Carousel Slider vs Smart Slider 3 (September 2026)
Updated September 7, 2026 · Data from WordPress.org, refreshed daily · How this works
Both rank in the WordPress.org Slider Plugins top 10: Carousel Slider at #7 and Smart Slider 3 at #1. Smart Slider 3 leads on 4 of the 5 measures we track. Every number below comes straight from WordPress.org and is refreshed every day.
Carousel Slider
Create SEO friendly Image, Logo, Video, Post, WooCommerce Product Carousel, and Slider.
Smart Slider 3
Responsive slider plugin to create sliders in visual editor easily. Build beautiful image slider, layer slider, video slider, post slider, and more.
Who leads on what
Smart Slider 3 leads on 4 of the 5 measures we track.
Smart Slider 3 ranks higher on WordPress.org: #1 against #7 in Slider Plugins.
Smart Slider 3 has more users: 800,000+ active installs against 30,000+.
Smart Slider 3 is rated higher: 4.9 out of 5 from 1,123 reviews, against 4.3 from 160 reviews.
Smart Slider 3 has more reviews behind its score: 1,123 against 160.
Carousel Slider was updated more recently, on August 21, 2026; Smart Slider 3 on August 19, 2026.
Which one to pick
Each plugin is the better answer for the measure it actually leads on. Nothing here is a recommendation we invented.
Carousel Slider
Pick Carousel Slider if you want the one shipping releases most recently.
Smart Slider 3
Pick Smart Slider 3 if you go by where WordPress.org itself puts them, you want the plugin more sites already run, the review score matters most to you or you want the score backed by more reviews.
Carousel Slider vs Smart Slider 3 side by side
| Carousel Slider | Smart Slider 3 | |
|---|---|---|
| Slider Plugins ranking | #7 | #1 |
| Rating | 4.3 | 4.9 |
| Reviews | 160 | 1,123 |
| Active installs | 30,000+ | 800,000+ |
| Total downloads | 1,159,186 | 24,506,044 |
| Downloads, last 30 days | – | – |
| Last updated | Aug 21, 2026 | Aug 19, 2026 |
| First published | Jun 30, 2014 | Nov 12, 2015 |
| Tested up to WordPress | 7.1 | 7.0.4 |
| Requires PHP | 7.0 | 7.0 |
| Pricing | Free on WordPress.org | Free + paid version |
30-day download figures appear after both plugins have 30 days of tracking.
Carousel Slider ratings
Smart Slider 3 ratings
How we compare these two
Every figure here is pulled from the WordPress.org plugin API every day at 03:00 UTC, for both plugins in the same run, so the two are always read on the same day. We compare only what the directory reports: active installs, the rating and how many reviews stand behind it, the last release date and, once we have a month of history, downloads over the last 30 days. Ratings are only called a win above 50 reviews each, because a handful of five-star reviews is not evidence. Nothing is weighted into an overall score, no measure is worth more than another, and neither Carousel Slider nor Smart Slider 3 can pay to appear here: the pair exists only because both plugins reached the Slider Plugins top 10. Full methodology.
Carousel Slider vs Smart Slider 3: common questions
Is Carousel Slider better than Smart Slider 3?
Smart Slider 3 leads on 4 of the 5 measures we track. Neither is better at everything, and the answer depends on which measure you weigh. Smart Slider 3 ranks higher on WordPress.org: #1 against #7 in Slider Plugins.
Which has more users, Carousel Slider or Smart Slider 3?
Smart Slider 3 ranks higher on WordPress.org: #1 against #7 in Slider Plugins.
Which is rated higher, Carousel Slider or Smart Slider 3?
Smart Slider 3 has more users: 800,000+ active installs against 30,000+.
Are Carousel Slider and Smart Slider 3 free?
Both are free to install from WordPress.org. Carousel Slider may also sell a paid version or add-ons. Smart Slider 3 is listed as commercial, so a paid version or add-ons exist.
Alternatives to Carousel Slider and Smart Slider 3
Plugins that score close to both in the same WordPress.org rankings and tags.
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What moved this week
One email a week, built from the same daily snapshots these rankings come from: the plugins that climbed, what launched, and one ranking worth a look.