Shadowbox JS
by Matt Martz · Uncategorized
Also makes 9 other plugins · 4.3K+ installs across the portfolio →
Shadowbox is an online media vieiwing application similar to Lightbox and Thickbox but with more functionality. Supports all types of media.
47 health vs 56 average across 16,376 Uncategorized plugins
High removal-risk signals
63/100Maintenance and integrity signals that tend to precede a WordPress.org removal. Not an official status, a heads-up to act.
- Long abandoned. No update in 8+ years — the top precursor to removal once a vulnerability is found.
- Compatibility drift. Tested only up to WordPress 3.4.2, well behind 6.8.
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.
Under-optimized
Biggest win: Update recency
To rank higher: Last updated 3196 days ago — ship an update; wp.org decays a listing's search weight after ~180 days.
Get the full rank-higher report →Daily downloads
Since 2022-10-05 · 1,425 days · wp.org + Plugin Pulse archive
30-day downloads
Rolling 30-day volume · peaks are release surges
176
now · peak 263
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
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
No release in a yearHow often this plugin actually ships. A steady rhythm is the maintenance signal a single "last updated" date can't show.
0
releases in the last 12 months
14.4y ago
latest release · v3.0.3.10.2
30
tagged releases on record
Recent releases
What its installed base runs
via wordpress.orgShare of active installs on each version of this plugin · 99% 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 “1K+”. Our estimate pins where the real number sits.
Refined from the date this plugin crossed into its current band.
Install history · since 2015-03-22 · 1,430 observations
Estimated value
What this plugin might earn a year, and what it might sell for. Modeled from public signals; we don't see anyone's books.
Est. annual revenue
Est. acquisition value
No paid tier is visible, so we don't put a figure on revenue or sale value: that would be guessing. The install base is a real asset to an acquirer, just not one public data lets us price. A small install base leaves thin data to model from.
Details
- Version
- 3.0.3.10.2
- Last updated
- 8.8y ago
- Added
- 2008-02-25 · 18 yrs old
- Requires WP
- 3.3
- Tested up to
- 3.4.2
- Requires PHP
- —
Recent reviews
All reviews on wp.org ↗- ★★★★★ Suzi Berman9.8y ago
Love this and use on all my sites
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ Salpetriere10.3y ago
It appears that the plugin author has abandoned supporting this plugin, it hasn’t been updated in four years. The plugin is now creating php errors with that latest few versions of WordPress. This was a good plugin, it’s a pity that it’s no longer supported.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ ezejaime11.0y ago
I started to use shadowbox js years ago, first in my plain html and php websites and now with WordPress in its plugin version. I’m sad the creators decided to stop supporting and updating it but I understand why they decided to. This is by far the best lightbox-type plugin I used and I tested almost every single of them. I’m still using now in my clients wordpress websites (4.3) and still works like charm. Thanks!
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ oGuitarrista12.5y ago
Beautifies the sample images!
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ gosukiwi12.6y ago
No configuration needed, works nicely out of the box! Best plugin for lightbox out there.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ CoreCoder12.9y ago
I’ve always been a fan of shadowbox. This plugin is a must have if you don’t use an image popup box yet.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ Kyle Charlton13.4y ago
Amazing plugin! We wanted a fresh way of showing an external website and this did the trick. having the website appear on your website inside of a popup box is awesome!
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ Alessandro Degiusti13.5y ago
excelent plugin!
Read on wp.org ↗
Behavioral tests
via WP HiveAutomated install-time checks, tested on PHP 7.2.16 · WP 5.3
Languages
via translate.wordpress.orgTranslated into 63 languages, 0 at 90% or more
Plus 39 more locales with partial translations.
Growth timeline
Install-tier crossings we have observed, and how long each tier took to outgrow
- 2026-06-28 2K+ → 1K+ down after 661 days in tier
- 2024-09-05 3K+ → 2K+ down after 2 days in tier
- 2024-09-03 2K+ → 3K+ up after 1 days in tier
- 2024-09-02 3K+ → 2K+ down after 502 days in tier
- 2023-04-19 4K+ → 3K+ down
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).
- S SOGO Add Script to Individual Pages Header Footer 20K+ installs · 4.2★ · 2 shared tags D
-
ReactPress – Create React App for WordPress 3K+ installs · 4.2★ · 2 shared tags C - W WP Minify Fix 800+ installs · 4.0★ · 2 shared tags D
-
Custom CSS/JS 700+ installs · 4.0★ · 2 shared tags C - A Async JS and CSS 700+ installs · 4.1★ · 2 shared tags D
- S Specific CSS/JS for Posts and Pages 300+ installs · 4.0★ · 2 shared tags D
Embed this report card
Drop a live Pulse card for Shadowbox JS into a readme, a review or a deck. It updates itself.
<iframe src="https://plugins.wpmayor.com/embed/shadowbox-js" width="480" height="300" style="border:0" loading="lazy" title="Shadowbox JS — Plugin Pulse"></iframe> Shadowbox JS: 1K+ active installs, 4.6★ (9 reviews). Plugin Pulse (WP Mayor), as of 2026-08-29. https://plugins.wpmayor.com/plugin/shadowbox-js