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Smart Slider 3 vs Simple Lightbox (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
Simple Lightbox

Simple Lightbox

4.3(236)

100K+ active installs

Free

Updated 1 month ago
View Simple Lightbox

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 100K+). Both are free + premium WordPress plugins. Smart Slider 3 has accumulated 23M+ total downloads while Simple Lightbox has 3.0M+. Smart Slider 3 has a higher support resolution rate (67% vs 0%).

Detailed Comparison

Rating
4.9/5Smart Slider 3
◄
Simple Lightbox4.3/5
Total Reviews
1,119Smart Slider 3
◄
Simple Lightbox236
Active Installs
800K+Smart Slider 3
◄
Simple Lightbox100K+
Total Downloads
23M+Smart Slider 3
◄
Simple Lightbox3.0M+
Support Resolution
67%Smart Slider 3
◄
Simple Lightbox0%
Last Updated
1 week agoSmart Slider 3
◄
Simple Lightbox1 month ago
First Released
2015Smart Slider 3
Simple Lightbox2010
Age
11 yearsSmart Slider 3
Simple Lightbox16 years
WP Requires
5.0+Smart Slider 3
Simple Lightbox5.3+
PHP Requires
7.0+Smart Slider 3
Simple Lightbox5.6.20+
Business Model
Free + PremiumSmart Slider 3
Simple LightboxFree
Latest Version
3.5.1.34Smart Slider 3
Simple Lightbox2.9.5

Rating Breakdown

Smart Slider 3

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

Simple Lightbox

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

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.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Smart Slider 3 or Simple Lightbox more popular?
Smart Slider 3 has 800K+ active installations while Simple Lightbox has 100K+. Smart Slider 3 is the more widely-used plugin as of April 2026.
Which has better ratings — Smart Slider 3 or Simple Lightbox?
Smart Slider 3 has a 4.9/5 rating from 1,119 reviews, while Simple Lightbox has a 4.3/5 rating from 236 reviews.
Are Smart Slider 3 and Simple Lightbox free?
Smart Slider 3 is free + premium and Simple Lightbox is free. Both can be downloaded from the WordPress.org plugin directory.
Which plugin has better support — Smart Slider 3 or Simple Lightbox?
As of April 2026, Smart Slider 3 has a 67% support resolution rate while Simple Lightbox has a 0% rate.
Which plugin is updated more frequently?
Smart Slider 3 was last updated 1 week ago and Simple Lightbox was last updated 1 month ago.

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