NextGEN Gallery and Robo Gallery both turn the WordPress media library into proper galleries, but they are built for different jobs. Here is how they compare on features and price, including where NextGEN Gallery is the better pick.
At a glance
| Feature | Robo Gallery | NextGEN Gallery |
|---|---|---|
| Developer | Robosoft | Imagely |
| On WordPress.org since | 2015 | 2007 |
| Payment model | One-time payment | Yearly subscription |
| Price | $30 once (1 site), $65 (3 sites), $95 (unlimited sites) | Starter (1 site) $139/year, first year $69.50; Plus (3 sites) $199; Pro (5 sites) $279; Ultra (25 sites) $399 |
| When the licence ends | Galleries keep working; renewing updates is optional | Renews yearly at the full price |
| Free layouts | Grid, masonry, mosaic, Polaroid, slider, YouTube (6) | Slideshow, thumbnail grid, image browser |
| Albums | 3 albums free; unlimited nested albums in PRO | Compact and extended albums (free) |
| Video | YouTube (free); playlists, channels, Shorts, Vimeo, Twitch, Wistia, Facebook, SoundCloud (PRO) | Not a listed feature |
| Lightbox | Slideshow, full screen, zoom, download, sharing; 160+ options in PRO | Several lightboxes free; Pro lightbox (full screen, gestures) paid |
| Selling photos | No | Print sales, digital downloads and proofing (Pro and Ultra plans) |
| Protection | No watermarks or proofing | Watermarks; proofing in the Pro and Ultra plans |
The year each plugin appeared comes from WordPress.org; plans and prices from each vendor's pricing page; free and paid features from each plugin's WordPress.org page. Checked in October 2026. Prices change: check the vendor's site before you buy. Spotted something out of date? Tell us and we will correct it.
Where NextGEN Gallery is stronger
- By far the largest user base, and around since 2007: plenty of tutorials and community answers.
- Selling photos: print sales with fulfilment, digital downloads, coupons and tax in the Pro and Ultra plans.
- Client proofing for photographers who send galleries to clients for selection.
- Watermarking.
Where Robo Gallery is stronger
- Paid plans are yearly subscriptions; the first year is discounted and renewals are at the full price.
- Masonry, mosaic, tile and filmstrip layouts are paid; the free version has three display types.
- Video galleries are not part of the feature list.
- One-time licences: $30 for one site, $95 for unlimited sites; galleries keep working when updates end.
- Unlimited nested albums with covers, breadcrumbs and menus.
- Mixed galleries: photos, links and videos from several platforms in one gallery.
- 12 layouts including justified rows, mosaic and an enhanced Polaroid panel on any side.
What it costs
Over three years for one site: about $347 for NextGEN Starter ($69.50 + 2 × $139) against $30 for Robo Gallery PRO.
Which one should you choose?
Choose NextGEN Gallery if you sell prints or downloads, or need client proofing.
Choose Robo Gallery if you want modern layouts, nested albums and video without a yearly subscription.
Both have free versions: install them side by side on a test site and build the same gallery with your own photos. Switching later means rebuilding galleries, so it is worth an hour of testing now.