Side-by-side comparison · 24 data points
| Smart Slider 3 | WF Magnific Lightbox | |
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| Tagline | — | — |
| Description | ||
| Screenshots | — | — |
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| Metric | Smart Slider 3 | WF Magnific Lightbox |
|---|---|---|
| Rating | 4.9 ★ | ★ 5.0 ★ |
| Total reviews | ★ 1.1k | 12 |
| Active installs | 800,000+ | 1,000+ |
| Free plan | — | — |
Smart Slider 3 and WF Magnific Lightbox are evenly matched on rating (4.9★ vs 5.0★) — the differentiator comes down to pricing fit, feature breadth, and which app's interaction pattern suits your team's workflow.
Smart Slider 3 has the larger user base (1,123 reviews vs 12), which usually maps to broader integration coverage, faster bug-fix cadence, and a deeper bench of community workflow patterns. WF Magnific Lightbox's smaller cohort can be an advantage for niche workflows where the bigger app has accumulated bloat.
Recommended evaluation path: install both apps' free tiers (where available) and run them in parallel on a small cohort for 7-14 days before committing. The data tables below show the per-feature breakdown — for most site owners the deciding factor will be a single integration or workflow detail that's hard to compare from listing pages alone.
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: Smart Slider 3 audit • WF Magnific Lightbox audit
| Keyword | Smart Slider 3 | WF Magnific Lightbox |
|---|---|---|
| live support | #76 | Not ranked |
| contact | #314 | Not ranked |
Smart Slider 3 (4.9★, 1,123 reviews) and WF Magnific Lightbox (5.0★, 12 reviews) are essentially tied on rating. Look at review velocity and individual reviewer quotes — both visible on each app's detail page — to differentiate.
WF Magnific Lightbox holds the higher average rating (5.0★ vs 4.9★). That is the one dimension AppRanks can separate them on here — read both apps' detail pages for the feature breakdown and recent listing changes.
Both apps are one-click installs from the WordPress Plugin Directory. Smart Slider 3 has the deeper published review base (1,123 vs 12), which often — though not always — accompanies better-tested setup docs. AppRanks doesn't measure setup time directly: read the recent reviews on each app's detail page for user-reported install experience.
Smart Slider 3 typically suits early-stage and growth-mode teams based on its published review base (1,123 reviews). WF Magnific Lightbox typically suits early-stage and growth-mode teams based on its published review base (12 reviews). A larger review base generally means the app has been exercised at scale — relevant if you are processing high volume or handling enterprise compliance requirements.
Migration support varies by app and category. Smart Slider 3 and WF Magnific Lightbox 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 WF Magnific Lightbox" in each app's help center. AppRanks does not track migration tooling directly — this is a category-specific capability worth verifying before commitment.
