LayerSlider vs Smart Slider 3
Updated 22 Oct 2026. 18 features compared side by side.
Premium animation builder by Kreatura for layered sliders, carousels, hero scenes and popups, with 210+ templates and a choice of annual or one-time licences.
Freemium layer-based slider builder by Nextend with a visual editor, templates, post slides and device-specific settings; Pro is a one-time purchase.
Choose LayerSlider if…
- Users who want layered animated sliders and popups from one premium tool, with the choice of a one-time licence
Choose Smart Slider 3 if…
- You want to start with a free version
LayerSlider and Smart Slider 3 include the same 18 of the 18 features we track, so the choice comes down to pricing, approach and ecosystem.
At a glance
Feature comparison
Click a screenshot to see both plugins side by side.
LayerSlider Smart Slider 3Slide types6/66/6
Image backgrounds and image layers with links on each slide.
Image slides with heading, text and button layers in the free plugin.
YouTube, Vimeo and self-hosted video or audio layers and video backgrounds.
YouTube and Vimeo layers are free; Pro adds more media layers.
Post sliders built from posts and pages that update automatically.
Free WordPress posts generator by category or tag; custom post types and WooCommerce need Pro.
Carousel project type is supported.
Full carousel slider type is Pro; free users get a basic block carousel.
Free-form text, image, button, media and dynamic layers.
Free-form layers in the free editor (6 types); Pro has 26.
Hero scenes and full-size or full-width layouts.
Full-width and block sliders free; full-page layout is Pro.
Editing & design5/55/5
Visual project editor with device view and live preview.
Drag-and-drop slide editor with snapping and device previews.
210+ templates (120+ sliders, 90+ popups) with a licence.
About 14 free templates; Pro unlocks 120+.
200+ transitions, transition builder, Ken Burns, parallax and 3D parallax.
Free slide transitions and background animations; Ken Burns, parallax and layer animation builder are Pro.
Dots, thumbnails, bar and circle timers, slidebar and keyboard navigation.
Arrows, bullets, thumbnails, autoplay and bar controls in the free version.
Dynamic layers use WordPress posts and custom fields; no social or RSS sources listed.
Pro generators include RSS, YouTube, Flickr, Twitter, events and gallery plugins.
Mobile & performance4/44/4
Device-specific layers and show/hide by device or screen width.
Hide layers per device and set custom breakpoints in the free version.
Tap and swipe gestures to change slides.
Touch swipe, scroll and keyboard navigation included free.
Lazy loading so assets load only when needed.
Lazy loading mode for slide backgrounds and WebP conversion are marked Pro.
Vendor describes output as SEO friendly with real text layers.
Layers output real HTML text; listed as SEO optimised in the free version.
Integrations3/33/3
LayerSlider block for inserting projects in Gutenberg.
Native Gutenberg block (updated to the v3 block API).
Dedicated Elementor widget and widgets for other popular builders.
Supports Elementor, Divi, Beaver Builder, WPBakery and SiteOrigin.
Docs say WooCommerce data can be pulled via custom post fields; no dedicated product slides.
WooCommerce generator builds slides from products.
Statuses: Yes Pro Add-on Partial 3rd-party No ?
Pricing compared
LayerSlider Premium
| Personal (annual) | $29 per year, 1 site |
|---|---|
| Personal (one-time) | $87 lifetime, 1 site |
| Professional (annual) | $69 per year, 3 sites |
| Professional (one-time) | $207 lifetime, 3 sites |
Smart Slider 3 Freemium
| Free | $0 |
|---|---|
| Free | Free per year, Unlimited |
| Standard | $49 lifetime, 1 site |
| Premium | $99 lifetime, 3 sites |
Downloads trend
LayerSlider
No WordPress.org download data (premium-only plugin).
Smart Slider 3
283,970 downloads last week
Verdict
LayerSlider and Smart Slider 3 are closely matched on features (97/100 and 97/100). Only Smart Slider 3 has a free version. Check the features you rely on in the table below before deciding.
Written from the feature, pricing and install data on this page, not from hands-on testing. How we compare.
Which would you choose?
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FAQ
Which is better, LayerSlider or Smart Slider 3?
LayerSlider and Smart Slider 3 are closely matched on features (97/100 and 97/100). Only Smart Slider 3 has a free version. Check the features you rely on in the table below before deciding.
Which has more features?
They are level: both include 18 of the 18 sliders & carousels features we track.
Is LayerSlider free?
LayerSlider is premium only. Paid plans start at $29/yr.
Is Smart Slider 3 free?
Smart Slider 3 has a free version on WordPress.org. Paid plans start at $49 lifetime.
Feature data last changed 22 Oct 2026. Spotted something wrong? Suggest an edit to LayerSlider or Smart Slider 3. Some links are affiliate links. We may earn a commission at no cost to you; it never affects our data or rankings.