PluginSift

Preloader vs Flat Preloader (2026)

Detailed side-by-side comparison of two WordPress plugins, based on real-time data from WordPress.org.

Preloader

Preloader

4.1(41)

10K+ active installs

Free

Updated 4 months ago
View Preloader
VS
Flat Preloader

Flat Preloader

4.6(18)

3.0K+ active installs

Free

Updated 2 years ago
View Flat Preloader

Quick Verdict

As of April 2026, Flat Preloader has a higher user rating (4.6/5 from 18 reviews) while Preloader leads in active installations (10K+ vs 3.0K+). Both are free WordPress plugins. Preloader has accumulated 285K+ total downloads while Flat Preloader has 84K+.

Detailed Comparison

Rating
4.1/5Preloader
►
Flat Preloader4.6/5
Total Reviews
41Preloader
◄
Flat Preloader18
Active Installs
10K+Preloader
◄
Flat Preloader3.0K+
Total Downloads
285K+Preloader
◄
Flat Preloader84K+
Support Resolution
N/APreloader
Flat PreloaderN/A
Last Updated
4 months agoPreloader
◄
Flat Preloader2 years ago
First Released
2015Preloader
Flat Preloader2016
Age
11 yearsPreloader
Flat Preloader10 years
WP Requires
5.8+Preloader
Flat Preloader4.6+
PHP Requires
7.4+Preloader
Flat Preloaderfalse+
Business Model
FreePreloader
Flat PreloaderFree
Latest Version
2.0.2Preloader
Flat Preloader1.16.0

Rating Breakdown

Preloader

4.1/5(41 reviews)
5
73%
4
2%
3
2%
2
2%
1
20%

Flat Preloader

4.6/5(18 reviews)
5
89%
4
0%
3
0%
2
6%
1
6%

Recent Reviews

Preloader Reviews

by Mohaymenul Islam

So many affiliate spam

such simple thing as preloader, didn’t expect so many affiliate links This topic was modified 10 months, 1 week ago by Mohaymenul Islam.

by RED_Android

Got stuck on preloading screen

Preloader got stuck and never disappeared to display the website. Also you are limited to 128x128px

by brian7997

Terrible, Don’t Waste Your Time.

Couldn’t get it to work on a very basic WP install. Better preloader plugins to choose from. Sadly it seems a quickly built plugin just designed to generate some ad revenue and waste people’s time. Ve

Flat Preloader Reviews

by amirdbest

works perfectly

The preloader works perfectly and it is actually better than other plugins I tried. The only issue is that is not updated recently and i am afraid i might run into an issue soon. Anyway will use it un

by onlinemarketingmeierijstad

Great Plugin!

In my opinion this is the best plugin to use for a pre loading page on your website. Especially the function to use a custom video (such as a gif) is quite unique.

by amaurea

Works but not compatible with other plugin

This plugin does the job, but I had some weird behavior in the website when activated. This plugin deactivated the function target=_blank for links. The buttons with target=_blank, on click, the li

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Preloader or Flat Preloader more popular?
Preloader has 10K+ active installations while Flat Preloader has 3.0K+. Preloader is the more widely-used plugin as of April 2026.
Which has better ratings — Preloader or Flat Preloader?
Preloader has a 4.1/5 rating from 41 reviews, while Flat Preloader has a 4.6/5 rating from 18 reviews.
Are Preloader and Flat Preloader free?
Preloader is free and Flat Preloader is free. Both can be downloaded from the WordPress.org plugin directory.
Which plugin has better support — Preloader or Flat Preloader?
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?
Preloader was last updated 4 months ago and Flat Preloader was last updated 2 years ago.

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