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9 Best WordPress Popup Plugins of 2021 (Expert Comparison)

8 Best WordPress Popup Plugins of 2024 (Expert Comparison) 

Written By: author image Stacey Corrin
author image Stacey Corrin
Stacey has been writing about WordPress and digital marketing for over 10 years and on other topics for much longer. Alongside this, she's fascinated with web design, user experience, and SEO.
     Reviewed By: Turner John
reviewer image Turner John
John Turner is the co-founder of SeedProd. He has over 20+ years of business and development experience and his plugins have been downloaded over 25 million times.

Are you looking for the best WordPress popup plugins for your website? Is one of your key goals to turn site website visitors into loyal subscribers or paying customers?

WordPress popup plugins are an excellent way to drive more eCommerce sales and newsletter signups for your small business. Why? Because they grab people’s attention, encourage them to take action, and improve user experience.

This article will explore the best WordPress popup plugins on the market. Our expert comparison covers what you should look for in the best lightbox popup makers for WordPress.

Table of Contents

Why Do You Need a WordPress Popup Plugin?

You might wonder why you even need a popup plugin for your WordPress website. The truth is that WordPress popup plugins do a lot more than capture email opt-ins from your visitors.

Quality popup makers have advanced targeting features and functionality to target a specific audience. They also integrate with the most popular email marketing services like Mailchimp to build your subscriber list and optimize your marketing.

And, speaking of email marketing providers, some still don’t have a method of adding popups to your website. So, to have this feature, you’d need a WordPress popup plugin anyway.

Still not convinced? The following businesses got great results using WordPress popup plugins:

Lastly, most generic forms are unattractive and lack customization options. The best popup plugins provide pre-built templates and ways to personalize your forms with elements like social media buttons, trigger options, time delay, etc.

Best WordPress Popup Plugins

Now that you know what to look for in a top popup plugin, let’s dive in and look at the best popup makers for WordPress in more detail.

If you’re in a hurry, you can see a quick summary of our findings here:

NameFeaturesProsConsPricing
OptinMonsterExit-Intent® technology
page-level targeting
analytics tracking
Easy to use
multiple campaign types
advanced targeting
No free version$9 – $49/m
Thrive LeadsA/B testing
advanced analytics
Drag-and-drop design
one-time payment
Steep learning curve$99 – $299/y
TrustPulseReal-time tracking
“On Fire” notifications
smart targeting
Creates urgency
real-time tracking
flexible design
Limited sessions for base version$5 – $39/m
UserFeedbackBeginner-friendly
custom branding
device targeting
Free version available
enhanced notifications
Limited templates$49.50/y
HubSpotDrag-and-drop
advanced triggers
built-in CRM
Free
multiple popup types
built-in analytics
Mainly for lead generationFree
$45/m
BloomPre-built templates,
A/B split testing
Bundled with Elegant Themes
multiple campaign types
No visual customizer, basic targeting$89/y
$249 lifetime
Elementor ProPage builder
popup templates
flexibility
Many customizations
integrations
No split testing, no analytics$49/y
SumoPop-ups by source
pre-designed templates
Free
extra tools
Limited features, expensive to upgradeFree
$39/m

1. OptinMonster

Best Popup Plugin for WordPress

OptinMonster is the best WordPress popup plugin.

OptinMonster is the best WordPress email subscription popup plugin on the market. Its powerful lead generation software and SAAS are used by millions of site owners across the globe, making it the best-rated popup maker around.

With its signature Exit-Intent® technology, it helps you convert visitors about to abandon your site into paying customers and subscribers with the help of beautiful website popups.

OptinMonster also includes page-level targeting so that you can add different popup forms to other pages on your website. For example, you can create popups for your blog and different ones for your WooCommerce store.

Put simply; it’s the best website popup plugin on the market. We even use OptinMonster to power our popups here on SeedProd:

SeedProd OptinMonster popup example

Pros

  • Exit-Intent® – Convert visitors into leads and reduce cart abandonment with a targeted campaign using exit popups with exit-intent triggers, opt-in forms, subscription forms, and more.
  • Ease of use – The drag-and-drop popup builder plugin is easy for beginners and has many ways to customize your design.
  • Popup templates – Choose professional pre-built templates and popup themes with no coding needed, with the help of inline boxes, overlays, and more, or start from scratch.
  • MonsterEffects™️ – Over 26 attention-grabbing sound effects and animations to customize your popup.
  • Campaign types – Choose from many campaign types, including full-screen welcome mats, WordPress floating popups, countdown timers, in-line, scrolling, and sidebar forms.
  • Spin to win – Use a discount wheel popup to increase conversions.
  • Advanced targeting – Use page-level targeting and advanced display rules like geolocation geo-targeting, referrer detection, Adblock detection, etc.
  • Multi-site use – OptinMonster lets you use one account for multiple websites.
  • Analytics tracking – Use analytics tracking to create goals in Google Analytics.
  • Customer support – Gain access to fantastic customer support and live chat from an expert support team who are always happy to help.
  • Seamless integration – Integrates with popular marketing service providers like AWeber, Constant Contact, and more.
  • Customization – You can easily connect any popup to HTML forms by pasting your custom code and personalizing them using your own CSS. In addition, it includes SEO support to help you rank in search engines.

