Meow Gallery
by Jordy Meow · Blocks
Also makes 29 other plugins · 352.1K+ installs across the portfolio →
Tired of slow, bloated gallery plugins? Here is the answer! ☺️ Polished, beautiful galleries that are blazing fast. No bloat. Enjoy! 💕
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 89/100
no flags
Active installs
10K+
≈19K estimated
Momentum
+90%
downloads vs prior 30d
Biggest opportunity: Swap “block”, “image” and “masonry” for “slow”, “bloat” and “no bloat”. “block” isn't earning its slot: you're not in the first 24 results for its own search. “slow” sits at #5 untagged, close enough for a declared tag to move it up. “image” isn't earning its slot: you're not in the first 24 results for its own search. “bloat” sits at #11 untagged, close enough for a declared tag to move it up. “masonry” isn't earning its slot: it only gets you to #21. “no bloat” sits at #12 untagged, close enough for a declared tag to move it up. All five slots are taken, so one has to go.
89 health vs 71 average across 2,523 Blocks plugins
Install conversion
How it's measured →1.7%
of downloads still active
At least 10K of 581.1K lifetime downloads are still running, in line with its category: the median Blocks plugin keeps 2.1%, across 1,578 plugins.
Downloads count every update, not just first installs, so older and more frequently released plugins read lower. Compare against other Blocks 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 22 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
Most to gain: Support resolution
Updated 1 day ago
Tested up to WordPress 7.1.4, the current branch or newer
4.9★ over 203 reviews, smoothed to 4.74★
5 of 5 tags set · short description in place
2 of 3 support threads resolved in the last 2 months
To rank higher: Mark more forum threads resolved — the resolved ratio feeds the ranking.
Get the full rank-higher report →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.
30
Momentum
Losing ground
-1.3
Velocity
places per keyword, 28d
11%
Breadth
of keywords climbing, 28d
-1.5
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| meow | #1 | #1 | 0 |
| lightroom your tag | #4 | #4 | 0 |
| slow | #5 | #5 | 0 |
| gallery your tag | #10 | #9 | up 3 |
| bloat | #11 | #9 | up 3 |
| no bloat | #12 | #8 | 0 |
| galleries | #16 | #15 | up 3 |
| gallery box block | #7 | #6 | down 3 |
| masonry your tag | #21 | #11 | down 4 |
| image gallery horizontal | #8 | #8 | 0 |
| hero | #14 | #9 | down 3 |
| answer | #22 | #18 | up 2 |
| as gallery | #9 | #8 | 0 |
| free gallery | #9 | #8 | 0 |
| gallery plugin | #9 | #9 | up 1 |
| video gallery | #17 | #14 | up 6 |
| post gallery | #10 | #10 | down 3 |
| add gallery | #10 | #8 | down 1 |
| best gallery | #10 | #9 | up 1 |
| gallery block | #10 | #9 | up 2 |
| block your tag | Not in the top 24 | ||
| image your tag | Not in the top 24 | ||
195 searches this plugin appeared in over the last 90 days, 20 listed. 151 left out as unrelated or noise (years, numbers, stray words). 2 of its tags aren't in the top 24 for their own search.
What to do about it
- Swap “block”, “image” and “masonry” for “slow”, “bloat” and “no bloat”. “block” isn't earning its slot: you're not in the first 24 results for its own search. “slow” sits at #5 untagged, close enough for a declared tag to move it up. “image” isn't earning its slot: you're not in the first 24 results for its own search. “bloat” sits at #11 untagged, close enough for a declared tag to move it up. “masonry” isn't earning its slot: it only gets you to #21. “no bloat” sits at #12 untagged, close enough for a declared tag to move it up. All five slots are taken, so one has to go.
- Under-ranked on “masonry”. wp.org puts you #21; on merit you place #11. The plugins above you are winning on install count, not on rating or upkeep.
Daily downloads
Since 5 Oct 2022 · 1,488 days · wp.org + Plugin Pulse archive
30-day downloads
Rolling 30-day volume · peak 26.3K · 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.
