Head-to-head · October 2026
GW Count Down vs LightStart
LightStart comes out ahead, winning 7 of 7 head-to-head checks against GW Count Down.
GW Count Down
GW Count Down is a simple and flexible plugin for inserting a live countdown timer on your site. Fully…
LightStart
Add a maintenance page to your blog that lets visitors know your blog is down for maintenance, add a coming…
| Metric | GW Count Down | LightStart |
|---|---|---|
| Active installs | 100+ | 400K+ |
| Downloads (30 days) | 105 | 223.7K |
| Download trend | +38.2% | +241% |
| Rating | 5/5 | 4.3/5 |
| Reviews | 1 | 874 |
| Health score | 41/100 | 94/100 |
| Last updated | 1 year ago | 2 weeks ago |
| Tested up to | WP 6.8.11 | WP 7.1.3 |
| Support resolved | — | 100% |
| Requires PHP | 7.4+ | 7.1+ |
| First released | Aug 2025 | Feb 2010 |
Daily downloads, last 90 days
GW Count DownLightStart
Choose GW Count Down if…
You prefer its feature set and workflow — it holds its own on the fundamentals.
- Small user base (100+ active installs)
- Very few reviews so far
- No update in over a year
- Only tested up to WordPress 6.8 (latest is 7.1)
Choose LightStart if…
You care most about active installs, downloads (30 days) and download trend.
- Proven at scale on 400K+ active sites
- Actively developed — last update 2 weeks ago
- Tested with the latest WordPress (7.1)
- Momentum — downloads up 241% vs the previous 30 days
Both compete in: coming soon
FAQ
GW Count Down vs LightStart: quick answers
Straight answers, pulled from live WordPress.org data.
Live data from WordPress.org · checked Oct 13, 2026
Which is better, GW Count Down or LightStart?
LightStart comes out ahead, winning 7 of 7 head-to-head checks against GW Count Down. Choose LightStart if you care most about active installs, downloads (30 days) and download trend.
Is GW Count Down more popular than LightStart?
LightStart is the more popular of the two with 400K+ active installs, compared with 100+ for GW Count Down.
Can I use GW Count Down and LightStart together?
Both plugins cover coming soon, 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 GW Count Down and LightStart 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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