Default WordPress Gallery Block vs Galleryberg: Which One Should You Use?

WordPress comes with a built-in Gallery block. It lets you create image galleries without installing any extra plugin. For simple use cases, this block works well. You can add images, arrange them in a grid, and publish the gallery quickly.

But problems appear when you need more control. The default Gallery block offers only one basic layout. It does not include a lightbox, hover effects, or advanced design options. When you want your galleries to look modern and professional, these limitations become very clear.

This is where Galleryberg comes in. It comes with a Gutenberg block by which you can create feature-rich galleries with flexible layouts, visual effects, and better control, without unnecessary complexity. This could be a great solution for anyone who wants to create advanced galleries right on the WordPress block editor.

In this post, we will do a clear side-by-side comparison of Galleryberg vs the Default WordPress Gallery Block. By the end, this will help you understand why you should go for the Galleryberg plugin and when the default gallery block is enough.

Quick Overview Between Gallery Block and Galleryberg

Before diving deep, let’s take a quick overview of the differences between the default gallery block and Galleryberg. Take a look at the table below.

What Is the Default WordPress Gallery Block?

The Default WordPress Gallery Block is a core block that comes pre-installed with WordPress. It allows you to add multiple images at once and display them together inside a single gallery. The images are shown in a simple grid layout. But it works well for basic image collections inside blog posts and pages.

With this block, you can adjust the number of columns to control how many images show up in each row. You can also choose what happens when someone clicks an image. The image can be opened as a media file or linked to its attachment page. Once again, these options cover the most basic gallery needs.

So, from the Pros & Cons analysis, you can clearly see that the Galleryberg plugin is good only for simple galleries. It’s not ideal for modern or visual-heavy websites. Check how to create a gallery with the Default Gallery Block.

What Is Galleryberg?

Galleryberg is a WordPress plugin that comes with an advanced Gallery block. It is designed for users who want to create feature-rich galleries without depending on any page builders. It offers multiple gallery layouts like Tiles, Square, Masonry, and Justified, so you can enjoy more design freedom.

It also includes a built-in lightbox that works smoothly on mobile devices and supports features like zoom and keyboard navigation. The plugin is performance-focused. It uses server-side rendering to keep your web pages fast, even with many images. With just one click, you can instantly change the gallery style.

What Galleryberg Adds on Top of the Default Gallery Block

We have already discussed above what Galleryberg offers beyond the default gallery block. Anyway, let’s once again take a look at what additional features Galleryberg brings:

• Multiple professional gallery layouts
• Built-in lightbox experience
• Hover effects and overlays
• Advanced captions (above, below, overlay)
• Responsive column controls (desktop, tablet, mobile)
• Image-level styling options
• Performance-optimized rendering

Check how to create a portfolio gallery with the Galleryberg plugin.

WordPress Gallery Block vs Galleryberg: Key Differences

In the table above, we have highlighted the key differences between the WordPress Gallery Block and Galleryberg. In this section, we will now explain those key points one by one and discuss how they differ from each other. Keep reading!

1. Gallery Layouts

Gallery layouts define how your images are arranged and how the gallery feels visually. This is one of the biggest differences between the Default WordPress Gallery Block and Galleryberg.

Default Gallery Block

As already said once, the Default Gallery Block supports only a simple grid layout. All images are placed in fixed rows and columns, with very limited control over how they flow. You cannot create masonry-style galleries, justified rows, or any creative arrangement.

No matter where you use it, the gallery always looks the same. This makes it suitable only for basic image display, not for design-focused websites.

Galleryberg

Galleryberg offers multiple gallery layouts for different use cases. This flexibility allows you to match the gallery layout with your content and design goals. Take a quick look at the gallery layout types and what they are best for.

• Tiles – clean, classic grid
• Square – Perfectly aligned images
• Masonry – Pinterest-style layout
• Justified – Balanced rows with equal heights
• Mosaic (Pro) – Artistic, collage-style galleries

Explore how to use and customize all the gallery layouts of Galleryberg.

👉Which is the Winner?

If layout variety and creative control matter to you, Galleryberg is clearly the better option.

2. Lightbox Experience

A lightbox plays an important role in how users view images on a website. It keeps visitors focused on the gallery without sending them to another page.

Default Gallery Block

The Default WordPress Gallery Block does not include a built-in lightbox. When a visitor clicks on an image, it usually opens the media file directly or redirects to an attachment page. This breaks the browsing experience. It feels outdated, especially on modern websites where users expect smooth image previews.

Galleryberg

Galleryberg includes a built-in professional lightbox by default. Images open smoothly with animations and stay on the same page. The lightbox supports keyboard navigation, touch and swipe gestures, image zoom with drag support, and loop navigation for continuous viewing.

This creates a much better experience for visitors. For portfolios, photography sites, and product galleries, this feature alone can make a big difference.

👉Which is the Winner?

If you want to offer a smooth, modern, and appealing image viewing experience, Galleryberg clearly stands out. Learn how to add a lightbox to your WordPress gallery.

3. Hover Effects & Visual Interaction

Hover effects add a modern visual touch to galleries. On modern websites, these small visual cues play a big role in improving user experience.

Default Gallery Block

The Default WordPress Gallery Block does not include any hover effects or visual feedback. Images remain static even when users move the cursor over them. This makes the gallery feel plain and inactive. For content-heavy or visual websites, this lack of interaction can make galleries feel outdated.

Galleryberg

Galleryberg comes with built-in hover effects, enhancing user experience. You can display captions on hover, apply overlay colors, and control how strong the overlay appears. These effects make it clear that images are clickable and worth exploring. The gallery feels more polished and professional.

