Preloader vs WP Nice Loader
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
Preloader leads the WordPress.org popular list today at #1,406, ahead of WP Nice Loader at #24,110. Over the last 7 days Preloader slipped 2 places and WP Nice Loader slipped 178 places. Preloader has the largest install base, roughly 667× the next: 20K+ active installs against 30+ for WP Nice Loader. Downloads this week: Preloader 346 and WP Nice Loader 15. Ratings: Preloader 4.1★ from 41 and WP Nice Loader 3★ from 2 reviews.
| Metric | Preloader | WP Nice Loader |
|---|---|---|
| Popular rank today | #1,406 ▼ 2 | #24,110 ▼ 178 |
| Active installs | 20K+ | 30+ |
| Downloads, last 7 days | 346 | 15 |
| Rating | 4.1★ (41) | 3★ (2) |
| Last updated | Aug 21, 2026 | Jul 17, 2024 |
| Current version | 2.0.2 | 0.1.0.4 |
| Best rank on record | #1,404 | #23,160 |
| Days in the top 50 | 0 | 0 |
| On WordPress.org since | Jul 2015 | Jul 2016 |
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
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- WP Nice Loader vs Safelayout Cute Preloader – CSS3 WordPress Preloader
- WP Nice Loader vs LoftLoader
- WP Nice Loader vs Layout Grid Block
- WP Nice Loader vs Child Theme Creator by Orbisius
Frequently asked questions
Which is more popular, Preloader or WP Nice Loader?
By active installs, Preloader: 20K+ sites run it against 30+ for WP Nice Loader, according to WordPress.org figures captured on October 16, 2026.
Which ranks higher on WordPress.org, Preloader or WP Nice Loader?
Preloader, at #1,406 on the WordPress.org popular plugins list today, with WP Nice Loader at #24,110. The ranking reflects recent installs and moves daily, which is why this page shows the history rather than one snapshot.
Are Preloader or WP Nice Loader 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.