Image Hover Effects Ultimate ( Image Gallery, Effects, Lightbox, Comparison & Magnifier )
by Oxilab · Media
Also makes 5 other plugins · 20.1K+ installs across the portfolio →
Add stunning image hover effects to WordPress. 500+ CSS3 animations, 10 effect modules. Native Elementor widget, Gutenberg block & WPBakery widget.
Try it live opens a temporary test site in your browser, which can take about 20 seconds to load. Plugins that rely on outside services or a full server may not work completely there.
Health
A 85/100
Open vulnerability
Active installs
10K+
≈20K estimated
Momentum
-10%
downloads vs prior 30d
Biggest opportunity: Swap “photo gallery” and “image gallery” for “css3” and “effect”. “photo gallery” isn't earning its slot: you're not in the first 24 results for its own search. “css3” sits at #6 untagged, close enough for a declared tag to move it up. “image gallery” isn't earning its slot: it only gets you to #21. “effect” sits at #6 untagged, close enough for a declared tag to move it up. All five slots are taken, so one has to go.
85 health vs 62 average across 3,280 Media plugins
Install conversion
How it's measured →1.2%
of downloads still active
At least 10K of 845.7K lifetime downloads are still running, above its category: the median Media plugin keeps 0.8%, across 2,317 plugins.
Downloads count every update, not just first installs, so older and more frequently released plugins read lower. Compare against other Media plugins, not across the directory. wp.org reports active installs as the bottom of a band, so the real rate is this or higher.
This plugin shipped 13 releases in the last 12 months, and every existing install that updated counted as another download. wp.org publishes no split between first installs and updates, so we show the raw rate rather than guess at one.
Details
Directory ranking optimization
How it's scored →How well this listing is tuned to rank in WordPress.org search, on the factors an owner controls. Not popularity, optimization.
Excellent listing optimization
Well tuned across the board
Updated 11 days ago
Tested up to WordPress 7.1.4, the current branch or newer
4.7★ over 250 reviews, smoothed to 4.60★
5 of 5 tags set · short description in place
1 of 1 support threads resolved in the last 2 months
Search visibility
How it's tracked →Directory searches this plugin turns up in, and which way each one is moving. WordPress.org publishes no history of search positions, so this starts the day we first tracked a keyword and never backfills.
37
Momentum
Losing ground
-0.3
Velocity
places per keyword, 28d
14%
Breadth
of keywords climbing, 28d
+0.1
Acceleration
recent half vs earlier
wp.org is where the directory puts the plugin for that search. On merit is where it would sit if results were ranked on rating, support and updates, without the install boost. The last column is how far the wp.org position moved, from our first reading in the last 90 days to the latest.
| Keyword | wp.org | On merit | wp.org move, 90 days |
|---|---|---|---|
| image hover animation your tag | #1 | #1 | 0 |
| css3 effects your tag | #1 | #1 | 0 |
| magnifier | #1 | #1 | 0 |
| effects | #2 | #2 | 0 |
| image hover effects your tag | #2 | #2 | 0 |
| image hover | #2 | #2 | 0 |
| image effects | #1 | #1 | 0 |
| hover effects on images | #1 | #1 | 0 |
| wpbakery hover image | #1 | #1 | 0 |
| hover image | #1 | #1 | 0 |
| image caption hover | #1 | #1 | 0 |
| image hover effects for visual composer | #1 | #1 | 0 |
| hover | #3 | #3 | 0 |
| hover effects | #3 | #3 | 0 |
| image magnifier | #1 | #1 | 0 |
| css3 image hover | #1 | #1 | 0 |
| wpbakery hover effects | #1 | #1 | 0 |
| css3 hover effect | #1 | #1 | 0 |
| css3 animations | #3 | #2 | down 1 |
| hover animations | #2 | #1 | 0 |
| photo gallery your tag | Not in the top 24 | ||
299 searches this plugin appeared in over the last 90 days, 20 listed. 236 left out as unrelated or noise (years, numbers, stray words). 1 of its tags isn't in the top 24 for their own search.
What to do about it
- Swap “photo gallery” and “image gallery” for “css3” and “effect”. “photo gallery” isn't earning its slot: you're not in the first 24 results for its own search. “css3” sits at #6 untagged, close enough for a declared tag to move it up. “image gallery” isn't earning its slot: it only gets you to #21. “effect” sits at #6 untagged, close enough for a declared tag to move it up. All five slots are taken, so one has to go.
Daily downloads
Since 5 Oct 2022 · 1,488 days · wp.org + Plugin Pulse archive
30-day downloads
Rolling 30-day volume · peak 28K · peaks are release surges
Directory rank vs rivals
wp.org popularity rank over time · higher is better · when a rival's line climbs above yours, they've overtaken you
Rating trend
Star average over time · dips mark rough releases
Health trend
Composite health score, snapshotted daily
Update activity
How busy the existing users are, measured as downloads in the last 30 days for every 1,000 active sites. A spike means a new release everyone's pulling; a long, slow decline means an aging user base that updates less.
