Whether you are a photographer, designer, artist, writer, or anyone else who belongs to the freelance artist community and wants to showcase your work, then you will require a portfolio plugin on your website.
A portfolio plugin is a simple plugin that enables you to add your products i.e. images, assets, designs, and even files on your website and showcase them for your clients, prospects, and even to visitors who can convert.
Most of these portfolio plugins are free although some of them don’t offer a lot of customization options. Therefore, finding the right portfolio plugin for your business can often become difficult, especially if you are a beginner.
So, in this article, we are going to discuss some of the best WordPress portfolio plugins that you can use on your website without any issue, and that serve the purpose well.
What to Look for in a WordPress Portfolio Plugin
When searching for a WordPress Portfolio plugin, keep your intent in mind. This will ensure that you get your desired plugin faster and without wasting any extra effort. So, start with a shortlist of features that you can match with all the portfolio plugins for comparison.
Here is what you will be needing in your portfolio plugin:
- A free or cheap plugin that offers a whole lot of options
- Check the ratings of each plugin and get the one that offers the maximum value and that has the most positive reviews
- The portfolio plugin should support an unlimited number of columns, rows, and portfolios. This will allow you to create as many portfolios on the list as possible
- You will be needing sliders, grids, and masonry designs for the layout of your website. So, it would be great if the portfolio offers all these designs by default. That way you won’t have to spend extra in buying a page layout builder.
- Make sure that the plugin offers pre-made templates because they are the best way to gauge the value of each portfolio plugin. The more template options you have available, the better you can design your website. Moreover, you won’t have to start from scratch.
- Most portfolio plugins now offer a visual builder. So, search for a plugin that offers this option by default.
- Good portfolio plugins offer filters and search bars for their plugins. Visitors on your website will use them to narrow down their results.
- If you are a fan of animations, then search for portfolio plugins that offer animations to make the portfolio layouts appealing
- You will be integrating your portfolio with third-party services down the lane. So, make sure that the portfolio plugin offers integrations with themes and other plugins by default.
- Also, look for portfolio plugins that allow you to create widgets of your portfolio and display them on pages and side listings.
Using a WordPress Portfolio Plugin vs. a WordPress Portfolio Theme
Many people prefer to buy a portfolio theme because it offers templates that they can use to create their websites.
However, there is a drastic difference between a portfolio theme and a portfolio plugin.
When you get a portfolio plugin, you have the liberty to change the layout of your theme without interrupting the flow of portfolios available on your site.
You can also install as many themes as you want and change them at will without losing your portfolio data.
You can also export your portfolios directly using the plugin
Plugins also allow you a lot more options such as the functionality of adding portfolio ratings, integrations, visual builders, widgets, sliders and grids, and a lot more. So, when it comes to choosing between portfolio themes vs portfolio plugins, then choosing a portfolio plugin is the best option.
Let’s learn about the advantages of using a WordPress portfolio plugin in comparison with WordPress portfolio themes.
Advantages of using WordPress portfolio Plugin
Here is a list of advantages that WordPress portfolio plugins offer to their users.
- WordPress portfolio plugins allow users to easily change the color, layout, style, and presentation of the content.
- They also allow users to add sliders and contact forms to the site without changing the theme or interrupting with its code.
- Portfolio plugins can be customized through custom functions
- Portfolio plugins don’t lose their data when you change themes or add any other new functionality to the site
- Portfolio plugins are fairly easy to set up and can be customized by anyone who doesn’t have knowledge of site coding
12 Best WordPress Portfolio Plugins
Now that you are aware of the advantages of WordPress portfolio plugins, it is time to discuss some of the best WordPress portfolio plugins available in the market. Our list only includes the top-rated WordPress portfolio plugins available on the WordPress plugin marketplace and other reputed places.
1. WP Portfolio
WP Portfolio is one of the best portfolio plugins available in the market. It offers image portfolios, video portfolios, and even website portfolios for users.
