Gallery Custom Links vs SimpLy 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 SimpLy Gallery at #9. SimpLy 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.
SimpLy Gallery
Create photo and video galleries with albums, sliders and a lightbox. Includes free Media Library folders to organize your files.
Who leads on what
SimpLy Gallery leads on 5 of the 6 measures we track.
SimpLy Gallery ranks higher on WordPress.org: #9 against #13 in Gallery Plugins.
SimpLy Gallery has more users: 40,000+ active installs against 30,000+.
SimpLy Gallery is rated higher: 4.8 out of 5 from 118 reviews, against 4.7 from 208 reviews.
Gallery Custom Links has more reviews behind its score: 208 against 118.
SimpLy Gallery was updated more recently, on October 12, 2026; Gallery Custom Links on October 10, 2026.
SimpLy Gallery was downloaded more in the last 30 days: 54,609 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 you want the score backed by more reviews.
SimpLy Gallery
Pick SimpLy Gallery 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 one shipping releases most recently or you want the one being installed faster right now.
Gallery Custom Links vs SimpLy Gallery side by side
| Gallery Custom Links | SimpLy Gallery | |
|---|---|---|
| Gallery Plugins ranking | #13 | #9 |
| Rating | 4.7 | 4.8 |
| Reviews | 208 | 118 |
| Active installs | 30,000+ | 40,000+ |
| Total downloads | 1,055,607 | 1,285,315 |
| Downloads, last 30 days | 26,753 | 54,609 |
| Last updated | Oct 10, 2026 | Oct 12, 2026 |
| First published | Nov 28, 2018 | Oct 5, 2019 |
| 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
SimpLy 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 SimpLy 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 SimpLy Gallery: common questions
Is Gallery Custom Links better than SimpLy Gallery?
SimpLy Gallery leads on 5 of the 6 measures we track. Neither is better at everything, and the answer depends on which measure you weigh. SimpLy Gallery ranks higher on WordPress.org: #9 against #13 in Gallery Plugins.
Which has more users, Gallery Custom Links or SimpLy Gallery?
SimpLy Gallery ranks higher on WordPress.org: #9 against #13 in Gallery Plugins.
Which is rated higher, Gallery Custom Links or SimpLy Gallery?
SimpLy Gallery has more users: 40,000+ active installs against 30,000+.
Are Gallery Custom Links and SimpLy Gallery free?
Both are free to install from WordPress.org. Gallery Custom Links may also sell a paid version or add-ons. SimpLy Gallery may also sell a paid version or add-ons.
Alternatives to Gallery Custom Links and SimpLy Gallery
Plugins that score close to both in the same WordPress.org rankings and tags.
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Gallery by Visual Portfolio
60,000+ installs · 4.8 from 340 reviews
-
Modula Image Gallery
100,000+ installs · 4.7 from 616 reviews
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Portfolio Filter Gallery
20,000+ installs · 4.8 from 348 reviews
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Robo Gallery
40,000+ installs · 4.3 from 405 reviews
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Envira Gallery
100,000+ installs · 4.7 from 1,596 reviews
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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.