Head-to-head · October 2026
Firelight Lightbox vs Ultimate Preloader
Firelight Lightbox comes out ahead, winning 7 of 8 head-to-head checks against Ultimate Preloader.
Firelight Lightbox
NEWS: Easy Fancybox is now Firelight Lightbox. Read about it here.
Ultimate Preloader
Ultimate Preloader will create a preloading screen for your website before all your images (including the…
| Metric | Firelight Lightbox | Ultimate Preloader |
|---|---|---|
| Active installs | 200K+ | 50+ |
| Downloads (30 days) | 96.9K | 66 |
| Download trend | +18.1% | +32% |
| Rating | 4.8/5 | 3.5/5 |
| Reviews | 360 | 6 |
| Health score | 90/100 | 31/100 |
| Last updated | 2 weeks ago | 14 years ago |
| Tested up to | WP 7.1.3 | WP 3.5.2 |
| Support resolved | 67% | — |
| Requires PHP | 7.0+ | Any |
| First released | Aug 2010 | Feb 2013 |
Daily downloads, last 90 days
Firelight LightboxUltimate Preloader
Choose Firelight Lightbox if…
You care most about active installs, downloads (30 days) and rating.
- Proven at scale on 200K+ active sites
- Loved by users — 4.8/5 from 360 reviews
- Actively developed — last update 2 weeks ago
- Tested with the latest WordPress (7.1)
- Momentum — downloads up 18.1% vs the previous 30 days
Choose Ultimate Preloader if…
You care most about download trend.
- Small user base (50+ active installs)
- No update in 13 years
- Only tested up to WordPress 3.5 (latest is 7.1)
Both compete in: image
FAQ
Firelight Lightbox vs Ultimate Preloader: quick answers
Straight answers, pulled from live WordPress.org data.
Live data from WordPress.org · checked Oct 19, 2026
Which is better, Firelight Lightbox or Ultimate Preloader?
Firelight Lightbox comes out ahead, winning 7 of 8 head-to-head checks against Ultimate Preloader. Choose Firelight Lightbox if you care most about active installs, downloads (30 days) and rating. Choose Ultimate Preloader if you care most about download trend.
Is Firelight Lightbox more popular than Ultimate Preloader?
Firelight Lightbox is the more popular of the two with 200K+ active installs, compared with 50+ for Ultimate Preloader.
Can I use Firelight Lightbox and Ultimate Preloader together?
Both plugins cover image, 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 Firelight Lightbox and Ultimate Preloader 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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