HT Slider For Elementor vs Smart Slider 3 (October 2026)
Updated October 22, 2026 · Data from WordPress.org, refreshed daily · How this works
Both rank in the WordPress.org Slider Plugins top 10: HT Slider For Elementor at #10 and Smart Slider 3 at #1. Smart Slider 3 leads on 4 of the 6 measures we track. Every number below comes straight from WordPress.org and is refreshed every day.
HT Slider For Elementor
The HT Slider is an Elementor slider plugin that enables you to add advanced sliders to your WordPress website.
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 6 measures we track.
Smart Slider 3 ranks higher on WordPress.org: #1 against #10 in Slider Plugins.
Smart Slider 3 has more users: 800,000+ active installs against 20,000+.
Not enough reviews to compare ratings fairly: HT Slider For Elementor has 12, Smart Slider 3 has 1,125. We compare ratings only above 50 reviews each.
Smart Slider 3 has more reviews behind its score: 1,125 against 12.
HT Slider For Elementor was updated more recently, on September 30, 2026; Smart Slider 3 on August 19, 2026.
Smart Slider 3 was downloaded more in the last 30 days: 90,348 times against 12,961.
Which one to pick
Each plugin is the better answer for the measure it actually leads on. Nothing here is a recommendation we invented.
HT Slider For Elementor
Pick HT Slider For Elementor 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, you want the score backed by more reviews or you want the one being installed faster right now.
HT Slider For Elementor vs Smart Slider 3 side by side
| HT Slider For Elementor | Smart Slider 3 | |
|---|---|---|
| Slider Plugins ranking | #10 | #1 |
| Rating | 3.8 | 4.9 |
| Reviews | 12 | 1,125 |
| Active installs | 20,000+ | 800,000+ |
| Total downloads | 537,853 | 24,651,643 |
| Downloads, last 30 days | 12,961 | 90,348 |
| Last updated | Sep 30, 2026 | Aug 19, 2026 |
| First published | Mar 24, 2019 | Nov 12, 2015 |
| Tested up to WordPress | 7.1.3 | 7.0.7 |
| Requires PHP | – | 7.0 |
| Pricing | Free + paid version | Free + paid version |
Downloads per day, last 48 days
HT Slider For Elementor 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 HT Slider For Elementor nor Smart Slider 3 can pay to appear here: the pair exists only because both plugins reached the Slider Plugins top 10. Full methodology.
HT Slider For Elementor vs Smart Slider 3: common questions
Is HT Slider For Elementor better than Smart Slider 3?
Smart Slider 3 leads on 4 of the 6 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 #10 in Slider Plugins.
Which has more users, HT Slider For Elementor or Smart Slider 3?
Smart Slider 3 ranks higher on WordPress.org: #1 against #10 in Slider Plugins.
Which is rated higher, HT Slider For Elementor or Smart Slider 3?
Smart Slider 3 has more users: 800,000+ active installs against 20,000+.
Are HT Slider For Elementor and Smart Slider 3 free?
Both are free to install from WordPress.org. HT Slider For Elementor is listed as commercial, so a paid version or add-ons exist. Smart Slider 3 is listed as commercial, so a paid version or add-ons exist.
Alternatives to HT Slider For Elementor and Smart Slider 3
Plugins that score close to both in the same WordPress.org rankings and tags.
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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.