Simple Lightbox vs Ultimate Lightbox (2026)
Detailed side-by-side comparison of two WordPress plugins, based on real-time data from WordPress.org.
Quick Verdict
As of April 2026, Simple Lightbox has a higher user rating (4.3/5 from 236 reviews) and leads in active installations (100K+ vs 1.0K+). Both are free WordPress plugins. Simple Lightbox has accumulated 3.0M+ total downloads while Ultimate Lightbox has 56K+. Ultimate Lightbox has a higher support resolution rate (0% vs 0%).
Detailed Comparison
| Metric | Simple Lightbox | Ultimate Lightbox | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rating | 4.3/5 | ◄ | 4/5 |
| Total Reviews | 236 | ◄ | 18 |
| Active Installs | 100K+ | ◄ | 1.0K+ |
| Total Downloads | 3.0M+ | ◄ | 56K+ |
| Support Resolution | 0% | 0% | |
| Last Updated | 1 month ago | ◄ | 4 months ago |
| First Released | 2010 | 2016 | |
| Age | 16 years | 10 years | |
| WP Requires | 5.3+ | 3.5.0+ | |
| PHP Requires | 5.6.20+ | false+ | |
| Business Model | Free | Free | |
| Latest Version | 2.9.5 | 1.1.10 |
Rating Breakdown
Simple Lightbox
Ultimate Lightbox
Download Trends
Over the past 30 days, Simple Lightbox averaged approximately 895 daily downloads while Ultimate Lightbox averaged 8.
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.
Ultimate Lightbox Reviews
Annoying
Couldn’t get it to work. After deinstallation it did some weird things to my site?? Don’t install
Does not work to show large images
A most promising plugin for enabling classes to be used to define what images to use the lightbox for. BUT, it does not work completely. It only shows the small image and is not responsive in any
Does everything Gutenberg can’t do with galleries (and more)
A really powerful plugin for those who want to add an image lightbox to their website. Lots of customization options, custom arrows, skins, custom CSS and everything you could think of. A big B
More Plugins Worth Comparing
Top alternatives in the same category as Simple Lightbox and Ultimate Lightbox
Formerly Easy Fancybox. The most popular WordPress lightbox plugin. Simple, fast, and responsive. Opens images, videos, PDFs, and custom popups.
A responsive image lightbox for WordPress galleries, WordPress attachments & FooGallery
The most popular lightbox plugin and responsive gallery builder for WordPress.
Photo Gallery, Image Gallery by FooGallery — fast, responsive, SEO-optimized, and packed with beautiful layouts.
Create mixed media galleries with images, HTML5 video, YouTube, Vimeo, and VideoPress — all in one gallery by Simply Gallery.
Simple, lightweight lightbox plugin for WordPress. Formerly the WP JQuery Lightbox.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Simple Lightbox or Ultimate Lightbox more popular?
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Are Simple Lightbox and Ultimate Lightbox free?
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Plugin data sourced from WordPress.org. Comparison and analysis by PluginSift.