Essential Grid is a premium WordPress plugin for responsive galleries and post grids built from images, videos, audio and social feeds.
- Free version
- No
- Price
- See site
- Category
- Media & galleries
Not announcedBlack Friday deal for Essential Grid
Essential Grid vs Smash Balloon
Smash Balloon wins 1 of the 1 points we can measure. Here's how they compare on price, features, ratings and deals.
At a glance
| Feature | Essential Grid | Smash Balloon |
|---|---|---|
| Our score | Not rated | 7.4/10 |
| Starts at | See website | $49/year |
| Free version | No | Yes (better) |
| Refund window | 14 days | 14 days |
| Billing | One-time payment | Subscription |
| Active installs | – | 1M+ |
| Last Black Friday | – | 65% off |
| Category | Media & galleries | Media & galleries |
| Vendor | ThemePunch | Smash Balloon |
| Black Friday 2026 | Not announced | Not announced |
Which should you choose?
Choose Essential Grid if…
- Photographers and artists with gallery sites
- Agencies building portfolio grids for clients
Choose Smash Balloon if…
- Sites that show social posts or reviews
- Agencies building sites for clients
- You want to start free
Features
Essential Grid
- Drag and drop builder
- 50+ templates
- Grid layouts
- Multiple content sources
- Auto-updating social content
- Export and import
Smash Balloon
- Instagram feeds
- Facebook feeds
- Reviews feeds
- YouTube feeds
- Layouts and carousels
- Post moderation
- Background caching
Pros and cons
Essential Grid
- 50+ ready-made templates
- Pulls content from social media feeds automatically
- Visual skin editor for custom styles
- Current price could not be confirmed from the vendor or CodeCanyon pages
- Premium only, with support for the paid license
Smash Balloon
- Free versions of the Instagram, Facebook and Reviews plugins are on WordPress.org
- Caches social data to limit API requests and keep pages fast
- All Access Bundle covers all six Pro plugins for unlimited sites
- 14-day money-back guarantee
- Each client site needs its own license unless you buy the bundle
- Renewals are charged at full price after the introductory discount
- Works only with WordPress
Pricing plans
Essential Grid
Plans not listed. See Essential Grid pricing
Smash Balloon
Instagram Feed ProStarts here
$49
- User and hashtag feeds
- Stories and tagged posts
- Shoppable feeds
Facebook Feed ProStarts here
$49
- Page and group feeds
- Photo and video feeds
- Events feeds
All Access Bundle
$299/year
Unlimited sites
- All six Pro plugins
- Priority support
- Future products included
What Reddit says
Essential Grid
Not enough Reddit discussion yet.
Smash Balloon
Reddit users are mostly negative about Smash Balloon, citing its drop of personal Instagram account support, a long cancellation process and setup problems. A few users found the Custom Facebook Feed plugin decent enough, or noted that themes often recommend it.
Essential Grid vs Smash Balloon questions
Is Essential Grid better than Smash Balloon?
On our comparison Smash Balloon comes out ahead on 1 of 1 measurable points. The right pick still depends on what you build.
Which is cheaper, Essential Grid or Smash Balloon?
Essential Grid starts at See website and Smash Balloon starts at $49/year.
Can I get Essential Grid or Smash Balloon cheaper on Black Friday?
Both are on our Black Friday tracker. Smash Balloon was 65% off last year.
Both products
Smash Balloon: #1 Social Media Feeds Plugin for WordPress
- Free version
- Yes
- Price
- From $49/year
- Category
- Media & galleries
Not announcedBlack Friday deal for Smash Balloon