22
releases in the last 12 months
yesterday
latest release · v5.5.8 · 30 Oct 2026
159
tagged releases on record
Recent releases
What its installed base runs
via wordpress.orgShare of active installs on each version of this plugin · 51% run the current release. 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 2.6 years ago; a band this size takes about a year or more to cross, which places it about 90% of the way through.
Install history since 6 Mar 2021
Recent reviews
All reviews on wp.org ↗- ★★★★★ stefanprasselfotografie4mo ago
Meow Gallery is very easy to install and set up. The gallery settings are quite extensive, which is great. However, I wish there was more freedom when it comes to placing the photos, as this part isn’t very intuitive. Overall, I am very satisfied and really appreciate that you offer a great FREE-version. Thank you!
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ hideki1844mo ago
Following a server update last week, I switched from Jetpack to Meow Gallery. I really appreciate how it provides exactly the features I need in such a compact and efficient way. Thank you so much for your great work!
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ Lazylonewolf4mo ago
My site uses both Simple Lightbox and Jetpack’s Carousel.They work well enough, but I hate that I need two separate plugins to display solo and gallery images, particularly that they look different from each other. With Meow Lightbox and Gallery, well, it’s still two separate plugins but at least the look of the lightbox and galleries are consistent. Now, I can rely less on the bloated plugin that is Jetpack, and I think Meow Gallery is faster. One caveat though: both plugins don’t seem to play well with the LiteSpeed Cache plugin for any preset above Essential. I wager its because of the QUIC.cloud connection… while I have encountered minimal problems with Jetpack and Simple Lightbox even with QUIC.cloud.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ pixelzeit5mo ago
Gallery ist ein wirklich gelungenes Programm. Meine Webseite ist damit sehr aufgewertet worden. Die Arbeit mit Gallery ist leicht und übersichtlich. Da Team von Meow ist einfach Klasse und Hilft sehr kompetent und zeitnah.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ FormidlerLone5mo ago
Many ways to fit the galleries to the number of pictures. The gallery sort them nicely.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ TLP105mo ago
There are thousands and thousands of plugins for wordpress but choosing a plugin is great until you need support. I have been super impressed with the support I have received from the Meow App support team which makes me want to look at their other plugins first before choosing from a company I don’t know. BTW the plugins are great too 😊
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ gpcammino5mo ago
Ottimo plugin facile da utilizzare e non “invadente” anche nella versione gratuita
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ kaiyoma6mo ago
This plugin works really well and without fuss – what more could you ask for? The organization of the photos is really nice and when you pair it with the Meow Apps lightbox plugin, it really brings your images alive.
Read on wp.org ↗
Latest updates
via wp.org changelogRecent releases and news for this plugin
- — Version 5.5.1 Update: Improved handling of image ID attributes in the gallery shortcode. Update: Updated the Media Selector. 5.5.1
- — Version 5.5.0 Fix: Order handling when using combined “orderby-order” parameter format. Update: Improved emoji handling in gallery HTML processing and clearer error messages. Add: Support for passing gallery attributes through collect 5.5.0
- — Version 5.4.9 Fix: Removed srcset attribute from collection thumbnails when not available. Add: Exposed collection helpers for use by external plugins like Cleaner. 🎵 Discuss with others about Meow Gallery on the Discord . 🌴 Keep us 5.4.9
- — Version 5.4.8 Add: “Design Tool” feature (BETA). Update: Removed the “stylish” setting for Tiles layout. Update: Better UI/UX. 5.4.8
- — Version 5.4.7 Fix: Fixed a warning on missing thumbnails, showing graceful placeholders instead of broken images in both the backend and frontend. 5.4.7
- — Version 5.4.6 Add: Dynamic galleries with Tags support, now available in the manager. Add: “Order by” option is now always visible in the manager modal for easier sorting. Fix: Block styling and properties now render correctly within 5.4.6
Security history
via Wordfence IntelligenceAll 11 disclosed vulnerabilities are patched in the current version (5.5.8). Sites still on an older version should update.