What makes WP Portfolio Plugin Unique?
It is an ideal solution for creating quality portfolios and teasers to impress your clients and to showcase your skills to the users.
The plugin can be easily integrated with Elementor and Beaver Builder page builders.
It also offers shortcodes that you can use to create countless display settings. The plugin is completely responsive and flexible and offers ready-made templates for the users.
Who Is WP Portfolio for?
Freelancers, website designers and developers, and those artists that are using technology to showcase their designs can use the WP Portfolio plugin.
2. Visual Portfolio Plugin
Visual Portfolio Plugin is another great plugin that you can use for your website. WordPress Portfolio plugin is completely free to use and can be downloaded or installed directly from the WordPress plugin directory. It allows users to easily create an image and video portfolios.
The WordPress Portfolio plugin supports image galleries that can be created on all pages using shortcodes. The plugin allows an unlimited number of portfolios on a single website.
Who Is WordPress Portfolio Plugin for?
Bloggers, graphic artists, designers, and animators can use the WordPress Portfolio Plugin to create impressive portfolios for showcasing their work.
3. Portfolio Gallery
Portfolio gallery makes it incredibly easy to create responsive portfolios on the WordPress website. It is fully responsive, offers filters for Macbook, Desktop, tablets, and mobile phones. It also offers a separate category of portfolios based on templates.
What makes Portfolio Gallery Plugin Unique?
The portfolio gallery can easily blend in with the theme of the website making the page look a lot more appealing to visitors. The Portfolio gallery plugin is completely free to use and can be installed from the WordPress plugin directory.
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Who Is Portfolio Gallery Plugin for?
Anyone who is trying to display their work through image and video galleries can make use of the Portfolio gallery plugin. It is simple to use and offers an unlimited number of options for the users.
4. WordPress Portfolio Builder
WordPress portfolio plugin offers numerous customization options for portfolios. It comes with many styling options and a library of portfolio designs that the users can choose from. WordPress portfolio plugin was originally named as the UberGrid plugin. It is available for free on the WordPress plugin directory and simple to use.
Who Is WordPress Portfolio Builder Plugin for?
WordPress users who are already using page builders for creating their page designs can use the Portfolio builder plugin to easily work on their designs and showcase them to the world.
5. GridKit Portfolio Gallery
GridKit is another amazing plugin that comes with multiple layouts and templates for creating quality portfolio galleries. Users can use the plugin to create images, videos, and web-based portfolios for their clients.
What makes GridKit Portfolio Plugin Unique?
The galleries created using Gridkit can be turned into albums and product catalogs for your WooCommerce store, serving multiple purposes at once. It can also be used to create team presentation designs.
Who Is WordPress Gridkit Portfolio Plugin for?
Since the plugin is available for free, it can be used by WordPress users who are on a small budget and just testing the waters. They can use the GridKit plugin to create grids of each image and showcase them to their visitors.
6. FooGallery
FooGallery makes it easy for anyone to easily create, manage, and edit portfolios. The FooGallery is not just a portfolio plugin as it supports a lot of other editing options. So just use the plugin as and when needed.
What makes FooGallery Portfolio Plugin Unique?
FooGallery supports lazy loading, stunning grid layouts, quality design, and simple and fast business efforts. The purpose behind the FooGallery was to make developers, designers, and other computer operators socialize with each other. That’s why Foo gallery is so successful.
Who Is FooGallery Portfolio Plugin for?
Since Foogallery auto-creates portfolios of images, videos, and other assets, it is best used by non-techies. These WordPress users can get the most benefit by using the FooGallery plugin.
7. Cube Portfolio
Cube Portfolio is a simple WordPress grid plugin that allows users to create beautiful animated projects for display. The Cube Portfolio plugin offers filtering, caption, image gallery, grids, and multiple live templates for their users.
What makes Cube Portfolio Plugin Unique?
Users can easily play with colors, dimensions, spacing, and borders to make the most of this plugin. They can also add rating and pricing right on top of the portfolio menu.
