Slideshow SE

77 Quality Score

Active Installs

15/30

Only 2,000 active installs puts this in a very niche category, suggesting limited community adoption and few real-world production deployments.

Update Freshness

25/25

An update timestamp dated 2026-05-22 and clean compatibility with WordPress 7.0 indicate the developer is actively maintaining the codebase.

User Rating

15/15

A near-perfect 98/100 from 8 ratings is encouraging, but the sample size is small enough that the score should be read with caution.

Support Health

8/15

Zero support threads opened and zero resolved is concerning, though this may reflect low usage rather than poor responsiveness from the author.

WP Compatibility

15/15

Full marks here, with tested compatibility up to WordPress 7.0 and a permissive PHP 5.0 requirement that works on virtually any host.

Scores higher than 55% of indexed plugins

About

Completely free, open source plugin to easily add slideshows to your WordPress site.

Active Installs 2k+

Rating ★★★★½ 4.9/5

Last Updated 2026-08-23 9:14pm GMT

Requires WordPress 6.3+

Tested Up To 7.1

Requires PHP 7.0+

Security History

4 known vulnerabilities, all patched

1 High 3 Medium

Most recent: June 19, 2024

View details ▸

What It Does

Slideshow SE is a free, open source plugin that lets WordPress users add image slideshows to their site without cost. It targets the same use case as popular paid and freemium sliders, providing a no-frills option for galleries, carousels, and rotating image displays.

Who It's For

This plugin suits hobbyist bloggers, small portfolio sites, and budget-conscious users who want a simple slideshow without paying for premium slider suites. It works well for photographers, event sites, and small business owners who need basic image rotation without advanced features.

Who Should Skip It

Anyone needing advanced slider features like video support, layered slides, animations, dynamic content sources, or responsive breakpoints should skip this plugin. Sites with higher traffic or commercial needs will be better served by Smart Slider 3 or MetaSlider, which have proven track records at scale.

The Bottom Line

Slideshow SE delivers on its promise of a free, open source slideshow plugin, and its maintenance and compatibility scores are strong. However, the tiny install base and zero support history make it hard to recommend over established alternatives like MetaSlider or Smart Slider 3 unless you specifically value the open source ethos and minimal feature scope.

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Smart Slider 3 89/100

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Robo Gallery 87/100

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Slider, Gallery, and Carousel by MetaSlider 87/100

Pick this if you want proven reliability, easy admin UI, and ecosystem add-ons from a 500,000-install plugin.