15+ Useful WordPress Lightbox Plugin Showcase

With a WordPress lightbox plugin it is typically a very simple task to present images, videos and HTML content in a way that draw more attention.

Basically, a WordPress lightbox plugin works like any other extension, eg. lightbox jQuery plugin, the only difference is that, in general, they are designed to be installed easily on WordPress websites through the administration panels without having to access the codes and calling the scripts from source code.

In principle, when a lightbox element, a photo for example, on a webpage is clicked, a modal window opens where the enlarged version of the image is shown. At the same time the other parts of the page is faded out. This gives the audience an opportunity to look at the image up close without having to leave the page. Further, when using lightbox modal windows, any other elements of the web page are faded out of focus to drive the attention of the audience to no other than the activated lightbox.

Some of the WordPress lightbox plugins have gallery and portfolio capabilities that allow visitors to browse a set of images from the lightbox control panel.

So here in this article, we are sharing with you a number of lightbox plugins dedicated solely for WordPress sites. You can find here both free and premium offerings up for grabs from different providers. Please share with us your about what you think of this awesome collection. Enjoy!

Disclosure: Please note that some of the links below are affiliate links and I will earn a commission if you purchase through those links (at no extra cost to you). I recommend that you do your own independent research before purchasing any product or service. This article is not a guideline, a recommendation or endorsement of specific products.
[exec]$filestr = file_get_contents(‘http://www.tripwiremagazine.com/googleadsensebelowmoretag.inc’);echo $filestr;[/exec]

Lightbox Gallery Manager – MORE INFO  | DEMO

Lightbox Gallery Manager is a WordPress plugin that offers an easy way to embed unlimited lightbox galleries on your WordPress site. You can organize your images by category and add single sets or whole categories with a simple shortcode.

Lightbox Evolution for WordPress – MORE INFO | DEMO

Lightbox Evolution is a tool for displaying images, html content, maps, and videos in a “lightbox” style that floats overtop of web page. Using Lightbox Evolution, website authors can showcase a wide assortment of media in all major browsers without navigating users away from the linking page.

Teaser Pop for WordPress – MORE INFO | DEMO

The best way to make your sites Pop in just a few minutes.

WP jQuery Lightbox – MORE INFO | DEMO

A drop-in replacement for Lightbox 2 and similar plugins, shedding the bulk of Prototype and Scriptaculous. Improved for mobile devices.

Sugar Modal Windows for WordPress – MORE INFO / DEMO

Sugar Modal Windows provides an easy-to-use interface for creating Modal pop-up windows for your WordPress powered website. The Modal Windows are powered by slick jQuery transitions and are fully compatible with all modern browsers and IE 7 -9. Modal Windows created with this plugin can contain any kind of information, including text, audio, video, shortcodes, etc. Your options are limitless! With 13 configurable options for every modal, there are literally thousands of different modal windows you can create. Use them to show off privacy policies, banner ads, portfolio images/videos, miscellaneous information, additional details, and anything else!

WP Lightbox 2 – MORE INFO | DEMO

This plugin used to add the lightbox (overlay) effect to the current page images on your WordPress blog.

FancyBox for WordPress – MORE INFO | DEMO

Seamlessly integrates FancyBox into your blog: Upload, activate, and you’re done. Additional configuration optional. You can easily customize almost anything you can think about fancybox: the border, margin, width and color, zoom speed, animation type, close button position, overlay color and opacity and even more advanced option like several options to group images into galleries, and more.

Social Gallery WordPress Photo Viewer Plugin – MORE INFO | DEMO

Social Gallery is a WordPress plugin that adds Facebook-style image viewing to your blog! Social Gallery Plugin is a fantastic new way to engage visitors to your WordPress blog by adding the ultimate lightbox which features social media buttons (Facebook like, Facebook Send, Pinterests ‘Pin it’, Twitters ‘Tweet This’) as well as Facebook or Disqus Comments!

Shutter Reloaded – MORE INFO | DEMO

Darkens the current page and displays an image (like Lightbox, Thickbox, etc.), but is a lot smaller (10KB) and faster.

Thumbnail Gallery (WordPress Plugin) – MORE INFO | DEMO

This Plugin will help you to easily add a thumbnail gallery to your WordPress website or blog. The gallery is completely customizable, resizable and is compatible with all browsers and devices (iPhone, iPad and Android smartphones). You will be able to insert it in any page or post you want with inbuilt short code generator.

Thumbnail Gallery (WP NextGEN Gallery Template) – MORE INFO | DEMO

This NextGEN Template will help you to easily add a thumbnail gallery to your WordPress website or blog. The gallery is completely customizable, resizable and is compatible with all browsers and devices (iPhone, iPad and Android smartphones).

Justified Image Grid – Premium WordPress Gallery – MORE INFO | DEMO

This WordPress jQuery plugin aligns your thumbnails into a justified and responsive grid. Flickr and Google+ both featured images like this. This plugin behaves similarly. Let WordPress present your galleries in an eye-catching unique new way! It can replace the standard WP as [justified_image_grid] with lots of new features and options. Now you can load images directly from Facebook albums as well! You have the control over every aspect: appearance, on the fly desaturation, color overlays, captions with details, lightboxes, animation.

PhotoShow for WordPress – MORE INFO | DEMO

PhotoShow is a plugin for WordPress and jQuery that makes it easy to add elegant style to a WordPress photo gallery with with a simple shortcode ([photoshow]).

WordPress jQuery Lightbox Plugin – MORE INFO | DEMO

This jQuery lightbox plugin is a freebie written by Benjamin Lupton. It works perfectly with WordPress 2.2 or up, and is fully compatible with K2!

Lightbox-2 for WordPress – MORE INFO | DEMO

Lightbox 2 allows you to present images in a slick window, while darkening the rest of the page. It makes your site look professional, and adds very little to page load times. It does not require any browser plugins to work, and works on just about every web browser out there! When a browser doesn’t support javascript, the code fails gracefully.

Lightbox Plus – MORE INFO | DEMO

Lightbox Plus permits users to view larger versions of images, simple slide shows, videos and content all in an overlay.

Pinterest Lightbox – MORE INFO | DEMO

The Pinterest Lightbox plugin enables a PinIt Button on each image automatically through your NextGEN Gallery. It automatically uses the caption, image URL, and page URL from NextGEN to sync with the Pinterest API. This plugin is very useful for photo-intensive websites.

Sonny M. Day

Sonny M. Day is a passionate SEO and web design enthusiast who loves photography, mountain climbing, snorkeling and dirt bike riding.