Love them or hate them, popups are still one of the most effective ways to grab your visitors‘ attention and convert more of your website traffic. When used strategically, popups can help you rapidly grow your email list, promote special offers, improve navigation, and much more.
But to unlock the power of popups, you need the right tool for the job. The best WordPress popup plugins give you full control over what your popups look like, how they behave, and when they appear.
To help you find the perfect popup solution for your website, we tested and reviewed the top 10 WordPress popup plugins for 2024. Whether you‘re looking for advanced targeting options, beautiful design templates, or something simple and free, you‘ll find the ideal plugin on this list.
Let‘s dive in!
1. OptinMonster
OptinMonster is the most powerful popup plugin on the market, hands down. Although it‘s technically a standalone SaaS product, OptinMonster seamlessly integrates with WordPress via a dedicated plugin.
What really sets OptinMonster apart is its unmatched targeting and triggering options. You can display popups based on a dizzying array of conditions, including:
- Time on page/site
- Scroll depth
- Geographic location
- Previous visits and interactions
- Device and browser used
- Referral source
- And much more
This allows you to show the right message to the right person at the exact right time for maximum conversions. For example, you could show a special discount offer to a first-time mobile visitor from New York who landed on a specific product page. The possibilities are endless.
Other standout features include an intuitive drag-and-drop builder, 100+ pre-built templates, built-in A/B testing and analytics, easy integration with all popular email marketing services, and stellar customer support.
The only real downside is the monthly subscription pricing, which starts at $9/month for basic features and up to $49/month for the Pro plan. But given the quality of the product and potential conversion gains, it‘s well worth the investment for serious marketers.
2. Thrive Leads
Thrive Leads is another top contender for the all-around best WordPress popup plugin. With a one-time fee starting at $99, it‘s a great value compared to SaaS options.
Like OptinMonster, Thrive Leads offers an intuitive visual builder and a good selection of templates. The drag-and-drop editor feels very similar to the popular Thrive Architect page builder, so the learning curve is minimal.
Where Thrive Leads really shines is its focus on conversions. It comes with a powerful A/B testing engine that lets you split test different popup variations to optimize your results over time. The advanced reporting shows you actionable data on your top-converting forms, pages, and posts.
Other handy features include SmartLinks, which let you show different offers to existing subscribers, and built-in asset delivery for sending lead magnets.
The main thing Thrive Leads lacks compared to OptinMonster is some of the more advanced targeting rules based on things like geolocation, device, etc. But it still covers all the essentials like time on page, scroll depth, and exit intent.
Overall, Thrive Leads is an excellent all-in-one list building solution, especially if you‘re already using other Thrive Suite products. Just be aware that renewal prices do increase significantly after the first year.
3. Convert Pro
Convert Pro is a robust WordPress popup plugin that really excels in terms of design flexibility and targeting options.
With the drag-and-drop editor, you can build almost any type of popup imaginable, including modals, slide-ins, floating bars, fullscreen mats, and more. It also comes with 100+ beautifully designed templates to give you a head start.
In addition to the basics like timed triggers and scroll-based triggers, Convert Pro offers advanced targeting based on geolocation, referral source, cookie retargeting, AdBlock usage, and more. You can even set up IF/THEN conditional logic to show different popups based on how visitors interact with previous popups.
Another big plus is the built-in A/B testing, analytics, and goal tracking features to monitor and improve your results. All the popups are fully responsive and GDPR compliant out of the box as well.
Convert Pro is also one of the more affordable options, with lifetime licenses starting at $99. The only minor quibble is that the interface can feel a bit cluttered and overwhelming compared to other tools. But overall, it‘s a powerful option, especially if you want lots of granular control over targeting.
4. Elementor Pro
If you‘re already using Elementor to build your WordPress site, Elementor Pro is worth a look for its Popup Builder feature.
Since it‘s built on the familiar Elementor interface, the learning curve is virtually non-existent. You get access to all the same design options, widgets, and templates that make Elementor so powerful for building pages.
This means you have complete freedom to build any type of popup you can imagine. You‘re not limited to simple email opt-in forms – you can include videos, countdown timers, login forms, or anything else.
Elementor Pro includes all the standard triggering and targeting options you‘d expect, like time delays and scroll depth. It also lets you target by device type, logged-in status, and geolocation.
The biggest drawback is the lack of conversion optimization features. There‘s no built-in A/B testing or advanced analytics like you get with other premium popup plugins.
But if design flexibility is your top priority, Elementor Pro is hard to beat. Pricing starts at $49/year for one site license, which is pretty reasonable considering it also includes the theme builder, form builder, and other features.
5. Bloom
Bloom is an email opt-in plugin from the renowned Elegant Themes. It may not be as feature-rich as other premium options, but it offers a great balance of design, performance, and ease of use.
One of Bloom‘s biggest selling points is its speed and lightweight code base. It‘s built with performance in mind, so you don‘t have to worry about slowing down your site with bloated popups.
It includes over 100 attractive pre-made templates that you can customize using the visual editor. You can choose from different popup positions, trigger events, and animations to grab attention.
Bloom also offers some unique display settings like the ability to load popups on a set schedule (daily, weekly, monthly) or after a visitor comments on a post.
However, it is missing some more advanced features you‘ll find in other plugins, like A/B testing and granular targeting rules. The design customization options are also somewhat limited compared to visual builders like Elementor or Thrive Leads.
But if you want something that‘s simple, reliable, and gets the job done, Bloom is definitely worth considering. Pricing starts at $89/year, which includes access to all Elegant Themes products.
6. Popup Maker
Popup Maker is the most popular free popup plugin at WordPress.org, with over 600,000 active installations. While it‘s not as turnkey as some premium solutions, it‘s incredibly flexible if you don‘t mind getting your hands dirty.
