Loading content…
Gallery Lightbox vs Smart Slider 3
Side-by-side comparison · 24 data points
Side-by-side comparison · 24 data points
Responsive slider plugin to create sliders in visual editor easily. Build beautiful image slider, layer slider, video slider, post slider, and more.
| Metric | Gallery Lightbox | Smart Slider 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Rating | 4.7 ★ | ★ 4.9 ★ |
| Total reviews | 105 | ★ 1.1k |
| Active installs | 10,000+ | 800,000+ |
| Free plan | — | — |
| Built for Shopify | — | — |
Smart Slider 3 edges out Gallery Lightbox on rating (4.9★ vs 4.7★), but the gap is small enough that pricing fit and feature differentiation should drive the decision more than the headline number. Smart Slider 3 has the larger user base (1,118 reviews vs 105), which usually maps to broader integration coverage, faster bug-fix cadence, and a deeper bench of community workflow patterns. Gallery Lightbox's smaller cohort can be an advantage for niche workflows where the bigger app has accumulated bloat. Recommended by store size: small/early-stage merchants who need fast install and low risk should default to Smart Slider 3; mid-market and enterprise merchants with specific feature requirements should evaluate both — Gallery Lightbox's 105-review base may include the workflow context that matches your specific use case better than Smart Slider 3's broader-but-shallower coverage. This verdict is generated from the live marketplace data on this page — rating, review count, pricing tier, and category position all refresh from the canonical WordPress Plugin Directory listing every 24 hours. AppRanks does not accept payment to influence comparison outcomes; the methodology is documented on the About page and applies identically to every pair on the site.
Read each app's audit: Gallery Lightbox audit • Smart Slider 3 audit
| Keyword | Gallery Lightbox | Smart Slider 3 |
|---|---|---|
| contact | #390 | #481 |
Smart Slider 3 has the higher average rating (4.9★ from 1,118 reviews) compared to Gallery Lightbox (4.7★ from 105 reviews). Both are tracked daily by AppRanks, so the figures here update each refresh cycle.
It depends on what you're optimizing for. Gallery Lightbox fits better if you prioritize broader integrations; Smart Slider 3 is the call if you need the higher-rated option. Read both apps' detail pages on AppRanks for the full feature breakdown, install counts, and recent listing changes.
Both apps are one-click installs from the WordPress Plugin Directory marketplace. Smart Slider 3 has more onboarding documentation maturity (1,118 reviews vs 105), which usually translates to better-tested setup wizards and quicker time-to-value. AppRanks doesn't measure setup time directly — read the recent reviews on each app's detail page for merchant-reported install experience.
Gallery Lightbox typically suits early-stage and growth-mode stores based on its review-base composition (105 reviews). Smart Slider 3 aligns more with early-stage and growth-mode stores (1,118 reviews). Larger review bases generally mean the app has been load-tested at scale — relevant if you're processing high order volume or handling enterprise compliance requirements.
Migration support varies by app and category. Gallery Lightbox and Smart Slider 3 both publish their export options on their marketplace listing pages (or in their support docs); some apps offer one-click import from competitors, others require CSV. The fastest check: search "import from Gallery Lightbox" in each app's help center. AppRanks does not track migration tooling directly — this is a category-specific capability worth verifying before commitment.