Head-to-head · September 2026
Lightweight Social Icons vs Social Icon Widget
Lightweight Social Icons comes out ahead, winning 6 of 7 head-to-head checks against Social Icon Widget.
Lightweight Social Icons
Lightweight Social Icons is an easy to use, lightweight social icon widget which lets you display your…
Social Icon Widget
The icons will show in the front end when you add your link in the widget, other wise the incon will not show…
| Metric | Lightweight Social Icons | Social Icon Widget |
|---|---|---|
| Active installs | 30K+ | 500+ |
| Downloads (30 days) | 483 | 169 |
| Download trend | +3.9% | +12.7% |
| Rating | 4.7/5 | 5/5 |
| Reviews | 63 | 1 |
| Health score | 47/100 | 34/100 |
| Last updated | 7 years ago | 9 years ago |
| Tested up to | WP 5.4.23 | WP 4.9.33 |
| Support resolved | — | — |
| Requires PHP | Any | Any |
| First released | Aug 2014 | May 2016 |
Daily downloads, last 90 days
Lightweight Social IconsSocial Icon Widget
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 Social Icon Widget if…
You care most about download trend.
- Small user base (500+ active installs)
- Very few reviews so far
- No update in 8 years
- Only tested up to WordPress 4.9 (latest is 7.1)
Both compete in: social icon widget social icons
FAQ
Lightweight Social Icons vs 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 Social Icon Widget?
Lightweight Social Icons comes out ahead, winning 6 of 7 head-to-head checks against Social Icon Widget. Choose Lightweight Social Icons if you care most about active installs, downloads (30 days) and reviews. Choose Social Icon Widget if you care most about download trend.
Is Lightweight Social Icons more popular than Social Icon Widget?
Lightweight Social Icons is the more popular of the two with 30K+ active installs, compared with 500+ for Social Icon Widget.
Can I use Lightweight Social Icons and Social Icon Widget together?
Both plugins cover social icon widget and social icons, 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 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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