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Lazy Loader

By Florian Brinkmann

Performance & Optimization / Caching Solutions

Lazy Loader Review - In-Depth Analysis

Lazy Loader is a plugin that enables lazy loading for images, iFrames, videos, and audio elements using the lazysizes script. It enhances site performance by loading media only when needed.

Performance Overview

WPS Score

7.05/10

User Rating

4.7/5 (based on 49+ reviews)

Active Installations

9,000+

Update Frequency

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

Lazy Loader is a powerful plugin designed to improve your website's performance by implementing lazy loading for various media types. It supports images, iFrames, video, and audio elements, utilizing the lightweight lazysizes script.

This plugin allows for manual modification of markup to lazy load background images, scripts, and styles. It automatically lazy loads images inserted via img or picture tags, post thumbnails, and inline background images without requiring any manual changes.

Additionally, Lazy Loader offers numerous options under Settings › Media › Lazy Loader options, including the ability to exclude specific CSS classes from lazy loading, enable lazy loading for iFrames, and include various lazysizes plugins for enhanced functionality. The plugin also provides a fallback for users with disabled JavaScript.

Comparing to Alternatives

Lazy Loader is a straightforward plugin focused on lazy loading responsive images to improve site performance. When compared to other popular lazy load plugins, it offers a simple and effective solution without additional bloat.

Top alternatives

Strengths

Simple and easy to use with minimal configuration.
Effectively improves page load times and PWA performance.
Supports exclusion of images for flexible control.
Handles responsive images well, enhancing user experience.

Weaknesses

Limited compatibility with some themes and setups.
Lacks advanced features found in more comprehensive plugins.
No pro version means no premium support or additional functionalities.

User Sentiment Analysis

Users generally appreciate the plugin's effectiveness and simplicity, though some report compatibility issues.

Positive highlights

'Works great. Improved my site and PWA performance and load times.' – azbce
'Finally a plugin that actually works!' – apollosk
'Solving the Threshold problem is invaluable.' – Orhan Bilikvar
'Great, you can just exclude images etc. I need it for that.' – Jonas
'Works with WEBP galleries' – Rafał

Common complaints

Does not work on all themes or staging environments.
Issues with lazy loading WEBP thumbnails in galleries.

Weaknesses

Limited troubleshooting guidance for compatibility problems.
No advanced customization options available.

Who Should Use This?

Best for

Users seeking a lightweight, no-fuss lazy loading solution for responsive images to improve site speed without extra features.

Not ideal for

Those needing extensive customization, broad media lazy loading (videos, iframes), or dedicated premium support may find this plugin lacking.

Pricing & Value

Free version includes

The free version provides essential lazy loading for responsive images, improving load times and user experience without any cost.

Final Verdict

Lazy Loader is an effective and simple plugin that delivers on its promise to lazy load responsive images, enhancing site performance with minimal setup.

While it lacks advanced features and a pro version, its ease of use and positive user feedback make it a solid choice for users needing basic lazy loading functionality.

Other Notable Features

Here are a few other notable features of this free Lazy Loader plugin.

Images

Lazy Loading

Performance

FAQ

Yes. See the following example that would generate lazy-load-ready output for the result of the not-supported wp_get_attachment_image() function:

global $lazy_loader; if ( isset( $lazy_loader ) && $lazy_loader instanceof FlorianBrinkmann\LazyLoadResponsiveImages\Plugin ) {     echo $lazy_loader->filter_markup( wp_get_attachment_image( 1261 ) ); }

To make it happen, you need to pass the markup that contains the image (or images) to $lazy_loader->filter_markup(). The if statement ensures that the Lazy Loader object is there and that it is an object of the correct class.

Important: If you modify or remove the inline styles, also the style that shows the loading spinner is affected. So if you remove the styles or modify them without adding back the spinner styles, the spinner option will not work. I created a Gist with the spinner styles – just add them to your modification to make it work.

To disable or modify the plugin’s inline styles (except the style that hides the img.lazyload elements when JS is disabled, so only the noscript version is displayed) you can use the lazy_load_responsive_images_inline_styles filter. For example, to remove the inline styles, use the following code:

add_filter( 'lazy_load_responsive_images_inline_styles', function () {     return ''; } );

If you want to modify it, you can do that like in the following code block (remember to include the opening and closing style tags for additions/replacements). The code modifies the duration of the fade-in-effect:

add_filter( 'lazy_load_responsive_images_inline_styles', function ( $default_styles ) {     $default_styles = sprintf(         '%s <style>:root {     --lazy-loader-animation-duration: 600ms; }</style>',         $default_styles     );      return $default_styles; } );

The CSS from the example are the default styles that are used by the plugin (without the loading spinner styles). The display: block for .lazyload is important for the aspectratio plugin option.