Not only can this grab user attention, but it also improves engagement without adding complexity or hurting performance.

👉Which is the Winner?

Galleryberg definitely wins here by making your galleries feel more lively and engaging in the eyes of users.

4. Captions & Image-Level Controls

Captions and image-level controls are important when images need context or branding. They help explain what an image shows and what it wants to say.

Default Gallery Block

The Default WordPress Gallery Block offers only very basic caption support. You can add simple text below images, but there are no styling options. All images follow the same caption behavior, and you cannot customize individual images. This makes it difficult to use galleries for storytelling or design-focused content.

Galleryberg

Galleryberg provides much more control over captions and individual images. You can place captions above the image, below it, or as an overlay. Caption settings can be applied to the entire gallery or adjusted for each image separately. In addition, you can add borders, radius, custom image sizes, duotone filters, etc.

You can also set custom link destinations per image. This level of flexibility makes it easier to create visually rich and well-structured galleries.

👉Which is the Winner?

If you are looking for storytelling and visual branding options in your galleries, you must try the Galleryberg plugin. Check how to add captions to images in WordPress galleries.

5. Responsive Control

Responsive design is essential because over 50% of traffic on most websites today comes from mobile and tablet devices. So, your gallery should equally look good on desktop, tablet, and mobile screens.

Default Gallery Block

The Default WordPress Gallery Block is responsive but offers very limited control. WordPress automatically adjusts the layout based on screen size. You cannot set different column numbers for desktop, tablet, or mobile. This means you have little control over how the gallery looks on smaller screens.

Galleryberg

Galleryberg also handles responsiveness automatically, but it gives you much more control. You can define separate column settings for desktop, tablet, and mobile devices. A built-in device selector lets you preview how the gallery will look on each screen size before publishing.

This helps you fine-tune the layout without breaking the design, making Galleryberg a better choice for responsive galleries.

👉Which is the Winner?

When you need advanced control over the responsiveness management, you must opt for the Galleryberg plugin. Check how to create responsive galleries in WordPress.

6. Performance Comparison

Performance is a key factor when choosing a gallery, especially if your pages have many images. Slow galleries can affect page speed and user experience.

Default Gallery Block

The Default WordPress Gallery Block is minimal by nature. It uses no extra scripts or styles. As a result, it can load your galleries very quickly. This makes it lightweight and reliable, even on slower websites.

Galleryberg

Galleryberg is designed to offer advanced features without compromising performance. It uses server-side rendering and ships only minimal CSS and JavaScript. Even large galleries with many images load fast and smoothly.

This means you can enjoy professional layouts, hover effects, and lightboxes without slowing down your website. In other words, Galleryberg combines flexibility and speed efficiently.

👉Which is the Winner?

If you are looking for a feature-rich gallery builder that doesn’t compromise on speed, Galleryberg again wins the race.

When Should You Use the Default Gallery Block?

By now, we hope that you already have a clear overview of the Default Gallery Block. It works best when your gallery needs are basic, and you don’t require advanced features. Yet, let’s take another look at when you should use the block.

• You Need a Very Simple Image Grid

Choose the Default Gallery Block if you want a simple, clean, and uniform grid of images. Because it can handle multiple images efficiently without requiring you to manage any extra setup or complexity.

• You Don’t Care About Lightbox or Hover Effects

If you don’t need zooming, popups, or hover effects, the Default Gallery Block is enough. Clicking images will open the file or attachment page.

• You Want Zero Extra Plugins

The more plugins you add, the heavier your site becomes. So, if you don’t want to use any plugin just for a gallery, the Default Gallery Block is a good solution.

• Design Flexibility Is Not Important

If you don’t need custom captions, borders, image-level adjustments, or responsiveness, the default block is sufficient for your website.

When Should You Use Galleryberg?

So far, we have explained the key features of the Galleryberg plugin. Hope you have got an overview of it as well. Let’s now take a quick look at some key situations when you must use this plugin on your website.

• You Want Modern & Professional Galleries

Choose Galleryberg if you want galleries that look polished and up-to-date. Not only can you use creative layouts like Masonry, Justified, or Tiles. You can also customize the border, image size, radius, and more options.

• You Need a Lightbox Experience

If you want visitors to view the gallery images in a popup without leaving the page, the lightbox technology is a must. Galleryberg can help you in this case. It can support you with zooming, swiping, and keyboard navigation for a smooth experience.

• You Care About Responsive Control

Indeed, the default block is responsive. But if you want to set specific breaking points and more control over how galleries should appear on desktop, tablet, and mobile, Galleryberg is the one you need.

• You Want Better Captions, Layouts, and Visuals

Choose Galleryberg if you want captions above, below, or as overlays. You can also add borders, custom sizes, duotone filters, and individual links for each image.

• Building Portfolios, Blogs, Product Pages, or Photography Sites

If you are planning to build a portfolio, blog, photography site, or product page, your galleries should incorporate advanced features to engage users better. Galleryberg will give you more flexibility instead of the default block.

Final Verdict: Galleryberg vs Default Gallery Block

We have reached the end of this post. Hopefully, you found it helpful. When beginners start with WordPress, they usually use the Default Gallery Block. It works fine, but as the site grows and needs more advanced features, they look for a better solution.

There are many advanced gallery plugins on WordPress. Some work with page builders, and some use shortcodes. Galleryberg stands out because it is a block-based plugin. This means you can create and customize galleries directly in the editor, on the post or page where you want them.

You don’t need to open a new interface or leave your content. Over time, the team plans to add more features to make it even more useful. Galleryberg is available in both free and premium versions. If you haven’t tried it yet, you can get it now by clicking the buttons below.