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Lightweight Grid Columns

By Tom

Design & Themes / Themes & Templates

Reviewed by Omar Dabbas

Trusted WordPress expert with 20+ years of experience evaluating plugins for the WP ecosystem.

Lightweight Grid Columns Review - In-Depth Analysis

Add responsive columns to your content with ease using shortcodes. Customize widths for desktop, tablet, and mobile.

Performance Overview

WPS Score

6.84/10

User Rating

4.9/5 (based on 42+ reviews)

Active Installations

10,000+

Update Frequency

Below Average It is calculated using the weighted average of same category plugins.

Security Score

1 / 10 (Very Low Risk) It is calculated using the weighted average of all versions.

What It Does

Lightweight Grid Columns are super easy to use! Install and activate the plugin, then look for the columns icon within your TinyMCE toolbar.

Specify your desired desktop, tablet and mobile widths of the columns, add your content and then insert your shortcode into your content.

This plugin uses the awesome Unsemantic Framework for responsive design.

Features include customizable grid widths for different devices, the ability to add custom classes and inline styles, and equal height columns for a tidy layout.

Comparing to Alternatives

Lightweight Grid Columns offers a straightforward and minimalistic approach to creating grid layouts, distinguishing itself from other more feature-heavy column plugins.

Top alternatives

Strengths

Extremely lightweight with minimal bloat
Simple and easy to use with clear instructions
High user satisfaction with a 4.9 rating
Compatible with classic editor setups
No known security vulnerabilities

Weaknesses

Lacks integration with Gutenberg blocks
Limited advanced features compared to alternatives
Reported issue breaking the admin bar for some users

User Sentiment Analysis

With a near-perfect 4.9 rating from 42 users, the plugin is highly praised for its simplicity and effectiveness, though a small minority report issues.

Positive highlights

"The plugin does exactly what it is designed to do without all the bloat." — Terry J
"Really simple and working plugin!" — alvar05
"Great Plugin, I recently started using Gutenberg and if you could turn this into a Block that would be awesome." — jingiz
"плагин шикарен, как и все творения Тома!" — bazilio07

Common complaints

Breaks the admin bar upon installation and activation, causing usability issues.

Weaknesses

No current support for Gutenberg blocks
Limited feature set compared to some alternatives
Potential compatibility issues with admin interface

Who Should Use This?

Best for

Users seeking a lightweight, no-frills grid column plugin that works well with the classic editor and values simplicity over advanced features.

Not ideal for

Users who rely heavily on Gutenberg blocks or need advanced column customization features may find this plugin lacking or encounter compatibility issues.

Pricing & Value

Free version includes

The free version provides all core features needed to create lightweight grid columns without any cost.

Final Verdict

Lightweight Grid Columns excels as a simple, efficient solution for users wanting to add grid layouts without unnecessary complexity or bloat. Its strong user ratings and lack of security vulnerabilities make it a reliable choice for classic editor users.

However, its limited support for Gutenberg and reports of admin bar conflicts may deter some users. Those needing advanced features or full Gutenberg compatibility should consider alternatives. Overall, it offers excellent value for its intended audience.

Other Notable Features

Here are a few other notable features of this free Lightweight Grid Columns plugin.

columns

columns shortcode

grid columns

Screenshots

FAQ

Make sure Lightweight Grid Columns is activated.
While editing your post or page, go into the “Visual Editor”.
Look for the columns icon (see screenshots tab).
Choose your desktop, tablet and mobile grid widths.
If you’re adding the last column in a row, check the “Last” checkbox (this is important).

Fair enough! Simply add the shortcode to your content.

For example, the below will output 4 columns on desktop, 2 columns on tablet and 1 column on mobile

[lgc_column grid="25" tablet_grid="50" mobile_grid="100"]Some content[/lgc_column]  [lgc_column grid="25" tablet_grid="50" mobile_grid="100"]Some content[/lgc_column]  [lgc_column grid="25" tablet_grid="50" mobile_grid="100"]Some content[/lgc_column]  [lgc_column grid="25" tablet_grid="50" mobile_grid="100" last="true"]Some content[/lgc_column]

Take note of our last column – see the last=”true” part? Don’t forget 😉

By default, JS equal heights are set to “true”.

[lgc_column grid="25" tablet_grid="50" mobile_grid="100" equal_heights="true"]Some content[/lgc_column]

Fair enough! Simply add the shortcode to your content.

For example, the below will output 4 columns on desktop, 2 columns on tablet and 1 column on mobile

[lgc_column grid="25" tablet_grid="50" mobile_grid="100"]Some content[/lgc_column]  [lgc_column grid="25" tablet_grid="50" mobile_grid="100"]Some content[/lgc_column]  [lgc_column grid="25" tablet_grid="50" mobile_grid="100"]Some content[/lgc_column]  [lgc_column grid="25" tablet_grid="50" mobile_grid="100" last="true"]Some content[/lgc_column]

Take note of our last column – see the last=”true” part? Don’t forget 😉