NextGEN Gallery vs Photo Gallery (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: NextGEN Gallery at #1 and Photo Gallery at #4. NextGEN Gallery leads on 4 of the 5 measures we track. Every number below comes straight from WordPress.org and is refreshed every day.
NextGEN Gallery
Photo Gallery, Sliders, Proofing and Themes – NextGEN Gallery
The most popular gallery plugin that lets you create galleries and albums in seconds.
Photo Gallery
Photo Gallery by 10Web – Mobile-Friendly Image Gallery
Photo Gallery is a powerful image gallery plugin with a list of advanced options for creating responsive image galleries with beautiful lightbox.
Who leads on what
NextGEN Gallery leads on 4 of the 5 measures we track.
NextGEN Gallery ranks higher on WordPress.org: #1 against #4 in Gallery Plugins.
NextGEN Gallery has more users: 300,000+ active installs against 100,000+.
Photo Gallery is rated higher: 4.5 out of 5 from 1,581 reviews, against 4.3 from 4,339 reviews.
NextGEN Gallery has more reviews behind its score: 4,339 against 1,581.
NextGEN Gallery was updated more recently, on September 3, 2026; Photo Gallery on August 25, 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.
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 or you want the one shipping releases most recently.
Photo Gallery
Pick Photo Gallery if the review score matters most to you.
NextGEN Gallery vs Photo Gallery side by side
| NextGEN Gallery | Photo Gallery | |
|---|---|---|
| Gallery Plugins ranking | #1 | #4 |
| Rating | 4.3 | 4.5 |
| Reviews | 4,339 | 1,581 |
| Active installs | 300,000+ | 100,000+ |
| Total downloads | 46,160,262 | 19,944,012 |
| Downloads, last 30 days | – | – |
| Last updated | Sep 3, 2026 | Aug 25, 2026 |
| First published | Apr 23, 2007 | Jan 30, 2014 |
| Tested up to WordPress | 7.1 | 7.1 |
| Requires PHP | 7.4 | – |
| Pricing | Free on WordPress.org | Free on WordPress.org |
30-day download figures appear after both plugins have 30 days of tracking.
NextGEN Gallery ratings
Photo 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 NextGEN Gallery nor Photo Gallery can pay to appear here: the pair exists only because both plugins reached the Gallery Plugins top 10. Full methodology.
NextGEN Gallery vs Photo Gallery: common questions
Is NextGEN Gallery better than Photo Gallery?
NextGEN Gallery leads on 4 of the 5 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 #4 in Gallery Plugins.
Which has more users, NextGEN Gallery or Photo Gallery?
NextGEN Gallery ranks higher on WordPress.org: #1 against #4 in Gallery Plugins.
Which is rated higher, NextGEN Gallery or Photo Gallery?
NextGEN Gallery has more users: 300,000+ active installs against 100,000+.
Are NextGEN Gallery and Photo Gallery free?
Both are free to install from WordPress.org. NextGEN Gallery may also sell a paid version or add-ons. Photo Gallery may also sell a paid version or add-ons.
Alternatives to NextGEN Gallery and Photo Gallery
Plugins that score close to both in the same WordPress.org rankings and tags.
More Gallery Plugins comparisons
- Envira Gallery vs NextGEN Gallery
- Envira Gallery vs Photo Gallery
- FooGallery vs NextGEN Gallery
- FooGallery vs Photo Gallery
- Gallery Custom Links vs NextGEN Gallery
- Gallery Custom Links vs Photo Gallery
- MetaSlider vs NextGEN Gallery
- MetaSlider vs Photo Gallery
- Modula Image Gallery vs NextGEN Gallery
- Modula Image Gallery vs Photo Gallery
- NextGEN Gallery vs Robo Gallery
- NextGEN Gallery vs SimpLy Gallery
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.