Gallery Custom Links vs NextGEN Gallery (October 2026)
Updated October 22, 2026 · Data from WordPress.org, refreshed daily · How this works
Both rank in the WordPress.org Gallery Plugins top 10: Gallery Custom Links at #13 and NextGEN Gallery at #1. NextGEN Gallery leads on 5 of the 6 measures we track. Every number below comes straight from WordPress.org and is refreshed every day.
Gallery Custom Links
Gallery Custom Links allows you to link images to a specified URL. Tested with WordPress Gallery, Gutenberg, the Meow Gallery and others.
NextGEN Gallery
Photo Gallery, Sliders, Proofing and Themes – NextGEN Gallery
The most popular gallery plugin that lets you create galleries and albums in seconds.
Who leads on what
NextGEN Gallery leads on 5 of the 6 measures we track.
NextGEN Gallery ranks higher on WordPress.org: #1 against #13 in Gallery Plugins.
NextGEN Gallery has more users: 300,000+ active installs against 30,000+.
Gallery Custom Links is rated higher: 4.7 out of 5 from 208 reviews, against 4.3 from 4,341 reviews.
NextGEN Gallery has more reviews behind its score: 4,341 against 208.
NextGEN Gallery was updated more recently, on October 15, 2026; Gallery Custom Links on October 10, 2026.
NextGEN Gallery was downloaded more in the last 30 days: 360,017 times against 26,753.
Which one to pick
Each plugin is the better answer for the measure it actually leads on. Nothing here is a recommendation we invented.
Gallery Custom Links
Pick Gallery Custom Links if the review score matters most to you.
NextGEN Gallery
Pick NextGEN Gallery if you go by where WordPress.org itself puts them, you want the plugin more sites already run, you want the score backed by more reviews, you want the one shipping releases most recently or you want the one being installed faster right now.
Gallery Custom Links vs NextGEN Gallery side by side
| Gallery Custom Links | NextGEN Gallery | |
|---|---|---|
| Gallery Plugins ranking | #13 | #1 |
| Rating | 4.7 | 4.3 |
| Reviews | 208 | 4,341 |
| Active installs | 30,000+ | 300,000+ |
| Total downloads | 1,055,607 | 46,794,786 |
| Downloads, last 30 days | 26,753 | 360,017 |
| Last updated | Oct 10, 2026 | Oct 15, 2026 |
| First published | Nov 28, 2018 | Apr 23, 2007 |
| Tested up to WordPress | 7.1.3 | 7.1.3 |
| Requires PHP | 8.1 | 7.4 |
| Pricing | Free on WordPress.org | Free on WordPress.org |
Downloads per day, last 48 days
Gallery Custom Links ratings
NextGEN Gallery 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 Gallery Custom Links nor NextGEN Gallery can pay to appear here: the pair exists only because both plugins reached the Gallery Plugins top 10. Full methodology.
Gallery Custom Links vs NextGEN Gallery: common questions
Is Gallery Custom Links better than NextGEN Gallery?
NextGEN Gallery leads on 5 of the 6 measures we track. Neither is better at everything, and the answer depends on which measure you weigh. NextGEN Gallery ranks higher on WordPress.org: #1 against #13 in Gallery Plugins.
Which has more users, Gallery Custom Links or NextGEN Gallery?
NextGEN Gallery ranks higher on WordPress.org: #1 against #13 in Gallery Plugins.
Which is rated higher, Gallery Custom Links or NextGEN Gallery?
NextGEN Gallery has more users: 300,000+ active installs against 30,000+.
Are Gallery Custom Links and NextGEN Gallery free?
Both are free to install from WordPress.org. Gallery Custom Links may also sell a paid version or add-ons. NextGEN Gallery may also sell a paid version or add-ons.
Alternatives to Gallery Custom Links and NextGEN Gallery
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.