Cons

  • No free version – OptinMonster doesn’t offer a free version. But, with the wide array of features included, it’s worth considering as an option. It includes a super-handy free WordPress plugin to easily add your popups to WordPress.

For more details, check out our OptinMonster review here.

Pricing: The price of OptinMonster ranges from $9 – $49 per month (billed annually).

Pro Tip: OptinMonster’s popup pages for WordPress use a stunning lightbox effect. Learn more about WordPress lightbox plugins here.

2. Thrive Leads

WordPress Popover Plugin

Thrive Leads popup builder for WordPress homepage

Thrive Leads is another popular WordPress popup form plugin that lets you create professional newsletter popups in WordPress. This plugin is by Thrive Themes and specializes in conversion-focused WordPress themes.

Thrive Leads removes the need for multiple plugins, claiming to be the all-in-one solution for generating leads. And, it works seamlessly with other Thrive products, should you use them.

Pros

  • One-time payment – You can buy Thrive Leads with a single payment, removing the need for a recurring subscription.
  • A/B testing – Use split testing to compare popup types and decide which converts better for your visitors.
  • Advanced analytics – Get detailed information about your list-building efforts, conversion rates, and form analytics.
  • Drag-and-drop design – Design your pop-ups with a drag-and-drop builder plugin removing the need to code.

Cons

  • Speed – Thrive Leads is a bulky plugin, and with a plugin of this size, it could impact your site speed.
  • Ease of use – There’s a steep learning curve to using Thrive Leads, making it tricky for beginners to get to grips with them straight away.

Pricing: The price of Thrive Leads ranges from $99 – $299 per year.

3. TrustPulse

WordPress Popup Notification Plugin

TrustPulse best WordPress popup plugin with social proof

TrustPulse is the most powerful social proof app on the market, so we’ve included it on our list. Recent sales popup notifications are all the rage because they’re a wildly effective way of increasing revenue through sales.

Social proof popups like TrustPulse, help increase trust in your site. Visitors can see proof of other people buying products in real-time through smart notifications. It generates the fear of missing out (FOMO) in people who haven’t taken action yet.

Pros

  • Creates urgency – Generate FOMO by creating a sense of urgency with a timely WordPress popup message.
  • Real-time tracking – Show a live stream of action on your website, including email signups, purchases, and more, in a discreet popup notification.
  • “On Fire” notifications – Show how many people are taking action in a given period which is great for FOMO.
  • Smart targeting – Show social proof notifications to the right people at the right time with advanced targeting and timing rules.
  • Flexible design – Create customized and attractive pop-ups designed to convert with this popup builder.
  • Multiple platform support – Use on popular platforms like WordPress, Shopify, Drupal, Squarespace, etc.

Cons

  • Limited sessions for the base version – The base version of TrustPulse is limited to 2,500 sessions per month. Increasing this limit and getting access to advanced features is affordable.

Pricing: The price of TrustPulse ranges from $5 – to $39 per month.

For even more details, take a look at our TrustPulse review.

4. UserFeedback

Survey Popup Plugin

UserFeedback popup survey plugin

UserFeedback is another WordPress popup plugin you’ll find super helpful. It lets you add user-friendly popup survey forms to your WordPress site so you can learn exactly what your visitors think and make informed improvements to your business.

Its setup wizard is perfect for getting started in just a few minutes. Plus, it offers several pre-made templates for collecting different feedback types. Additionally, you won’t need to mess with custom tags or configurations. You can embed UserFeedback with a shortcode or use easy targeting rules to customize when and where your survey appears.

Pros

  • Beginner-friendly – User-friendly interface with no coding required.
  • Free – You can get started with the free version of the UserFeedback plugin.
  • Custom branding – Customize your popup survey with your logo and custom styling.
  • Enhanced notifications – Use conditional logic to send feedback to specific users.
  • Device targeting – Launch surveys on specific devices.
  • Scheduling – Schedule surveys to appear on your site at specific times.

