Head-to-head · October 2026
Merging Image Boxes vs Smart Slider 3
Smart Slider 3 comes out ahead, winning 6 of 7 head-to-head checks against Merging Image Boxes.
Merging Image Boxes
Merging Image Boxes is powered by the awesome jQuery plugin. The plugin creates a image matrix for your…
| Metric | Merging Image Boxes | Smart Slider 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Active installs | 10+ | 800K+ |
| Downloads (30 days) | 68 | 99K |
| Download trend | +19.3% | -76% |
| Rating | — | 4.9/5 |
| Reviews | 0 | 1,125 |
| Health score | 23/100 | 89/100 |
| Last updated | 9 years ago | 2 months ago |
| Tested up to | WP 4.9.34 | WP 7.0.7 |
| Support resolved | — | 100% |
| Requires PHP | Any | 7.0+ |
| First released | Oct 2011 | Nov 2015 |
Daily downloads, last 90 days
Merging Image BoxesSmart Slider 3
Choose Merging Image Boxes if…
You care most about download trend.
- Small user base (10+ active installs)
- Very few reviews so far
- No update in 8 years
- Only tested up to WordPress 4.9 (latest is 7.1)
Choose Smart Slider 3 if…
You care most about active installs, downloads (30 days) and reviews.
- Proven at scale on 800K+ active sites
- Loved by users — 4.9/5 from 1,125 reviews
Both compete in: gallery
FAQ
Merging Image Boxes vs Smart Slider 3: quick answers
Straight answers, pulled from live WordPress.org data.
Live data from WordPress.org · checked Oct 9, 2026
Which is better, Merging Image Boxes or Smart Slider 3?
Smart Slider 3 comes out ahead, winning 6 of 7 head-to-head checks against Merging Image Boxes. Choose Merging Image Boxes if you care most about download trend. Choose Smart Slider 3 if you care most about active installs, downloads (30 days) and reviews.
Is Merging Image Boxes more popular than Smart Slider 3?
Smart Slider 3 is the more popular of the two with 800K+ active installs, compared with 10+ for Merging Image Boxes.
Can I use Merging Image Boxes and Smart Slider 3 together?
Both plugins cover gallery, 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 Merging Image Boxes and Smart Slider 3 free?
Yes. Both are free to download from the official WordPress.org plugin directory. Either may also offer paid upgrades from its developer.
Powered by PageForge
Want thousands of pages that rank like these? Build them in an afternoon.
This directory runs on the same engine as PageForge. Turn any spreadsheet, CSV or API into thousands of fast, SEO-ready WordPress pages — with schema, internal links and AI-written copy baked in.
- CSV, Google Sheets & API data sources
- AI content, schema & internal links per page
- Works with Elementor, Gutenberg, Yoast & Rank Math
- Free on WordPress.org — no credit card