Release cadence
Actively maintainedHow often this plugin actually ships. A steady rhythm is the maintenance signal a single "last updated" date can't show.
13
releases in the last 12 months
11d ago
latest release · v9.12.2 · 20 Oct 2026
63
tagged releases on record
Recent releases
What its installed base runs
via wordpress.orgShare of active installs on each version of this plugin. Green is the current release; a big slice on older versions is a user base that has stopped updating.
Estimated active installs
The public count shows “10K+”. Our estimate pins where the real number sits.
Crossed into this band 2 months ago and the previous band took 5.6 years to cross, so the real count is still just under 20K.
Install history since 8 Apr 2017
Recent reviews
All reviews on wp.org ↗- ★★★★★ markusmaxen7mo ago
Very easy to handle! Does what it promises to do!
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ drradupotenz7mo ago
I’ve been using Image Hover Effects Ultimate across several pages of my website, and it has consistently delivered excellent results. The plugin is beautifully designed, easy to use, and offers a wide range of elegant hover effects that immediately elevate the visual quality of any gallery or image section. What I appreciate most is how smoothly everything works — the effects load quickly, the interface is intuitive, and the customization options are flexible without being overwhelming. Even on mobile devices, the plugin performs reliably and keeps the user experience clean and professional. This plugin has become an essential part of my visual presentation, and I can highly recommend it to anyone who wants to add refined, modern image interactions to their site.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ lt7912mo ago
Was struggling with an issue during use and the support staff were able to help me get everything fixed in the same day. Much appreciated. It’s a great plugin – easy to use and quick to set up (without my particular issue)
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ creciendoweb1.1y ago
Es uno de los mejores que e usado. Felicitaciones.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ PJPycroft1.3y ago
Love it – it been on my site for a long time without any issues
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ domstr681.3y ago
Great software. Very good!
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ Angel Diaz1.3y ago
It is a great plug in
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ bloohair1.4y ago
This works great, I just needed it for one image. It was a bit tricky getting it right on mobile as the image got squashed, the only thing it could do with on mobile is to be able to scroll around the area or pinch it. Otherwise good.
Read on wp.org ↗
Latest updates
via wp.org changelogRecent releases and news for this plugin
- — Version 9.11.7 🐛 Fix: Edit and rearrange modals now populate correctly for image items saved on older versions, legacy rawdata stored with extra backslash escaping is decoded with a stripslashes fallback that matches the render paths 9.11.7
- — Version 9.11.6 🆕 New: Added native Gutenberg block, insert and preview Image Hover Effect styles directly from the WordPress block editor without writing shortcodes 🆕 New: Style selector and Edit Style button placed in the block’s In 9.11.6
- — Version 9.11.5 🔒 Security: Fixed path traversal vulnerability in template import, file reads are now restricted within the plugin directory using realpath() validation 🔒 Security: Fixed missing authorization check in AJAX action hand 9.11.5
- — Version 9.11.4 🐛 Fix: Fixed Flipbox back side image not displaying across all styles, corrected invalid CSS syntax where !important was placed inside url() (Style 1) and replaced background shorthand with background-image to prevent u 9.11.4
- — Version 9.11.3 ✨ Improvement: Added dynamic “Edit Shortcode” button to Elementor Widget for quick access to the styling dashboard 🐛 Fix: Resolved issue where the shortcode edit button URL wouldn’t update on dropdown change 🐛 Fix: Fix 9.11.3
- — Version 9.11.2 🆕 New: Added Elementor Widget for Image Hover Effects, select and embed shortcodes directly from the Elementor editor 🐛 Fix: Resolved CSS and JS not loading in the Elementor editor for module-specific styles (Flipbox, 9.11.2
Security history
via Wordfence Intelligence1 open vulnerability affects the current version (9.12.2). 8 of 9 disclosed are patched.