Cons

  • Templates – Not as many templates as a form builder like WPForms.

Pricing: The pricing for UserFeedback starts from $49.50 per year. However, there is a free version that you can try.

5. HubSpot

All-in-One WordPress Popup Builder

hubspot wordpress plugin

The free WordPress popup plugin from HubSpot WordPress plugin comes with a drag-and-drop popup builder and HubSpot’s CRM and other marketing features without leaving your WordPress dashboard.

You can choose from different popups and use advanced targeting and trigger rules to control where and when your popups display. Because it works on top of the free HubSpot CRM, it will automatically save all the leads from your popups to the CRM.

Pros

  • Ease of use – The drag-and-drop builder is easy to use; you don’t need any technical knowledge to create popups.
  • Free – HubSpot lets you build your popups for free.
  • Flexible targeting rules – Use page-level targeting and user details and behavior, such as device type.
  • Advanced trigger rules – Access flexible trigger rules, including time on page, scroll depth, and exit intent.
  • Multiple popup types – Choose from popup types like modal popups, drop-down banners, slide-in boxes, and more.
  • Built-in CRM – Automatically save your leads’ details to the free HubSpot CRM for safekeeping.
  • Email marketing – HubSpot includes its own email marketing solution, which eliminates the need to integrate your popup plugin with a third-party email marketing service.
  • Built-in analytics – HubSpot will show you each popup’s impressions and conversion rates.

Cons

  • Mainly for lead generation – HubSpot is mostly focused on helping you generate leads, so it might not be the optimal solution for other types of popups.

Pricing: The HubSpot WordPress plugin and popup builder are both free. If you want to access more marketing features, paid plans start at $45 per month.

6. Bloom

Responsive WordPress Popup Plugin

Bloom popup plugin for WordPress homepage

Bloom is a responsive popup WordPress plugin made by Elegant Themes. If you’re already a customer of Elegant Themes, you won’t need to buy the popup creator plugin separately, as it’s bundled with your yearly subscription.

Bloom allows you to build a WordPress popup box right from your WordPress dashboard. As a result, you won’t need to switch to a different site to configure your plugin. Plus, it works seamlessly with their popular WordPress themes.

Pros

  • Pre-built templates – Choose from 100’s of stylish WordPress popup templates to save you from starting from scratch and use WordPress shortcodes.
  • Custom dashboard – Use a custom panel in your WordPress dashboard to view popup conversion rates, reports, and more.
  • A/B split testing – Compare different popup versions to decide which converts best.
  • Bundled with Elegant Themes – A cost-effective popup builder plugin approach if you’re considering using one of their themes, like Divi.
  • Multiple campaign types – choose one of 6 campaign types, including pop-ups, side popups that fly in, and WordPress popup widget opt-ins.

Cons

  • No visual customizer – You’ll need to click on the preview button to view the changes you make on your form.
  • Targeting – Bloom only offers basic targeting options.
  • Speed – Bloom isn’t speed-optimized, so it could slow down your WordPress website and impact users’ experience.

Pricing: The price of Bloom is $89 for one year or $249 for lifetime access.

7. Elementor Pro

Elementor Popup Builder

Elementor Pro popup builder

Elementor Pro is a well-known website builder and WordPress page builder plugin. Yet, what many people don’t realize is that it also works as a WordPress popover plugin when you use the Elementor Popup Builder feature.

So if you want a user-friendly visual builder with tons of design options, Elementor Pro’s WordPress popup maker is a good choice.

Pros

  • Page builder add-on: This is great if you already use Elementor to design your site.
  • Popup templates: Pre-built popup templates make it easy to get started quickly with the Elementor Popup Builder.
  • Flexibility: There are many customizations, fonts, colors, and design options for popup forms, login forms, etc.
  • Integrations: Connects to various email marketing services.

Cons

  • Split testing: There is no option to A/B split test your popups.
  • Analytics: Elementor Pro doesn’t include popup analytics.

Pricing: The pricing for Elementor Pro starts at $49 per year.

Related: Elementor vs. WPBakery vs. SeedProd: Which Is Best?

8. Sumo

Best Free WordPress Popup Plugin

Sumo: One of the best free WordPress popup plugins

Sumo hits the ground running as one of the best free popup maker available. It lets you build clean popups for your site with ease.

Sumo isn’t a one-trick pony, either. It offers several other features, including heatmaps, social sharing, etc. That said, it still deserves a spot on this list as a simple popup WordPress plugin.

