Head-to-head · September 2026
Lightweight Social Icons vs Simple Social Icon Widget
Lightweight Social Icons comes out ahead, winning 6 of 7 head-to-head checks against Simple Social Icon Widget.
Lightweight Social Icons
Lightweight Social Icons is an easy to use, lightweight social icon widget which lets you display your…
Simple Social Icon Widget
Social Icon Widget is a very simple. Easily Manage This widget. is a very simple
| Metric | Lightweight Social Icons | Simple Social Icon Widget |
|---|---|---|
| Active installs | 30K+ | 200+ |
| Downloads (30 days) | 483 | 105 |
| Download trend | +3.9% | +16.7% |
| 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 |
Daily downloads, last 90 days
Lightweight Social IconsSimple Social Icon Widg…
Choose Lightweight Social Icons if…
You care most about active installs, downloads (30 days) and reviews.
- Proven at scale on 30K+ active sites
- Loved by users — 4.7/5 from 63 reviews
- No update in 6 years
- Only tested up to WordPress 5.4 (latest is 7.1)
Choose Simple Social Icon Widget if…
You care most about download trend.
- Small user base (200+ active installs)
- Very few reviews so far
- No update in 10 years
- Only tested up to WordPress 4.2 (latest is 7.1)
Both compete in: social icon widget
FAQ
Lightweight Social Icons vs Simple Social Icon Widget: quick answers
Straight answers, pulled from live WordPress.org data.
Live data from WordPress.org · checked Sep 27, 2026
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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