Carousel Slider vs MetaSlider Slideshow
Two WordPress plugins head to head: ranking, active installs, downloads and ratings, from our daily tracking of the WordPress.org directory.
These aren’t all alternatives to each other — they do different jobs — so this page compares popularity only, not features.
At a glance
MetaSlider Slideshow leads the WordPress.org popular list today at #120, ahead of Carousel Slider at #961. Over the last 7 days MetaSlider Slideshow slipped 1 place and Carousel Slider held its place. MetaSlider Slideshow has the largest install base, roughly 17× the next: 500K+ active installs against 30K+ for Carousel Slider. Downloads this week: MetaSlider Slideshow 25,957 and Carousel Slider 1,657. Ratings: Carousel Slider 4.3★ from 160 and MetaSlider Slideshow 4.6★ from 739 reviews.
| Metric | Carousel Slider | MetaSlider Slideshow |
|---|---|---|
| Popular rank today | #961 ▬ | #120 ▼ 1 |
| Active installs | 30K+ | 500K+ |
| Downloads, last 7 days | 1,657 | 25,957 |
| Rating | 4.3★ (160) | 4.6★ (739) |
| Last updated | Aug 21, 2026 | Sep 8, 2026 |
| Current version | 2.2.18 | 3.112.0 |
| Best rank on record | #954 | #119 |
| Days in the top 50 | 0 | 0 |
| On WordPress.org since | Jun 2014 | Feb 2013 |
| Sites detected by our detector | 0 | 8 |
Highlighted cells mark the strongest figure in each row. Rank and installs are from the latest WordPress.org capture; downloads are the last seven captured days.
Ranking history Lower is better
Active installs
Downloads per day
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- MetaSlider Slideshow vs Wonder Slider Lite
- MetaSlider Slideshow vs WP Carousel
Frequently asked questions
Which is more popular, Carousel Slider or MetaSlider Slideshow?
By active installs, MetaSlider Slideshow: 500K+ sites run it against 30K+ for Carousel Slider, according to WordPress.org figures captured on September 15, 2026.
Which ranks higher on WordPress.org, Carousel Slider or MetaSlider Slideshow?
MetaSlider Slideshow, at #120 on the WordPress.org popular plugins list today, with Carousel Slider at #961. The ranking reflects recent installs and moves daily, which is why this page shows the history rather than one snapshot.
Are Carousel Slider or MetaSlider Slideshow alternatives to each other?
Not all of them. Some of these plugins do different jobs and many sites run more than one. This page compares their popularity, not their features.
Where do these numbers come from?
WordPress.org publishes each plugin’s active install count and its position on the popular list. This site records both every day, along with per-day downloads and ratings, so the charts above show how the plugins have moved over time rather than a single day.