- Patched Medium · 6.4 Meow Gallery <= 5.5.1 - Authenticated (Author+) Stored Cross-Site Scripting via Attachment Alt Text (aria-label attribute) ↗2026-10-30 CVE-2026-9239 Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation Affects <= 5.5.1 Patched in 5.5.2
- 2026-09-18 CVE-2026-92423 Exposure of Sensitive Information to an Unauthorized Actor Affects <= 5.5.4 Patched in 5.5.5
- 2026-08-03 CVE-2026-15386 Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation Affects <= 5.5.1 Patched in 5.5.2
- Patched Medium · 4.3 Meow Gallery <= 5.4.4 - Missing Authorization to Authenticated (Author+) Shortcode creation ↗2026-06-12 CVE-2026-1291 Authorization Bypass Through User-Controlled Key Affects <= 5.4.4 Patched in 5.4.5
- 2026-02-26 CVE-2026-32418 Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an SQL Command Affects <= 5.4.4 Patched in 5.4.5
- 2025-05-07 CVE-2025-47449 Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation Affects <= 5.2.7 Patched in 5.2.8
- Patched Medium · 6.4 Gallery Block (Meow Gallery) <= 5.1.3 - Authenticated (Contributor+) Stored Cross-Site Scripting ↗2024-05-08 CVE-2024-4386 Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation Affects <= 5.1.3 Patched in 5.1.4
- 2021-09-02 CVE-2021-24465 Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an SQL Command Affects < 4.1.9 Patched in 4.1.9
- Patched High · 8.8 Meow Gallery (+ Gallery Block) <= 4.1.9 - Missing Authorization to Arbitrary Options Update ↗2021-09-02 Missing Authorization Affects <= 4.1.9 Patched in 4.2.0
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
Languages
via translate.wordpress.orgTranslated into 13 languages, 2 at 90% or more
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.
Share of voice
How often each assistant names Meow Gallery when asked about this topic, where it comes in the answer, and how that compares with its wp.org search position. Latest run 25 Oct 2026.
- Assistants
- ChatGPT, Claude
- Topics tracked
- Gallery
Readme readiness
4 of 8 pass · checked 30 Oct 2026Can an assistant quote this readme? Eight deterministic checks over the wp.org listing, no model involved.
- ! Says what it does Short description names no action; say what the plugin does for the site.
- ! Has a FAQ No FAQ section.
- ! FAQ asks real questions No FAQ to judge.
- ! Names who it is for Never says who the plugin is for or what they use it for.
- ✓ Names what it works with Mentions Gutenberg, Yoast, Instagram.
- ✓ Headings and lists 3 headings and 2 lists.
- ✓ Enough to quote 2,025 characters of description.
- ✓ Tags match the text All 5 tags appear in the text.
Growth timeline
Install-tier crossings we have observed, and how long each tier took to outgrow
- 2024-04-07 9K+ → 10K+ up after 1 days in tier
- 2024-04-06 10K+ → 9K+ down after 1 days in tier
- 2024-04-05 9K+ → 10K+ up after 7 days in tier
- 2024-03-29 10K+ → 9K+ down after 1 days in tier
- 2024-03-28 9K+ → 10K+ up after 191 days in tier
- 2023-09-19 8K+ → 9K+ up after 323 days in tier
- 2022-10-31 7K+ → 8K+ up after 3 days in tier
- 2022-10-28 8K+ → 7K+ down after 1 days in tier
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).
-
Lightbox for Gallery & Image Block 20K+ installs · 4.9★ · 3 shared tags A -
Image Gallery Block 4K+ installs · 4.0★ · 3 shared tags B -
Firelight Lightbox 200K+ installs · 4.8★ · 2 shared tags A -
Responsive Lightbox & Gallery 100K+ installs · 4.9★ · 2 shared tags B - S Simple Lightbox 100K+ installs · 4.3★ · 2 shared tags A
-
LightPress Lightbox 40K+ installs · 4.5★ · 2 shared tags B
Embed this report card
Drop a live Pulse card for Meow Gallery into a readme, a review or a deck. It updates itself.
<iframe src="https://plugins.wpmayor.com/embed/meow-gallery" width="480" height="300" style="border:0" loading="lazy" title="Meow Gallery — Plugin Pulse"></iframe> Meow Gallery: 10K+ active installs, 4.9★ (203 reviews). Plugin Pulse (WP Mayor), as of 2026-10-31. https://plugins.wpmayor.com/plugin/meow-gallery
Spotted a number that looks wrong? Report a data issue and we'll check it against the source.