Free vs Pro: What’s the Difference?
Image Hover Effects Ultimate is available in both a free and a Pro version. The free version is genuinely useful and great for getting started, while the Pro version unlocks the full power of the plugin. Here’s a clear breakdown of what you get with each.
Quick Comparison Table
| Feature | Free | Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Basic hover effects | ✅ | ✅ |
| 500+ hover effect layouts | Limited | ✅ Full access |
| General, Square, Caption, Button effects | ✅ Basic layouts | ✅ All layouts |
| Flipbox effects | ✅ Basic layouts | ✅ All 29 layouts |
| Lightbox gallery | ✅ | ✅ |
| Image magnifier | ✅ | ✅ |
| Before & after comparison | ✅ | ✅ |
| Carousel / slider effects | Limited | ✅ Full access |
| Filter & sorting gallery | Limited | ✅ Full access |
| 650+ Google Fonts | ❌ | ✅ |
| Custom font size (heading & description) | ❌ | ✅ |
| Unlimited heading font colors | ❌ | ✅ |
| Unlimited description font colors | ❌ | ✅ |
| External links per item | ❌ | ✅ |
| Dynamic content (from posts/CPTs) | ❌ | ✅ |
| Load More functionality | ❌ | ✅ |
| Advanced responsive settings | ❌ | ✅ |
| Custom CSS generation UI | ❌ | ✅ |
| Priority customer support | ❌ | ✅ 24/7 |
| Automatic updates | ✅ (from WP.org) | ✅ (with license) |
What You Get for Free
The free version is a solid starting point. You get access to:
- Basic layouts across all major effect types (General, Caption, Flipbox, Lightbox, Magnifier, Comparison)
- Core customization options (colors, basic typography, overlay settings)
- Shortcode embedding
- Responsive design
- Touch/mobile support
- WPBakery and widget integration
If you’re a blogger, small business, or just want to add a few nice effects to your site, the free version may be all you need.
Why Upgrade to Pro?
The Pro version is worth it if you need:
More Design Control
Access to all 500+ layouts gives you far more visual variety. Pro also unlocks full typography control: custom font sizes, 650+ Google Fonts, and unlimited color options for both headings and descriptions.
Individual Item Links
In the Pro version, each image in a gallery can have its own unique URL. This is essential for portfolio sites, product showcases, or any gallery where different items lead to different pages.
Dynamic Content
Pull images and content automatically from WordPress posts, pages, or custom post types, no manual adding needed. Perfect for blogs and news sites.
Load More & Carousel
Show large galleries with a “Load More” button or display them as an auto-scrolling carousel, both Pro-only features.
Advanced Responsive Settings
Fine-tune how your effects look on different screen sizes (desktop, tablet, mobile) with per-device settings.
Priority Support
Pro users get access to dedicated 24/7 support from the WPKIN team, with faster response times than the free WordPress.org support forum.
How to Upgrade
- Visit the Image Hover Ultimate Pricing page.
- Purchase your Pro license.
- Go to the Plugins menu in your WordPress Dashboard.
- Scroll down to Image Hover Effects Ultimate plugin.
- Click Activate License.
- A modal will appear where you can enter your license key.
- Submit the license key and enjoy the Pro version.
All your existing styles and settings are preserved when you upgrade, nothing gets reset.
Is Pro Worth It?
If you’re using hover effects as a key design element on your site, for a portfolio, eCommerce store, or professional business site, the Pro version pays for itself quickly in time saved and design quality gained. The Google Fonts alone open up a huge range of typographic possibilities that the free version simply can’t match.