FAIR

Federated and Independent Repositories

SmartParallax – Parallax Scroll Effects & Scroll Animations

Plugin Banner

SmartParallax – Parallax Scroll Effects & Scroll Animations

by smartparallax

Download
Description

SmartParallax is a wordpress parallax plugin that adds true scroll-linked parallax scroll effects to WordPress — built for performance, not gimmicks.

Unlike many animation plugins, SmartParallax does not run time-based animations.
All motion is directly tied to the user’s scroll position.
If the user doesn’t scroll, nothing moves.

This approach results in excellent performance, smooth motion and stable Core Web Vitals — even on mobile devices.

You don’t write JavaScript.
You don’t configure timelines.
You simply add a CSS class to a block, image or section — and the parallax scroll effect works instantly.

SmartParallax uses a small, dependency-free JavaScript animation engine and GPU-accelerated transforms.
There is no jQuery, no frameworks and no heavy animation libraries involved.

Apply parallax scrolling to individual images, entire blocks, or full-width sections — including parallax-section-backgrounds and background effects — all with a single CSS class.
It’s a simple way to add a website effect that responds to scroll position, without touching a line of JavaScript.

The plugin works out of the box with:
Gutenberg (Block Editor), Full Site Editing (FSE), Elementor (scroll effects & parallax), Bricks, Divi, Oxygen, WPBakery and most modern WordPress themes.

Perfect for:

  • Parallax scroll sections
  • Scroll animations in Elementor
  • Gutenberg scroll effects
  • Background parallax images
  • Lightweight animation on scroll
  • Scroll-linked image animations
  • Motion effects on any block or section
  • Scroll effects in Oxygen Editor
  • Scroll effects in Bricks
  • Page animations without writing any code
  • Website animations tied to scroll position
  • CSS effects applied with a single class name
  • Gutenberg animations for blocks and sections
  • Page effects triggered by scroll position
  • Center-scroll effects that stop movement at the middle of the viewport
  • Image scroll effects for photos and background images

Live demo: See all free effects in action.
https://smartparallax.com/wordpress-parallax-plugin-demo/

Why SmartParallax

SmartParallax is built for developers and designers who want clean, scroll-driven motion without sacrificing performance or Core Web Vitals.

It’s especially popular for gutenberg parallax effects, since no extra plugin or builder is required.
As a lightweight animation wordpress solution, it adds motion without slowing down your site.

  • True scroll-linked motion (no time-based animations)
  • No JavaScript configuration required
  • Extremely lightweight (only a few KB)
  • No jQuery, no frameworks, no dependencies
  • Optimized for mobile devices
  • Designed to preserve Core Web Vitals and PageSpeed scores

Available Classes

Class
Description

.parallax-image
Moves only the background image

.parallax-container
Moves the entire block or section

.parallax-x
Enables horizontal movement

.parallax-01 … 10
Controls movement strength

.parallax--01 … 10
Inverted movement direction

.parallax-[…]-s
Stops movement at the center of the viewport

Examples:
* .parallax-02 – subtle depth
* .parallax-05 – stronger parallax

License

SmartParallax is open-source software licensed under the GPLv2 or later.

  1. Install the plugin via Plugins Add New
    or upload it to /wp-content/plugins/smart-parallax/.
  2. Activate SmartParallax.
  3. Add one of the provided CSS classes to any block or section.

That’s it.

  1. Admin info page — how to use SmartParallax, with Live Mode option

    Admin info page — how to use SmartParallax, with Live Mode option

  2. Scroll-linked parallax background

    Scroll-linked parallax background

  3. Horizontal parallax movement

    Horizontal parallax movement

  4. Section and layout parallax

    Section and layout parallax

  5. Stop-sensitive motion (<code>-s</code> modifier)

    Stop-sensitive motion (-s modifier)

Will SmartParallax slow down my website?

No. SmartParallax is built for performance and only reacts to user scroll input.

Do I need to write code?

No. You only add CSS classes in the editor.

Is the animation time-based?

No. All effects are scroll-linked and follow the user’s scroll position.

Does it work with the WordPress Site Editor (FSE)?

Yes. SmartParallax works with the Block Editor, Full Site Editing themes and all major page builders including Elementor.

Stabile Performance trotz vieler Scroll-Animationen

By backwerk47 on February 7, 2026

Ich nutze SmartParallax auf meiner Website, auf der mehrere Scroll- und Parallax-Animationen eingesetzt werden.

Besonders positiv ist, dass die Seite trotz der vielen Animationen sehr stabil bleibt, vor allem auf mobilen Geräten. Das Scrollen fühlt sich flüssig an und das Layout bleibt ruhig, ohne sichtbare Verschiebungen.

Die Nutzung ist angenehm unkompliziert. Es sind keine Einstellungen oder Konfigurationsschritte nötig – die Effekte funktionieren direkt über CSS-Klassen.

Für mich eine leichte und zuverlässige Lösung, um moderne Scroll-Effekte einzusetzen, ohne Performance- oder Usability-Probleme zu bekommen.

Lightweight, fast and works perfectly

By dersteffinger on December 13, 2025

This plugin is extremely easy to use and delivers smooth, GPU-optimized parallax effects without any setup. Works flawlessly with my client’s website and performs better than many premium alternatives. Highly recommended!

Lightweight, fast and easy to use – great parallax plugin

By aurazentrum on December 8, 2025

I’ve tested SmartParallax on a client website and the results are excellent. The plugin adds smooth parallax backgrounds and scroll effects without slowing down the page. Setup is very simple – adding the CSS classes is enough to get everything working.

What I appreciate most is that the engine is lightweight and GPU-accelerated, so the scrolling stays smooth even with larger background images. It also worked well with the theme and builder used on the project.

A solid plugin that does exactly what it promises.

1.2.2

  • Removed: Anonymous usage tracking and related opt-in notice, settings option and privacy section have been completely removed
  • Confirmed: Tested with WordPress 7.2

1.2.1

  • Fixed: SP Live button now correctly avoids overlapping debug bars or fixed overlays loaded via JavaScript
  • Improved: Admin info page — modernized layout with live parallax demos

1.2.0

  • Added: Live Mode – assign parallax classes visually in the frontend without touching any code or editor
  • Added: Click any element on your live site, enter classes one by one, and see the parallax effect immediately while scrolling
  • Added: Adjust speed and direction in real time – save only when satisfied, effect is applied for all visitors permanently
  • Added: Works with any theme or page builder (Elementor, Divi, Gutenberg, Beaver Builder, etc.)
  • Added: Admin setting to enable / disable Live Mode (Settings page)
  • Confirmed: Tested with WordPress 7.0.1

1.1.0

  • Confirmed compatibility with WordPress 7.0.
  • Added full internationalization (i18n) support — plugin is now available in English and German.

1.0.9

  • Fixed review notice behavior.
  • Added secure dismissal and reminder system.
  • Review notice now appears 7 days after activation with optional 14 day reminder.

1.0.8

  • Added fully transparent, opt-in based anonymous usage tracking.
  • Added privacy information section.
  • Added uninstall cleanup routine for complete reset on plugin removal.

1.0.7

  • Improved Safari compatibility for edge-case JavaScript parsing.

1.0.6

  • Improved readme clarity and focus on performance and usability.

1.0.5

  • Updated demo references and wording.

1.0.4

  • Improved script initialization.

1.0.3

  • Confirmed compatibility with WordPress 6.9.

1.0.2

  • Included all unminified CSS and JS files for WordPress.org compliance.

1.0.1

  • Fixed text domain to match plugin slug.

1.0.0

  • Initial release.
Back to top