# Lightweight Social Icons vs Simple Social Icon Widget

> Lightweight Social Icons vs Simple Social Icon Widget compared on installs, downloads, ratings, updates, compatibility and support. Lightweight Social Icons comes out ahead, winning 6 of 7 head-to-head checks against Simple Social Icon Widget.

**Lightweight Social Icons comes out ahead, winning 6 of 7 head-to-head checks against Simple Social Icon Widget.** Choose Lightweight Social Icons if you care most about active installs, downloads (30 days) and reviews. Choose Simple Social Icon Widget if you care most about download trend.

| | Lightweight Social Icons | Simple Social Icon Widget |
|---|---|---|
| Active installs | 30K+ ✅ | 200+ |
| Downloads (30 days) | 510 ✅ | 109 |
| Download trend | +11.8% | +19.8% ✅ |
| Rating | 4.7/5 | 5/5 |
| Reviews | 63 ✅ | 1 |
| Health score | 47/100 ✅ | 33/100 |
| Last updated | 7 years ago ✅ | 11 years ago |
| Tested up to | WP 5.4.23 ✅ | WP 4.2.39 |
| Support resolved | — | — |
| Requires PHP | Any | Any |
| First released | Aug 2014 | Jan 2016 |

## Frequently asked questions

### Which is better, Lightweight Social Icons or Simple Social Icon Widget?
Lightweight Social Icons comes out ahead, winning 6 of 7 head-to-head checks against Simple Social Icon Widget. Choose Lightweight Social Icons if you care most about active installs, downloads (30 days) and reviews. Choose Simple Social Icon Widget if you care most about download trend.

### Is Lightweight Social Icons more popular than Simple Social Icon Widget?
Lightweight Social Icons is the more popular of the two with 30K+ active installs, compared with 200+ for Simple Social Icon Widget.

### Can I use Lightweight Social Icons and Simple Social Icon Widget together?
Both plugins cover social icon widget, 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 Lightweight Social Icons and Simple Social Icon Widget 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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Source: live WordPress.org data · HTML version: https://pageforge.pro/directory/compare/lightweight-social-icons-vs-simple-social-icon-widget/ · Generated 2026-09-29 12:06 UTC by PageForge