Gallery Custom Links vs Gallery by Visual Portfolio (September 2026)
Updated September 7, 2026 · Data from WordPress.org, refreshed daily · How this works
Both rank in the WordPress.org Gallery Plugins top 10: Gallery Custom Links at #9 and Gallery by Visual Portfolio at #10. Gallery by Visual Portfolio leads on 4 of the 5 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.
Gallery by Visual Portfolio
Build photo galleries, image galleries, and portfolio grids with gallery blocks. Masonry, lightbox, sliders, and filters included.
Who leads on what
Gallery by Visual Portfolio leads on 4 of the 5 measures we track.
Gallery Custom Links ranks higher on WordPress.org: #9 against #10 in Gallery Plugins.
Gallery by Visual Portfolio has more users: 60,000+ active installs against 30,000+.
Gallery by Visual Portfolio is rated higher: 4.8 out of 5 from 336 reviews, against 4.7 from 206 reviews.
Gallery by Visual Portfolio has more reviews behind its score: 336 against 206.
Gallery by Visual Portfolio was updated more recently, on August 31, 2026; Gallery Custom Links on August 20, 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.
Gallery Custom Links
Pick Gallery Custom Links if you go by where WordPress.org itself puts them.
Gallery by Visual Portfolio
Pick Gallery by Visual Portfolio if you want the plugin more sites already run, the review score matters most to you, you want the score backed by more reviews or you want the one shipping releases most recently.
Gallery Custom Links vs Gallery by Visual Portfolio side by side
| Gallery Custom Links | Gallery by Visual Portfolio | |
|---|---|---|
| Gallery Plugins ranking | #9 | #10 |
| Rating | 4.7 | 4.8 |
| Reviews | 206 | 336 |
| Active installs | 30,000+ | 60,000+ |
| Total downloads | 1,026,630 | 2,448,039 |
| Downloads, last 30 days | – | – |
| Last updated | Aug 20, 2026 | Aug 31, 2026 |
| First published | Nov 28, 2018 | Sep 19, 2017 |
| Tested up to WordPress | 7.1 | 7.1 |
| Requires PHP | 8.1 | 7.4 |
| Pricing | Free on WordPress.org | Free + paid version |
30-day download figures appear after both plugins have 30 days of tracking.
Gallery Custom Links ratings
Gallery by Visual Portfolio 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 Gallery by Visual Portfolio can pay to appear here: the pair exists only because both plugins reached the Gallery Plugins top 10. Full methodology.
Gallery Custom Links vs Gallery by Visual Portfolio: common questions
Is Gallery Custom Links better than Gallery by Visual Portfolio?
Gallery by Visual Portfolio leads on 4 of the 5 measures we track. Neither is better at everything, and the answer depends on which measure you weigh. Gallery Custom Links ranks higher on WordPress.org: #9 against #10 in Gallery Plugins.
Which has more users, Gallery Custom Links or Gallery by Visual Portfolio?
Gallery Custom Links ranks higher on WordPress.org: #9 against #10 in Gallery Plugins.
Which is rated higher, Gallery Custom Links or Gallery by Visual Portfolio?
Gallery by Visual Portfolio has more users: 60,000+ active installs against 30,000+.
Are Gallery Custom Links and Gallery by Visual Portfolio free?
Both are free to install from WordPress.org. Gallery Custom Links may also sell a paid version or add-ons. Gallery by Visual Portfolio is listed as commercial, so a paid version or add-ons exist.
Alternatives to Gallery Custom Links and Gallery by Visual Portfolio
Plugins that score close to both in the same WordPress.org rankings and tags.
More Gallery Plugins comparisons
- Envira Gallery vs Gallery Custom Links
- Envira Gallery vs Gallery by Visual Portfolio
- FooGallery vs Gallery Custom Links
- FooGallery vs Gallery by Visual Portfolio
- Gallery Custom Links vs MetaSlider
- Gallery Custom Links vs Modula Image Gallery
- Gallery Custom Links vs NextGEN Gallery
- Gallery Custom Links vs Photo Gallery
- Gallery Custom Links vs Robo Gallery
- Gallery Custom Links vs SimpLy Gallery
- MetaSlider vs Gallery by Visual Portfolio
- Modula Image Gallery vs Gallery by Visual Portfolio
Weekly · free
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.