Head-to-head · October 2026
akWPLightbox vs Photo Gallery, Sliders, P…
Photo Gallery, Sliders, Pro… comes out ahead, winning 6 of 7 head-to-head checks against akWPLightbox.
akWPLightbox
Aim of this plugin was to create a simple lightbox, to be used with the images on the post, it helps you add…
Photo Gallery, Sliders, Proofing and Th…
NextGEN Gallery has been the industry’s standard WordPress gallery plugin since 2007 and continues to receive…
| Metric | akWPLightbox | Photo Gallery, Sliders, P… |
|---|---|---|
| Active installs | 10+ | 300K+ |
| Downloads (30 days) | 45 | 571.7K |
| Download trend | +50% | +27.3% |
| Rating | — | 4.3/5 |
| Reviews | 0 | 4,341 |
| Health score | 23/100 | 92/100 |
| Last updated | 15 years ago | 2 days ago |
| Tested up to | WP 3.1.4 | WP 7.1.3 |
| Support resolved | — | 85% |
| Requires PHP | Any | 7.4+ |
| First released | May 2008 | Apr 2007 |
Daily downloads, last 90 days
akWPLightboxPhoto Gallery, Sliders,…
Choose akWPLightbox if…
You care most about download trend.
- Small user base (10+ active installs)
- Very few reviews so far
- No update in 14 years
- Only tested up to WordPress 3.1 (latest is 7.1)
Choose Photo Gallery, Sliders, P… if…
You care most about active installs, downloads (30 days) and reviews.
- Proven at scale on 300K+ active sites
- Actively developed — last update 2 days ago
- Tested with the latest WordPress (7.1)
- Responsive support — 85% of recent threads resolved
- Momentum — downloads up 27.3% vs the previous 30 days
Both compete in: gallery
FAQ
akWPLightbox vs Photo Gallery, Sliders, P…: quick answers
Straight answers, pulled from live WordPress.org data.
Live data from WordPress.org · checked Oct 17, 2026
Which is better, akWPLightbox or Photo Gallery, Sliders, Pro…?
Photo Gallery, Sliders, Pro… comes out ahead, winning 6 of 7 head-to-head checks against akWPLightbox. Choose akWPLightbox if you care most about download trend. Choose Photo Gallery, Sliders, Pro… if you care most about active installs, downloads (30 days) and reviews.
Is akWPLightbox more popular than Photo Gallery, Sliders, Pro…?
Photo Gallery, Sliders, Pro… is the more popular of the two with 300K+ active installs, compared with 10+ for akWPLightbox.
Can I use akWPLightbox and Photo Gallery, Sliders, Pro… together?
Both plugins cover gallery, so most sites only need one. Running two plugins that do the same job can cause conflicts and slow your site down — pick the one that fits best and remove the other.
Are akWPLightbox and Photo Gallery, Sliders, Pro… free?
Yes. Both are free to download from the official WordPress.org plugin directory. Either may also offer paid upgrades from its developer.
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