With Popup Maker, you build your popups using a visual editor similar to the Classic WordPress editor. You can add any type of content you want, including forms, images, buttons, and more.
There are no design templates included, so you‘ll need some CSS chops to style everything from scratch. But you have full control over the look and feel of your popups, which is ideal for advanced users.
The free version includes basic triggers like time delays and click-based triggers. With the premium extensions, you can add more advanced triggering and targeting rules as well as integration with popular email marketing services.
One nice bonus is the built-in support for GDPR compliance, which lets you add checkboxes to your opt-in forms and disable cookies by default.
The downside is that it can take a lot of time and effort to build nice-looking, high-converting popups with Popup Maker compared to other more user-friendly options. But if you want something free and flexible, it‘s a great choice.
7. OptinMonster
Yes, OptinMonster is so good we‘re listing it twice! In addition to the powerful features we already mentioned, it‘s worth highlighting a few other aspects that make OptinMonster the ultimate popup plugin for marketers.
First, the template library is top-notch, with over 75 pre-built designs for every type of campaign imaginable (email opt-ins, coupon codes, announcement banners, etc). The templates are all fully responsive and look great out of the box.
Second, OptinMonster is constantly innovating and adding new features based on the latest conversion best practices. For example, they recently introduced gamified spin-a-wheel opt-ins and a ChatBot feature to engage visitors.
Finally, the support and educational resources are unparalleled, with extensive documentation and hands-on guidance to help you get the most out of the tool.
If you‘re serious about growing your business with popups, OptinMonster is the cream of the crop. Just be prepared to invest a bit more compared to one-time fee plugins.
8. Hustle
Hustle is a freemium popup plugin from the WPMU DEV team. It offers a clean, modern design interface for building email opt-ins, informational popups, and slide-in messages.
One standout feature is the Adblock detector, which lets you recover lost impressions by showing alternative content to visitors using ad blockers.
The free version includes basic design customization options as well as entry-level triggers and targeting rules. Upgrading to Hustle Pro unlocks more advanced targeting, scheduling, and form builder options.
Hustle also includes some handy performance features like the ability to lazy load popups and enable server-side caching for improved speed.
Design-wise, Hustle has a decent selection of templates, but they‘re not quite as extensive or customizable as other premium options. The form builder is also a bit limited in terms of field options and layout flexibility.
However, Hustle is still a solid option if you want an affordable, user-friendly popup plugin with a generous free tier. Pro plans start at just $10/month, which includes access to all WPMU DEV plugins.
9. Layered Popups
Layered Popups is another well-rated free popup plugin worth considering. It lets you build a variety of popups, including email opt-ins, login forms, contact forms, polls, and more.
The drag-and-drop editor is fairly intuitive, with options to customize the size, position, colors, and content of your popups. You can save your designs as reusable templates to speed up future campaigns.
Layered Popups offers all the standard trigger options like timed delays, scroll depth, and exit intent. It also supports more unique triggers like idle time, inactivity, and after purchasing.
The advanced targeting rules are quite robust for a free plugin, with options to target by URL, device, user role, geolocation, and more. However, some of the settings can be a bit confusing or convoluted compared to more polished solutions.
While the free version is pretty powerful on its own, there are also affordable premium extensions for A/B testing, advanced analytics, and more.
Overall, if you‘re looking for a free popup plugin with a solid feature set and don‘t mind a bit of a learning curve, Layered Popups is definitely worth a try.
10. Ninja Popups
Rounding out our list is Ninja Popups, a versatile WordPress popup plugin with a unique focus on lead generation and viral marketing.
With Ninja Popups, you can create email opt-ins, social share prompts, coupon code alerts, and other campaigns designed to drive conversions. It integrates with tons of email and e-commerce platforms out of the box.
The drag-and-drop builder is fairly easy to use and comes with 65+ premade templates to get you started. You can also customize the look and feel with extensive theme and animation options.
In terms of triggers, Ninja Popups supports timed delays, scroll-based triggers, exit intent, and more. It also lets you display popups based on specific user interactions like clicking a link or submitting a form.
The coolest feature is the social sharing locker, which allows you to offer coupon codes or exclusive content in exchange for social shares. This is a great way to grow your reach and generate powerful word-of-mouth marketing.
Pricing is also pretty reasonable, with a regular license costing $26. While it may not be as feature-rich or performance-optimized as some other premium tools, Ninja Popups offers great value for the price.
Which is the Best WordPress Popup Plugin for You?
With so many great options, which WordPress popup plugin should you choose? Here are some recommendations based on different scenarios:
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If you want the absolute best in terms of features and conversion power, go with OptinMonster. It‘s the industry leader for a reason.
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If you‘re looking for a solid all-around solution on a budget, Thrive Leads offers amazing value for the price.
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If you want complete control over the design and layout of your popups, Elementor Pro can‘t be beat.
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If you need a simple, lightweight solution that won‘t slow down your site, Bloom is an excellent choice.
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If you want a flexible free plugin that you can extend with premium add-ons, try Popup Maker or Layered Popups.
At the end of the day, the right popup plugin depends on your specific needs and priorities. Consider your budget, technical skills, design requirements, and conversion goals to make the best choice.
Whichever plugin you choose, remember that popups are just one piece of an effective conversion strategy. Always prioritize user experience over aggressive tactics. Use advanced targeting rules to show relevant offers to the right audience. And continually test and optimize your campaigns for the best results.
With the right WordPress popup plugin in your toolbox, you‘ll be well on your way to exponential list growth and better conversions across your entire site. Happy popup building!
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links, meaning we may receive a commission if you purchase one of the plugins mentioned. However, we only recommend products that we personally use and believe will add value to our readers.
