WP Lightbox 2 vs Lightbox with PhotoSwipe (2026)
Detailed side-by-side comparison of two WordPress plugins, based on real-time data from WordPress.org.
Lightbox with PhotoSwipe
20K+ active installs
Free
Quick Verdict
As of April 2026, Lightbox with PhotoSwipe has a higher user rating (4.9/5 from 113 reviews) while WP Lightbox 2 leads in active installations (30K+ vs 20K+). Both are free WordPress plugins. WP Lightbox 2 has accumulated 1.3M+ total downloads while Lightbox with PhotoSwipe has 940K+.
Detailed Comparison
| Metric | WP Lightbox 2 | Lightbox with PhotoSwipe | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rating | 4.4/5 | ► | 4.9/5 |
| Total Reviews | 89 | ► | 113 |
| Active Installs | 30K+ | ◄ | 20K+ |
| Total Downloads | 1.3M+ | ◄ | 940K+ |
| Support Resolution | N/A | 91% | |
| Last Updated | 2 months ago | ► | 1 month ago |
| First Released | 2011 | 2017 | |
| Age | 15 years | 9 years | |
| WP Requires | 3.0+ | 5.3+ | |
| PHP Requires | false+ | false+ | |
| Business Model | Free | Free | |
| Latest Version | 3.0.7 | 5.8.3 |
Rating Breakdown
WP Lightbox 2
Lightbox with PhotoSwipe
Download Trends
Over the past 30 days, WP Lightbox 2 averaged approximately 93 daily downloads while Lightbox with PhotoSwipe averaged 193.
Recent Reviews
WP Lightbox 2 Reviews
Design features not working
The design settings from the admin no longer work. I have a site full of galleries and cannot access the settings to add the next button. Very annoying. It looks like the plugin was just updated and y
best plugin
thank you for up-dating this plugin. it serves my purposes well, is easy to use and has always been working on all devices.
Broke my site
Very nice to hear this from a customer…
Lightbox with PhotoSwipe Reviews
Works perfect
Perfekt to show images in a lightbox. 100% support. Fast and competent.
Sharp photos finally
A sleek plugin that is well documented. Good support. I can’t prove it, but it seems to me that with Arno Welzel’s “Lightbox with PhotoSwipe” plugin, my photos on the website are finally as sharp a
Lightbox was easy to implement
I was able to easily implement Lightbox on all images. When I first activated this plugin, the Lightbox displayed and behaved strangely, but after switching to PhotoSwipe version 4 on the settings
More Lightbox Worth Comparing
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Simple, lightweight lightbox plugin for WordPress. Formerly the WP JQuery Lightbox.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is WP Lightbox 2 or Lightbox with PhotoSwipe more popular?
Which has better ratings — WP Lightbox 2 or Lightbox with PhotoSwipe?
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Plugin data sourced from WordPress.org. Comparison and analysis by PluginSift.