For WordPress
A WordPress gallery without plugin bloat.
Paste one embed into a Custom HTML block and get a gallery of photos and videos. Dropl hosts the media, so your media library stays small and video never streams from your WordPress server.
<div data-dropl-showcase="k3p9vlm2"></div>
<script src="https://www.dropl.io/embed/showcase.js" async></script>The usual way
Galleries are where WordPress sites get heavy.
A client wants photos and a few videos on one page. Here's what that usually turns into.
The Gallery block is photos only
The core Gallery block holds images. Videos need their own Video blocks, so a mixed gallery means a plugin or a page of separate blocks.
Big files land on your hosting
Uploaded videos and full-size photos sit in the media library and play from your server. Storage, backups, and page weight all grow with them.
Every update comes back to you
New photos arrive by email and you log in to wp-admin to swap them. Or you hand the client an admin login and hope the layout survives.
What you get
A gallery you paste in, not a plugin you maintain.
The embed is a few lines of HTML. Everything else lives in Dropl.
Nothing to install
No plugin to update, configure, or test against the next WordPress or theme release. Paste the embed and publish.
Photos and videos in one gallery
Mix photos and videos in a grid or collage. Add category filter tabs, drag to reorder, and let visitors open items in a lightbox.
A lean media library
Files live on Dropl, not in your uploads folder or database. Videos stream from Dropl with adaptive quality, not from your WordPress host.
Light on page speed
Photos are resized for each screen and lazy loaded. Each tile keeps its shape while it loads, and the player downloads no video until someone presses play.
Clients update it from their phone
Invite the client to a simple portal that shows only their own site. New photos show up on the page without anyone opening WordPress.
Portfolio pages included
The Projects layout turns a gallery into a portfolio, with a card and a page for each project right inside the embed.
Setup
Add the gallery in four steps.
Works in the block editor, a classic theme widget, or your page builder's HTML element.
- 1
Create a showcase in Dropl
Upload photos, add videos from the client's library, and pick a grid or collage layout.
- 2
Copy the embed code
In the showcase, find Embed on a website and click Copy embed code.
- 3
Add a Custom HTML block
In the block editor, type /html in a new paragraph and paste the code. In Elementor, use the HTML widget. In Divi, use the Code module.
- 4
Publish
The gallery appears on the page. Changes you or your client make in Dropl show up automatically, with no edit in WordPress.
On self-hosted WordPress, only users who can post unfiltered HTML (Administrators and Editors on a single site, Super Admins on Multisite) can save script tags. On WordPress.com, script tags in a Custom HTML block need a paid plan with hosting features activated.
<div data-dropl-showcase="k3p9vlm2"></div>
<script src="https://www.dropl.io/embed/showcase.js" async></script><div data-dropl-video="YOUR_VIDEO_ID"></div>
<script src="https://www.dropl.io/embed/player.js" async></script>FAQ
Frequently asked questions
How do I add a gallery to WordPress without a plugin?
Create a showcase in Dropl, copy its embed code, and paste it into a Custom HTML block on the page (type /html in the block editor to add one). Publish, and the gallery shows up. Dropl hosts the photos and videos, so nothing is added to your WordPress media library.
Can I mix photos and videos in one WordPress gallery?
Yes. A showcase can hold photos and videos together, in a grid or collage, with optional category filter tabs. The core WordPress Gallery block only holds images, which is why mixed galleries usually need a plugin.
Will an embedded gallery slow down my WordPress site?
The embed script loads asynchronously, so it doesn't hold up the rest of the page. Photos are resized for each screen and lazy loaded, and videos load nothing until someone presses play, then stream with adaptive quality from Dropl instead of your hosting.
Does it work with Elementor, Divi, and the block editor?
Yes. The embed is plain HTML plus a script tag. Use a Custom HTML block in the block editor, the HTML widget in Elementor, or the Code module in Divi. Any theme or builder element that accepts HTML with a script tag works.
Does it work on WordPress.com?
Yes, on a paid plan with hosting features activated. WordPress.com removes script tags from Custom HTML blocks on other plans, and the gallery needs its script tag to load.
Can my client update the gallery without logging in to WordPress?
Yes. Invite them to the client site in Dropl. They upload from their phone, reorder, and add to categories in a portal that only shows their own site, and the page updates on its own.
How much does it cost?
$15/month flat for unlimited client sites and team members, with 100 GB storage and 500 GB monthly delivery, pooled across every client site. Need more room? Add capacity packs: +100 GB storage and +500 GB delivery for $10/month per capacity pack. It starts with a 14-day free trial, no credit card required.
Keep reading
More guides and comparisons
- Webflow video hostingAd-free video and galleries with photos and video for Webflow. Paste one Code Embed, let clients upload from their phone, and skip reopening the Designer.
- Framer video and galleriesAdaptive, ad-free video and photo galleries for Framer sites. Paste one Embed, build portfolios with a page per project, and let clients add their own media.
- Next.js video hostingHost client videos and photo galleries outside your Next.js repo. Embed them with a small component that works with the App Router and client-side navigation.
- Vimeo alternativeA Vimeo alternative for web designers and agencies: one flat plan, unlimited client sites and team members, an ad-free branded player, and photo showcases.
- Wistia alternativeA flat-priced Wistia alternative for agencies: unlimited videos, client sites, and team members on one plan, with an ad-free player and no per-user fees.
- Elfsight alternativeHosted photo and video galleries for client websites. One flat plan for unlimited sites, no per-widget view caps, and clients update media themselves.
Keep WordPress. Skip the gallery plugin.
Create a showcase, paste it into a Custom HTML block, and let your client keep it fresh.