/ Plugin Category

/ Performance & Optimization

/ Caching Solutions

/ Lazy Load

Lazy Load

By Automattic

Performance & Optimization / Caching Solutions

Lazy Load Review - In-Depth Analysis

Lazy Load images to enhance page speed and reduce server load. Images are only loaded when they are in the user's viewport.

Performance Overview

WPS Score

6.92/10

User Rating

4/5 (based on 53+ 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

Lazy load images to improve page load times. This technique uses jQuery.sonar to ensure that images are only loaded when they are visible in the viewport. This helps in reducing the initial load time of the page and saves server bandwidth.

This plugin is a collaboration of code contributions from the WordPress.com VIP team at Automattic, the TechCrunch 2011 Redesign team, and Jake Goldman from 10up LLC.

It utilizes jQuery.sonar by Dave Artz, which is designed to optimize image loading and enhance user experience.

Comparing to Alternatives

Lazy Load is a basic plugin designed to improve page load times by deferring image loading. Compared to other lazy load plugins, it offers minimal configuration and functionality.

Top alternatives

Strengths

Simple to install and activate with no setup required
Lightweight and minimal impact on site resources
Automatically lazy loads images without user intervention

Weaknesses

Lacks configuration options for customization
Inconsistent image lazy loading behavior reported
Compatibility issues with some themes and sliders
No support or updates evident

User Sentiment Analysis

User feedback highlights significant issues with functionality and compatibility, alongside frustration over lack of control and transparency.

Positive highlights

"Simple to use with no setup needed" - some users appreciated the zero-configuration approach

Common complaints

Plugin causes images not to load properly on some sites
Conflicts with popular themes like Jupiter causing gallery issues
No settings or feedback to confirm if lazy loading is active
Reports of malware infection linked to plugin misuse or compromise

Weaknesses

Unreliable lazy loading implementation
No user interface or diagnostic tools
Potential security concerns due to lack of updates

Who Should Use This?

Best for

Users seeking a very basic lazy load solution without needing customization or advanced features.

Not ideal for

Site owners who require reliable image loading, compatibility with complex themes, or configurable options should consider alternative plugins.

Pricing & Value

Free version includes

The free version offers basic lazy loading functionality with no configuration options, suitable for simple use cases.

Final Verdict

Lazy Load provides a minimalistic approach to image lazy loading but suffers from reliability and compatibility issues that limit its usefulness.

Users looking for a dependable and configurable lazy load plugin should explore better-supported alternatives to avoid potential site problems.

Other Notable Features

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

lazy load

image optimization

page load speed

FAQ

add_filter( ‘lazyload_images_placeholder_image’, ‘my_custom_lazyload_placeholder_image’ );
function my_custom_lazyload_placeholder_image( $image ) {
return ‘http://url/to/image’;
}

You can use the lazyload_images_add_placeholders helper function:

if ( function_exists( 'lazyload_images_add_placeholders' ) )     $content = lazyload_images_add_placeholders( $content );

Or, you can add an attribute called “data-lazy-src” with the source of the image URL and set the actual image URL to a transparent 1×1 pixel.

You can also use output buffering, though this isn’t recommended:

if ( function_exists( 'lazyload_images_add_placeholders' ) )     ob_start( 'lazyload_images_add_placeholders' );

This will lazy load all your images.

Contributors and developers

“Lazy Load” is open source software. The following people have contributed to this plugin.

Free Version

WPS

6.92

Average

Ratings

4 out of 5 | 53

Version

0.6.1

Last updated

7 years ago

Active installations

10,000+

WordPress version

5.0.25 or higher

PHP version

or higher

Languages

Other plugins you might like

LiteSpeed Cache

By LiteSpeed Technologies

WPS

7.54

Very Good

4.8/5

2.8k+reviews

7M+

active installation

Tested with

6.9.4

WP Super Cache

By Automattic

WPS

7.48

Very Good

4.3/5

1.3k+reviews

1M+

active installation

Tested with

7.0

WP Fastest Cache

By Emre Vona

WPS

7.62

Very Good

4.9/5

4.2k+reviews

1M+

active installation

Tested with

7.0

a3 Lazy Load

By Steve Truman

WPS

6.59

Average

4.3/5

148+reviews

90k+

active installation

Tested with

7.0

Native Lazyload

By Felix Arntz

WPS

6.6

Average

3/5

31+reviews

6k+

active installation

Tested with

5.3.21

Flying Images: Optimize and Lazy Load Images for Faster Page Speed

By Gijo Varghese

WPS

6.88

Average

4.8/5

26+reviews

3k+

active installation

Tested with

7.0

Lazy Load Review - In-Depth Analysis

Performance Overview

What It Does

Comparing to Alternatives

User Sentiment Analysis

Who Should Use This?

Pricing & Value

Final Verdict

Other Notable Features

FAQ

Contributors and developers

Ratings

Reviews (53)

Sort by:

Contributors & Developers

Interested in development?

Changelog

Security Status

Secure

No Unpatched Vulnerabilities

Known Vulnerabilities (1)

WPS

6.92

Other plugins you might like

LiteSpeed Cache

WP Super Cache

WP Fastest Cache

a3 Lazy Load

Native Lazyload

Flying Images: Optimize and Lazy Load Images for Faster Page Speed