ElementsKit Lite vs Smart Slider 3
Compare WordPress plugins and tools side by side. Pick products with “Compare” in the software directory.
| Feature | ElementsKit Lite v4.0.9 · checked 23 Oct 2026 Free + paid · ★ 4.9/5 Visit Details | Smart Slider 3 v3.5.1.39 · checked 23 Oct 2026 Free + paid · ★ 4.9/5 Visit Details |
|---|---|---|
| At a glance | ||
| Active installs | 1M+ | 800,000+ |
| Last updated | October 20, 2026 | August 19, 2026 |
| Editions | ElementsKit Lite · ElementsKit Pro ($) | Smart Slider 3 · Smart Slider 3 Pro ($) |
| Pros | Header and footer templates in the free edition; Widget builder and dynamic content types; Template library for layouts | Visual layer editor with rows and columns; Works with many page builders and themes; Free edition covers core slider types |
| Cons | Many widgets and features are shown as upgrade prompts; Needs Elementor to be active; Template library fetches remote layouts from the vendor | Premium sliders and templates need Pro; Template import calls the vendor API; Large plugin with many admin screens to learn |
| Mentioned in our posts | — | 1 |
| More features | ||
| Other features | Header and footer template post type, Widget builder post type, Dynamic content post type, Layout template library, Pro widget upgrade prompts in the editor, Deactivation feedback form | Import sliders and templates from the vendor API, Find sliders used on a page by URL, Google Fonts CSS fetched and cached locally, Premium sliders need a Pro licence ($), Pro updater referenced by the free code ($) |
| Integrations | ||
| Plugins | Elementor, WPML | Elementor, Divi, Beaver Builder, Advanced Custom Fields, WP Rocket, Rank Math, TablePress |
| Other | ElementsKit template library API, Google Fonts | Smart Slider vendor API (api.nextendweb.com) |
| Requires WordPress | 6.0 | 5.0 |
| Requires PHP | 7.4 | 7.0 |
| Tested up to | 7.1 | 7.0.2 |
| Phones home | Only if you agree | No |
| External services | api.wpmet.com | fonts.googleapis.com, api.nextendweb.com |
| Blocks | — | 1 |
| Shortcodes | — | 2 |