Gallery Lightbox 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 #121, ahead of Gallery Lightbox at #1,937. Over the last 7 days MetaSlider Slideshow held its place and Gallery Lightbox climbed 11 places. MetaSlider Slideshow has the largest install base, roughly 50× the next: 500K+ active installs against 10K+ for Gallery Lightbox. Downloads this week: MetaSlider Slideshow 188,666 and Gallery Lightbox 598. Ratings: Gallery Lightbox 4.7★ from 106 and MetaSlider Slideshow 4.6★ from 742 reviews.
| Metric | Gallery Lightbox | MetaSlider Slideshow |
|---|---|---|
| Popular rank today | #1,937 ▲ 11 | #121 ▬ |
| Active installs | 10K+ | 500K+ |
| Downloads, last 7 days | 598 | 188,666 |
| Rating | 4.7★ (106) | 4.6★ (742) |
| Last updated | Sep 2, 2026 | Oct 27, 2026 |
| Current version | 1.0.0.45 | 3.114.0 |
| Best rank on record | #1,935 | #119 |
| Days in the top 50 | 0 | 0 |
| On WordPress.org since | Aug 2015 | Feb 2013 |
| Sites detected by our detector | 0 | 11 |
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 WP Carousel
Frequently asked questions
Which is more popular, Gallery Lightbox or MetaSlider Slideshow?
By active installs, MetaSlider Slideshow: 500K+ sites run it against 10K+ for Gallery Lightbox, according to WordPress.org figures captured on October 29, 2026.
Which ranks higher on WordPress.org, Gallery Lightbox or MetaSlider Slideshow?
MetaSlider Slideshow, at #121 on the WordPress.org popular plugins list today, with Gallery Lightbox at #1,937. The ranking reflects recent installs and moves daily, which is why this page shows the history rather than one snapshot.
Are Gallery Lightbox 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.