- Open Medium · 6.4 Multiple Plugins and Themes <= (Various Versions) - Authenticated (Contributor+) DOM-Based Stored Cross-Site Scripting via lightGallery JavaScript Library ↗2025-11-19 CVE-2025-5092 Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation Affects <= 9.10.5 No patch available
- Patched Medium · 5.5 Image Hover Effects Ultimate 9.8.1 - 9.8.4 - Authenticated (Admin+) Stored Cross-Site Scripting ↗2022-12-11 CVE-2022-4207 Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation Affects 9.8.1 - 9.8.4 Patched in 9.8.5
- Patched High · 7.2 Image Hover Effects Ultimate <= 9.7.1 - Authenticated (Admin+) Arbitrary Options Update ↗2022-10-25 CVE-2022-42459 Authorization Bypass Through User-Controlled Key Affects <= 9.7.1 Patched in 9.7.2
- Patched Medium · 6.4 Image Hover Effects Ultimate <= 9.7.3 - Authenticated Stored Cross-Site Scripting via Title & Description ↗2022-08-31 CVE-2022-2937 Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation Affects <= 9.7.3 Patched in 9.8.0
- Patched Medium · 6.4 Image Hover Effects Ultimate <= 9.7.3 - Authenticated Stored Cross-Site Scripting via Video Link ↗2022-08-31 CVE-2022-2936 Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation Affects <= 9.7.3 Patched in 9.8.0
- Patched Medium · 6.4 Image Hover Effects Ultimate <= 9.7.3 - Authenticated Stored Cross-Site Scripting via Media URL ↗2022-08-31 CVE-2022-2935 Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation Affects <= 9.7.3 Patched in 9.8.0
- 2022-05-04 CVE-2022-29424 Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation Affects <= 9.7.1 Patched in 9.7.2
- Patched Medium · 6.1 Image Hover Effects Ultimate <= 9.7.0 - Reflected Cross-Site Scripting via effects ↗2021-12-27 CVE-2021-25031 Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation Affects <= 9.7.0 Patched in 9.7.1
- Patched Critical · 9.8 Image Hover Effects Ultimate <= 9.6.1 - Unauthenticated Arbitrary Options Update ↗
Vulnerability records provided by Wordfence Intelligence. Copyright 2012-2026 Defiant Inc. License and terms.
CVE records: Copyright 1999-2026 The MITRE Corporation. CVE terms of use.
Behavioral tests
via WP HiveAutomated install-time checks, tested on PHP 8.1.12 · WP 7.0
AI assistants
How it's measured →Whether ChatGPT and Claude name this plugin when asked the category question, and whether the readme gives them something to quote.
Not measured yet for this plugin’s topics. Its tracked searches are not among the measured topics. See the topics measured so far.
Readme readiness
7 of 8 pass · checked 29 Oct 2026Can an assistant quote this readme? Eight deterministic checks over the wp.org listing, no model involved.
- ✓ Says what it does "Add stunning image hover effects to WordPress. 500+ CSS3 animations, 10 effect modules. Native Elementor wi..."
- ✓ Has a FAQ 6 questions in the FAQ.
- ✓ FAQ asks real questions 6 of 6 read like questions a user would type.
- ✓ Names who it is for Names its audience or use cases ("perfect for", "use this", "use case").
- ✓ Names what it works with Mentions WooCommerce, Elementor, Gutenberg, Block editor and 3 more.
- ✓ Headings and lists 5 headings and 5 lists.
- ✓ Enough to quote 5,583 characters of description.
- ! Tags match the text Only 2 of 5 tags appear in the text ("css3 effects", "image gallery", "photo gallery" missing).
Growth timeline
Install-tier crossings we have observed, and how long each tier took to outgrow
- 2026-08-20 20K+ → 10K+ down after 2043 days in tier
- 2021-01-15 10K+ → 20K+ up after 662 days in tier
- 2019-03-25 1K+ → 10K+ up
Competes with
The plugins that solve the same job, ranked by shared tags then reach, closest match first. The letter on the right is each plugin's health grade (A best, F worst).
-
Photo Gallery, Sliders, Proofing and Themes – NextGEN Gallery 300K+ installs · 4.3★ · 2 shared tags A -
Photo Gallery by 10Web – Mobile-Friendly Image Gallery 100K+ installs · 4.5★ · 2 shared tags B -
FooGallery Photo Gallery : Image, Video & Masonry Galleries 100K+ installs · 4.8★ · 2 shared tags A -
Envira Gallery – Image Photo Gallery, Albums, Video Gallery, Slideshows & More 100K+ installs · 4.7★ · 2 shared tags A -
Gallery by Visual Portfolio 60K+ installs · 4.8★ · 2 shared tags A -
Robo Gallery – Photo & Image Slider 40K+ installs · 4.3★ · 2 shared tags B
Embed this report card
Drop a live Pulse card for Image Hover Effects Ultimate ( Image Gallery, Effects, Lightbox, Comparison & Magnifier ) into a readme, a review or a deck. It updates itself.
<iframe src="https://plugins.wpmayor.com/embed/image-hover-effects-ultimate" width="480" height="300" style="border:0" loading="lazy" title="Image Hover Effects Ultimate ( Image Gallery, Effects, Lightbox, Comparison & Magnifier ) — Plugin Pulse"></iframe> Image Hover Effects Ultimate ( Image Gallery, Effects, Lightbox, Comparison & Magnifier ): 10K+ active installs, 4.7★ (250 reviews). Plugin Pulse (WP Mayor), as of 2026-10-31. https://plugins.wpmayor.com/plugin/image-hover-effects-ultimate
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