Slider has 1.1M+. Smart Slider 3 has a higher support resolution rate (67% vs 0%).

Detailed Comparison

Rating
4.9/5Smart Slider 3
◄
Carousel Slider4.3/5
Total Reviews
1,119Smart Slider 3
◄
Carousel Slider160
Active Installs
800K+Smart Slider 3
◄
Carousel Slider30K+
Total Downloads
23M+Smart Slider 3
◄
Carousel Slider1.1M+
Support Resolution
67%Smart Slider 3
◄
Carousel Slider0%
Last Updated
1 week agoSmart Slider 3
◄
Carousel Slider4 months ago
First Released
2015Smart Slider 3
Carousel Slider2014
Age
11 yearsSmart Slider 3
Carousel Slider12 years
WP Requires
5.0+Smart Slider 3
Carousel Slider6.7+
PHP Requires
7.0+Smart Slider 3
Carousel Slider7.0+
Business Model
Free + PremiumSmart Slider 3
Carousel SliderFree
Latest Version
3.5.1.34Smart Slider 3
Carousel Slider2.2.17

Rating Breakdown

Smart Slider 3

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

Carousel Slider

4.3/5(160 reviews)
5
73%
4
9%
3
4%
2
1%
1
14%

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.

Carousel Slider Reviews

by Shubham Verma

no support

I’m disappointed with the support experience. After reaching out multiple times and waiting a reasonable amount of time, I did not receive any response. When issues come up, timely communication is

by davidkivuyo

Best

good

by bescnav

great plugin but

I need to disable the mouse drag functionality so that when users click on a slide, it directly follows the link associated with the image (instead of triggering the drag-scroll action). Help plea

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Smart Slider 3 or Carousel Slider more popular?
Smart Slider 3 has 800K+ active installations while Carousel Slider has 30K+. Smart Slider 3 is the more widely-used plugin as of April 2026.
Which has better ratings — Smart Slider 3 or Carousel Slider?
Smart Slider 3 has a 4.9/5 rating from 1,119 reviews, while Carousel Slider has a 4.3/5 rating from 160 reviews.
Are Smart Slider 3 and Carousel Slider free?
Smart Slider 3 is free + premium and Carousel Slider is free. Both can be downloaded from the WordPress.org plugin directory.
Which plugin has better support — Smart Slider 3 or Carousel Slider?
As of April 2026, Smart Slider 3 has a 67% support resolution rate while Carousel Slider has a 0% rate.
Which plugin is updated more frequently?
Smart Slider 3 was last updated 1 week ago and Carousel Slider was last updated 4 months ago.

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