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Photoswipe Masonry Gallery

By THRIVE - Web Design Gold Coast

Content Management /

Photoswipe Masonry Gallery Review - In-Depth Analysis

PhotoSwipe Masonry is an image gallery plugin for WordPress that utilizes PhotoSwipe. Create beautiful galleries with ease using WordPress's built-in features.

Performance Overview

WPS Score

6.69/10

User Rating

4.5/5 (based on 46+ reviews)

Active Installations

6,000+

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

PhotoSwipe Masonry is an image gallery plugin for WordPress built using PhotoSwipe from Dmitry Semenov. It takes advantage of the built in gallery features of WordPress. Simply use the WordPress admin to create a gallery and insert it in the page.

You may need to adjust the size of the thumbnails to suit your theme in the settings. Options are under Settings > PhotoSwipe.

The PhotoSwipe Masonry gallery plugin allows you to upload multiple images at once, easily order images via drag and drop, and add a title and caption.

Via the options panel you can modify thumbnail size and full image size. Some other features include keyboard control and support for multiple galleries.

Comparing to Alternatives

Photoswipe Masonry Gallery stands out as a straightforward and effective free masonry gallery plugin for WordPress, focusing on simplicity and touch support.

Top alternatives

Photoswipe Masonry Gallery

Strengths

Easy to set up and use with minimal configuration.
Supports touch screen navigation and URL hash for images.
Combines masonry layout with Photoswipe lightbox functionality.
Works well out of the box for basic gallery needs.

Weaknesses

Currently has a bug causing images to load twice (thumbnail and full-size).
Not compatible with some lazy load plugins like Lite Speed Cache.
Popup sometimes fails to load, leading to direct image display.
Limited advanced customization options due to lack of pro version.

User Sentiment Analysis

User feedback highlights the plugin's ease of use and effective basic functionality, while also pointing out some technical issues and compatibility problems.

Positive highlights

"Based on thriveweb/photoswipe-masonry is probably the best free masonry plugin for Wordpress." - mattewre
"Very easy plug in, overall, not bad." - vita3111111111
"Worked right out of the box and even supports touch screen monitors with URL hash support." - Josh Journey
"This is a great plugin." - dualaudi
"I love it but I installed some lazy load plugins but gallery does not work." - LuisRomero (noting compatibility issue)

Common complaints

Images load twice causing performance issues.
Incompatibility with lazy load plugins like Lite Speed Cache.
Popup does not always load, leading to direct image display.
Lack of updates to fix reported bugs.

Weaknesses

Bug causing duplicate image loading on page load.
Limited compatibility with other optimization plugins.
No clear support or updates to address issues.
Basic feature set without advanced options.

Who Should Use This?

Best for

Users seeking a simple, free masonry gallery plugin with touch support and basic lightbox features, suitable for straightforward gallery displays without complex customization.

Not ideal for

Users needing advanced customization, compatibility with lazy loading plugins, or a fully supported plugin with frequent updates and bug fixes.

Pricing & Value

Free version includes

The free version offers a masonry gallery layout combined with Photoswipe lightbox functionality, touch support, and URL hash navigation, providing solid basic gallery features without cost.

Final Verdict

Photoswipe Masonry Gallery is a solid choice for users wanting a simple and effective free masonry gallery with touch and lightbox support. It works well out of the box for basic needs and offers a clean user experience.

However, current bugs such as duplicate image loading and compatibility issues with lazy load plugins limit its reliability. Users requiring more advanced features or stable compatibility may need to consider alternatives or wait for updates.