Pros

  • Free – It doesn’t cost a thing to use limited features, which is great if you’re on a budget. But, the blue notification bar it displays on your site can be off-putting for visitors.
  • Pop-ups by traffic source – Sumo offers the ability to create pop-ups based on where your visitors come from and how they got to your site. This, however, is a paid option.
  • Pre-designed templates – Choose from several pre-made templates based on your specific goals. You’ll need to upgrade to use this option.
  • Extra tools – As mentioned above, Sumo comes with other tools to help your website, including scroll boxes, social sharing buttons, and more.

Cons

  • Features are limited – Sumo lacks important targeting features and more specialized options for its pop-ups.
  • Expensive to upgrade – The best features are bundled into its paid version, which is troublesome for limited budgets.
  • Traffic limits – Sumo’s pricing model charges more if you have more traffic, limiting some people.
  • Expensive – The best features are included in the premium version. If you’re looking for an inexpensive solution with lots of features, Sumo might not be the one for you.

Pricing: The Price of Sumo ranges from free – to $39 per month (billed annually).

Alternative: Ninja Popups and Icegram are also suitable solutions.

How to Choose The Best WordPress Popup Plugin

When figuring out which WordPress popup plugin to use, look for solutions with the following features:

  • Easy to use and intuitive interface.
  • Drag and drop popup builders to make designing simple.
  • A wide array of pre-built popup templates.
  • Customizable triggers like exit-intent and on-click to launch your popup when visitors take action.
  • Easy integration with your favorite email newsletter service to build your list.
  • Excellent customer support that will help you out when you need it.

Before making your choice on the best popup for WordPress, it’s essential to consider the pitfalls of using popup forms on your site. While they’re excellent for converting site visitors, they can also irritate them.

Poorly executed triggers can leave visitors closing popups on every page they visit. And, you don’t want to show popups to visitors if they’ve already signed up.

The best exit-intent popup plugins for WordPress track your visitor’s movements and trigger only when they’re about to leave. In addition, quality popups have conditions that prevent them from displaying if a visitor’s already closed them.

Avoid disgruntled visitors by choosing a WordPress popup plugin that looks great, has many features, and controls how your popups display.

What Is the Best WordPress Popup Plugin?

If you haven’t decided which is the best popup plugin for WordPress, then OptinMonster would get our vote.

Considering how many features you get for such a wallet-friendly price, it makes sense. It’s also the best exit-intent popup plugin for WordPress sites by a mile, which means no more visitors abandoning your site without the opportunity to take action.

If you can’t afford to shell out for a popup plugin, we’d suggest giving TrustPulse a try. It has all the basic features you need in a popup plugin and won’t cost a dime.

WordPress Popup Plugin Frequently Asked Questions

What Is a WordPress Popup Plugin?
A popup plugin for WordPress is a website add-on that lets you show a small window over a webpage when users are browsing. In most cases, it will include a special offer, important information, or ask visitors to sign up for a mailing list.

Many websites use popup campaigns to harness the fear of missing out (FOMO) and incentivize visitors to join an email list, fill in a contact form or buy products and services from specific pages using a strong call-to-action (CTA).
How Do You Use Popup Plugins in WordPress?
Using a popup plugin on your WordPress website is as simple as installing it and activating it. For help, you can check out this guide on how to install WordPress plugins.

Every popup plugin in this post is here because it’s easy to set up and has plenty of documentation to make the process effortless. As a result, you can get up and running much faster.
Can I use multiple popup plugins on my WordPress site?
While it’s technically possible to use multiple popup plugins, doing so can lead to conflicts, slow down your site’s performance, and create a cluttered user experience. It’s best to choose a single, versatile popup plugin that meets all your needs.
Do popup plugins slow down my website’s loading time?
Some popup plugins can negatively impact your site’s loading time, especially if they use heavy scripts or large media files. To minimize the impact, choose a lightweight plugin optimized for speed and performance. You can also use caching plugins and image optimization techniques to reduce the load on your site.

Get Started with the Best WordPress Popup Plugins

We hope our comparison of the best WordPress popup plugins has helped you figure out the right choice for you. Now you can grow your email list and generate more sales with ease.

And to get you started, here’s how to create an exit-intent popup in WordPress.

And remember, if you liked this article, don’t forget to follow us on Twitter and like our Facebook Page to get more tips and tutorials like this.

author avatar
Stacey Corrin Writer
Stacey has been writing about WordPress and digital marketing for over 10 years and on other topics for much longer. Alongside this, she's fascinated with web design, user experience, and SEO.

Disclosure: Our content is reader-supported. This means if you click on some of our links, then we may earn a commission. We only recommend products that we believe will add value to our readers.