Gallery Custom Links vs External Links in New Window / New Tab
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
Gallery Custom Links leads the WordPress.org popular list today at #964, ahead of External Links in New Window / New Tab at #1,048. Over the last 7 days Gallery Custom Links held its place and External Links in New Window / New Tab climbed 1 place. Gallery Custom Links has the largest install base: 30K+ active installs against 30K+ for External Links in New Window / New Tab. Downloads this week: Gallery Custom Links 9,154 and External Links in New Window / New Tab 436. Ratings: Gallery Custom Links 4.7★ from 208 and External Links in New Window / New Tab 4.5★ from 77 reviews.
| Metric | Gallery Custom Links | External Links in New Window / New Tab |
|---|---|---|
| Popular rank today | #964 ▬ | #1,048 ▲ 1 |
| Active installs | 30K+ | 30K+ |
| Downloads, last 7 days | 9,154 | 436 |
| Rating | 4.7★ (208) | 4.5★ (77) |
| Last updated | Oct 10, 2026 | Aug 16, 2026 |
| Current version | 2.3.4 | 1.45 |
| Best rank on record | #964 | #1,017 |
| Days in the top 50 | 0 | 0 |
| On WordPress.org since | Nov 2018 | Sep 2010 |
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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Frequently asked questions
Which is more popular, Gallery Custom Links or External Links in New Window / New Tab?
By active installs, Gallery Custom Links: 30K+ sites run it against 30K+ for External Links in New Window / New Tab, according to WordPress.org figures captured on October 19, 2026.
Which ranks higher on WordPress.org, Gallery Custom Links or External Links in New Window / New Tab?
Gallery Custom Links, at #964 on the WordPress.org popular plugins list today, with External Links in New Window / New Tab at #1,048. The ranking reflects recent installs and moves daily, which is why this page shows the history rather than one snapshot.
Are Gallery Custom Links or External Links in New Window / New Tab 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.