Simple Lightbox vs LightPress Lightbox
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
Simple Lightbox leads the WordPress.org popular list today at #328, ahead of LightPress Lightbox at #902. Over the last 7 days Simple Lightbox slipped 2 places and LightPress Lightbox climbed 6 places. Simple Lightbox has the largest install base, roughly 2.5× the next: 100K+ active installs against 40K+ for LightPress Lightbox. Downloads this week: Simple Lightbox 1,981 and LightPress Lightbox 461. Ratings: Simple Lightbox 4.3★ from 239 and LightPress Lightbox 4.6★ from 72 reviews.
| Metric | Simple Lightbox | LightPress Lightbox |
|---|---|---|
| Popular rank today | #328 ▼ 2 | #902 ▲ 6 |
| Active installs | 100K+ | 40K+ |
| Downloads, last 7 days | 1,981 | 461 |
| Rating | 4.3★ (239) | 4.6★ (72) |
| Last updated | Sep 12, 2026 | Mar 25, 2026 |
| Current version | 2.9.5 | 2.3.5 |
| Best rank on record | #325 | #902 |
| Days in the top 50 | 0 | 0 |
| On WordPress.org since | May 2010 | Apr 2010 |
| Sites detected by our detector | 7 | 1 |
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
More comparisons
- Simple Lightbox vs Lightbox for Gallery & Image Block
- Simple Lightbox vs Responsive Lightbox & Gallery
- Simple Lightbox vs WP Lightbox 2
- Simple Lightbox vs Smart Slider 3
- LightPress Lightbox vs Lightbox for Gallery & Image Block
- LightPress Lightbox vs Responsive Lightbox & Gallery
- LightPress Lightbox vs WP Lightbox 2
- LightPress Lightbox vs Easy Watermark
Frequently asked questions
Which is more popular, Simple Lightbox or LightPress Lightbox?
By active installs, Simple Lightbox: 100K+ sites run it against 40K+ for LightPress Lightbox, according to WordPress.org figures captured on September 13, 2026.
Which ranks higher on WordPress.org, Simple Lightbox or LightPress Lightbox?
Simple Lightbox, at #328 on the WordPress.org popular plugins list today, with LightPress Lightbox at #902. The ranking reflects recent installs and moves daily, which is why this page shows the history rather than one snapshot.
Are Simple Lightbox or LightPress Lightbox 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.