WP Image Zoom 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, WP Image Zoom has a higher user rating (4.3/5 from 120 reviews) and leads in active installations (20K+ vs 1.0K+). Both are free WordPress plugins. WP Image Zoom has accumulated 838K+ total downloads while Ultimate Lightbox has 56K+.
Detailed Comparison
| Metric | WP Image Zoom | Ultimate Lightbox | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rating | 4.3/5 | ◄ | 4/5 |
| Total Reviews | 120 | ◄ | 18 |
| Active Installs | 20K+ | ◄ | 1.0K+ |
| Total Downloads | 838K+ | ◄ | 56K+ |
| Support Resolution | N/A | 0% | |
| Last Updated | 4 months ago | ◄ | 4 months ago |
| First Released | 2015 | 2016 | |
| Age | 11 years | 10 years | |
| WP Requires | 3.0.1+ | 3.5.0+ | |
| PHP Requires | 5.2.4+ | false+ | |
| Business Model | Free | Free | |
| Latest Version | 1.61 | 1.1.10 |
Rating Breakdown
WP Image Zoom
Ultimate Lightbox
Download Trends
Over the past 30 days, WP Image Zoom averaged approximately 77 daily downloads while Ultimate Lightbox averaged 8.
Recent Reviews
WP Image Zoom Reviews
Fast support, super helpful
The plugin developer responded to my wp-dot-org post quickly and went the extra mile of offering a detailed solution for the issue I was dealing with.
Trekker’s blog
It’s the plugin that added a lot to my wanderer’s blog. When needed, it helps to see closeups of e.g. architectural element on my photos. Very useful, indeed! This topic was modified 3 months,
Zoooom You Might Need This To Make It Work
I installed this plugin and I could not get it to work until I stumbled across a suggestion that if I clicked on the photo and then added zoooom to the class for the photo block and then it worked lik
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
Frequently Asked Questions
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Plugin data sourced from WordPress.org. Comparison and analysis by PluginSift.