Gallery Custom Links vs Responsive Lightbox (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 Responsive Lightbox at #8. Responsive Lightbox leads on all 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.
Responsive Lightbox
Responsive Lightbox & Gallery
The most popular lightbox plugin and responsive gallery builder for WordPress.
Who leads on what
Responsive Lightbox leads on all 6 measures we track.
Responsive Lightbox ranks higher on WordPress.org: #8 against #13 in Gallery Plugins.
Responsive Lightbox has more users: 100,000+ active installs against 30,000+.
Responsive Lightbox is rated higher: 4.9 out of 5 from 2,003 reviews, against 4.7 from 208 reviews.
Responsive Lightbox has more reviews behind its score: 2,003 against 208.
Responsive Lightbox was updated more recently, on October 20, 2026; Gallery Custom Links on October 10, 2026.
Responsive Lightbox was downloaded more in the last 30 days: 117,422 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
Gallery Custom Links does not lead on any measure we track, so pick it only for something these numbers cannot show, such as a feature you need.
Responsive Lightbox
Pick Responsive Lightbox 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, 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 Responsive Lightbox side by side
| Gallery Custom Links | Responsive Lightbox | |
|---|---|---|
| Gallery Plugins ranking | #13 | #8 |
| Rating | 4.7 | 4.9 |
| Reviews | 208 | 2,003 |
| Active installs | 30,000+ | 100,000+ |
| Total downloads | 1,055,607 | 6,883,285 |
| Downloads, last 30 days | 26,753 | 117,422 |
| Last updated | Oct 10, 2026 | Oct 20, 2026 |
| First published | Nov 28, 2018 | Jul 8, 2013 |
| 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
Responsive Lightbox 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 Responsive Lightbox can pay to appear here: the pair exists only because both plugins reached the Gallery Plugins top 10. Full methodology.
Gallery Custom Links vs Responsive Lightbox: common questions
Is Gallery Custom Links better than Responsive Lightbox?
Responsive Lightbox leads on all 6 measures we track. Neither is better at everything, and the answer depends on which measure you weigh. Responsive Lightbox ranks higher on WordPress.org: #8 against #13 in Gallery Plugins.
Which has more users, Gallery Custom Links or Responsive Lightbox?
Responsive Lightbox ranks higher on WordPress.org: #8 against #13 in Gallery Plugins.
Which is rated higher, Gallery Custom Links or Responsive Lightbox?
Responsive Lightbox has more users: 100,000+ active installs against 30,000+.
Are Gallery Custom Links and Responsive Lightbox free?
Both are free to install from WordPress.org. Gallery Custom Links may also sell a paid version or add-ons. Responsive Lightbox may also sell a paid version or add-ons.
Alternatives to Gallery Custom Links and Responsive Lightbox
Plugins that score close to both in the same WordPress.org rankings and tags.
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What moved this week
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