Who is the Cube Portfolio Plugin for?
Cube portfolio plugin offers grids, columns, and rows, and a lot more when it comes to creating beautiful animations. It is a perfect plugin for bloggers, portfolio websites, and small businesses that want to showcase their projects to their clients.
8. The Grid
The Grid is a premium plugin that allows you to customize responsive grids that are suitable for displaying portfolio, ecommerce, and other types of
WordPress post types. This plugin supports post formats such as audio, video, gallery, links, and even quotes.
What Makes The Grid Plugin Unique?
It has a simple yet powerful admin panel that allows everyone to create grids of their portfolio plugins at will. It also supports WooCommerce pricing and rating features that users will simply love. In short, it makes the portfolio website into an ecommerce store.
Who is The Grid Plugin for?
The Grid is a powerful premium plugin. Therefore, it is perfect for all those who are looking for professionally designed portfolio layouts for their websites and have the budget to do so.
9. Envira Gallery
Envira is a favorite of developers because of the interesting features it offers.
What Makes Envira Gallery Plugin Unique?
For starters, Envira allows users to easily add their own CSS to websites for creating portfolios. The basic package costs $29 and it offers features like social sharing, ecommerce, and watermarking for experts who don’t want others to steal their portfolios. In a sense, Envira turns your own website into your Behance profile.
Who is the Envira Gallery Plugin For?
Envira Gallery plugin is perfect for all. Whether you are a beginner or an expert user, Envira serves all the features that you would require for your website to create stunning portfolios.
10. Media Grid
The Media Grid plugin allows users to create an unlimited number of paginated, masonry grid portfolios for websites and web apps. Whether users want to share their code, website UX, images, or write-ups, the Media grid library serves them all.
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What Makes Media Grid Plugin Unique?
It supports both column-based designs and dynamic layouts and can be used from developing photo galleries for Instagram images on a website to organizing portfolio designs into an elegant column-based design.
The Media Grid can also be integrated with WooCommerce stores.
Who is the Media Grid Portfolio Plugin For?
The Media Grid portfolio plugin is perfect for experts who already have portfolios available. They can use the plugin to simply add these portfolios to their websites with minimum effort and in a design that they aspire for.
11. Go Portfolio
Go Portfolio is made with ecommerce in mind. It is not just a portfolio that you can showcase for your clients, because you can add pricing to each portfolio page and sell it directly using your website.
What Makes Go Portfolio Plugin Unique?
Go Portfolio also columns and masonry design making it easier for users to sell their products.
For example, users who create digital art and designs can use the Go Portfolio plugin to sell their products online without extra effort.
Who is the Go Portfolio Plugin for?
The Go Portfolio plugin is perfect for store owners and digital artists who would want to share their creations with the rest of the world. It is a premium plugin and the starting price is just $26.
12. Essential Grid
Essential Grid is not only a portfolio plugin as it can be used for creating galleries, listing WooCommerce products, and do a lot more. It is perfect for both designers and store owners to create and share/sell their products.
What Makes Essential Grid Plugin Unique?
For designers, the Essential Grid plugin offers a lot of gallery options that allow the users to improve their design. While for store owners, Essential Grid offers the option of listing pricing and adding reviews directly on the portfolio slides. It is a premium plugin with a price of $69.
Who is The Essential Grid Plugin For?
The Essential Grid Plugin is perfect for beginners and experts alike. As said earlier, designers and store owners – both can use the Essential Grid plugin – for their websites and web apps.
Ready to Choose Your WordPress Portfolio Plugin?
We have listed the 12 best WordPress portfolio plugins that you can use for creating captivating WordPress portfolio designs. These designs are perfect for anyone who is looking to showcase their designs/creations/artwork or for those who are looking to sell their products directly to the customers. For all those digital artists turned store owners, these portfolio plugins will act as an invaluable resource.
Choose from any of the WordPress portfolio plugins we have listed and start profiting from your websites.
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