Responsive Lightbox 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: Responsive Lightbox at #8 and SimpLy Gallery at #9. Responsive Lightbox leads on all 6 measures we track. Every number below comes straight from WordPress.org and is refreshed every day.
Responsive Lightbox
Responsive Lightbox & Gallery
The most popular lightbox plugin and responsive gallery builder for WordPress.
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
Responsive Lightbox leads on all 6 measures we track.
Responsive Lightbox ranks higher on WordPress.org: #8 against #9 in Gallery Plugins.
Responsive Lightbox has more users: 100,000+ active installs against 40,000+.
Responsive Lightbox is rated higher: 4.9 out of 5 from 2,003 reviews, against 4.8 from 118 reviews.
Responsive Lightbox has more reviews behind its score: 2,003 against 118.
Responsive Lightbox was updated more recently, on October 20, 2026; SimpLy Gallery on October 12, 2026.
Responsive Lightbox was downloaded more in the last 30 days: 117,422 times against 54,609.
Which one to pick
Each plugin is the better answer for the measure it actually leads on. Nothing here is a recommendation we invented.
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.
SimpLy Gallery
SimpLy Gallery 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 vs SimpLy Gallery side by side
| Responsive Lightbox | SimpLy Gallery | |
|---|---|---|
| Gallery Plugins ranking | #8 | #9 |
| Rating | 4.9 | 4.8 |
| Reviews | 2,003 | 118 |
| Active installs | 100,000+ | 40,000+ |
| Total downloads | 6,883,285 | 1,285,315 |
| Downloads, last 30 days | 117,422 | 54,609 |
| Last updated | Oct 20, 2026 | Oct 12, 2026 |
| First published | Jul 8, 2013 | Oct 5, 2019 |
| Tested up to WordPress | 7.1.3 | 7.1.3 |
| Requires PHP | 7.4 | 7.4 |
| Pricing | Free on WordPress.org | Free on WordPress.org |
Downloads per day, last 48 days
Responsive Lightbox 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 Responsive Lightbox nor SimpLy Gallery can pay to appear here: the pair exists only because both plugins reached the Gallery Plugins top 10. Full methodology.
Responsive Lightbox vs SimpLy Gallery: common questions
Is Responsive Lightbox better than SimpLy Gallery?
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 #9 in Gallery Plugins.
Which has more users, Responsive Lightbox or SimpLy Gallery?
Responsive Lightbox ranks higher on WordPress.org: #8 against #9 in Gallery Plugins.
Which is rated higher, Responsive Lightbox or SimpLy Gallery?
Responsive Lightbox has more users: 100,000+ active installs against 40,000+.
Are Responsive Lightbox and SimpLy Gallery free?
Both are free to install from WordPress.org. Responsive Lightbox may also sell a paid version or add-ons. SimpLy Gallery may also sell a paid version or add-ons.
Alternatives to Responsive Lightbox and SimpLy Gallery
Plugins that score close to both in the same WordPress.org rankings and tags.
More Gallery Plugins comparisons
- Envira Gallery vs Responsive Lightbox
- Envira Gallery vs SimpLy Gallery
- FooGallery vs Responsive Lightbox
- FooGallery vs SimpLy Gallery
- Gallery Custom Links vs Responsive Lightbox
- Gallery Custom Links vs SimpLy Gallery
- MetaSlider vs Responsive Lightbox
- MetaSlider vs SimpLy Gallery
- Modula Image Gallery vs Responsive Lightbox
- Modula Image Gallery vs SimpLy Gallery
- NextGEN Gallery vs Responsive Lightbox
- 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.