MetaSlider vs WP Lightbox 2
Compare WordPress plugins and tools side by side. Pick products with “Compare” in the software directory.
| Feature | MetaSlider v3.113.1 · checked 23 Oct 2026 Free + paid · ★ 4.6/5 Visit Details | WP Lightbox 2 v3.0.7 · checked 23 Oct 2026 Free · ★ 4.4/5 Visit Details |
|---|---|---|
| At a glance | ||
| Active installs | 500,000+ | 20,000+ |
| Last updated | September 30, 2026 | January 31, 2026 |
| Editions | MetaSlider Slideshow · MetaSlider Slideshow Pro ($) | WP Lightbox 2 |
| Pros | Image and local video slides from the media library at no cost; Shortcode, widget and block placement; Pro add-on adds video services, layer and post-feed slides | Free, with no paid edition in the code; Groups related images so visitors can step through them; Settings for overlay size, navigation bar, download link and looping; No external services contacted |
| Cons | Video services, layers and post feeds are paid only; Premium themes and scheduling need the Pro add-on; Free version shows upgrade screens in the admin | Applies to images site-wide, so per-image control is limited; Comment links lose nofollow when the comments option is on; Overlay look is set by the bundled stylesheet and the settings page only |
| Mentioned in our posts | 1 | 1 |
| More features | ||
| Other features | Image slides with captions, links and SEO fields, Local video slides from the media library, Shortcodes for placing a slideshow, Slideshow widget, Slider and slide content types, Upgrade-to-Pro media tabs for video, layer, feed and WooCommerce slides, YouTube, Vimeo and TikTok video slides ($), Layer slides and external URL slides ($), Slide scheduling by date, time and weekday ($), Premium themes and custom theme builder ($) | Automatic lightbox on post images (when the automate option is on), Optional lightbox for comment images, Settings page for overlay behaviour, Optional download link in the overlay, Grouping of related images for stepping through |
| Integrations | ||
| Plugins | Elementor, Polylang, MetaSlider Slideshow Pro ($) | WPML |
| Requires WordPress | 5.0 | 3.0 |
| Requires PHP | 7.0 | — |
| Tested up to | 7.1 | 6.9 |
| Phones home | Only if you agree | No |
| Shortcodes | 3 | — |