The word popup used to mean one thing: popup advertisement. We’re all familiar with those. Fortunately, annoying popup ads have largely disappeared — except on the crappiest of sites. Nowadays, a popup can refer to in-window JavaScript lightbox.
This new type of popup forces users to interact with it before they can return to the parent window. You may use this popup to show an announcement, video, login dialog box, or an email opt-in form.
Most people searching for “wordpress popup plugin” are looking for popup opt-in forms. If that’s what you’re looking for, then you’re on the right page. For content popups, like image and video gallery popups without email opt-in forms, check out WordPress lightbox plugins.
Compare the Best Three WordPress Popup Plugins
There are many useful popup plugins for WordPress — but the best three are compared here. To know why I picked these three, read about which features are important in popup plugins.
| Popup Domination |
Platinum Popup |
Action Popup |
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| Ease of use |  |
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| Autoresponder integration | |
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| Popup display triggers | |
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| Supported popup types |
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| Exclude posts and pages |  |
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| Flexibility of popup content | |
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| Stylability and special effects | |
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| Beautiful built-in templates | |
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| Live preview |  |
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| Unconditional refund period | 60 days | |
60 days |
| License restrictions | Unlimited installs | Unlimited installs | Unlimited installs |
| Price | $47 | $27 | $47 |
| Download here | Download here | Download here |
More Popup Plugins
While the three above will probably meet the needs of most people, it won’t hurt to check out what else is out there. You may find something you like better (sorted by order of recommendation):
MBP Subscribers Magnet is at the top of this list for a reason. It’s not just a popup plugin, it offers a lot of different features to help marketers build an email list — like slideup footer bar, sidebar opt-in form widget and more. When I reviewed it for this popup section, I only focused on its popup powers. You can read the review here >>
WordPress Popup Scheduler is the only completely free popup plugin. It is downloadable from WordPress.org. There are a few major disappointments in this plugin, but it can be a great choice if you don’t mind some of its limitations. Read the full review here >>
WP Super Popup this is a great, yet obscure, plugin. It has a rich set of features, like delayed popups, slideup footer opt-in bar, live preview, and more. Check out the full review here >>
OptinPop differentiates itself by offering the ability to split test popup content. It allows you to specify different popup versions to test which one converts best. Read the full review here >>
FasterIM Opt-In is built specifically for internet marketers. Because of its focused purpose, it is supposedly easy to set up. But you may find yourself having to tweak its HTML and CSS to get to work properly. Read the full review here >>
MBP Unblockable Popup is made by the same people who created the Subscribers Magnet, but this plugin only does popups. It has a free version and a paid version. The free version has an attribution link, while the paid version doesn’t. To learn about the features of this plugin, check out the full review here >>
The Pop Over has some interesting features like showing popups to search engine visitors only or show popup to traffic from a certain referring site only. But the plugin is limited in other respects. Check out the full review here >>
Digital Flow Popup is originally a popup script for standalone sites — not WordPress. But some features have been ported in the form of a WordPress plugin. Unfortunately, some stuff was broken along the way. It may still be useful for some marketers. Check out the full review here >>
Simple Popup doesn’t fall under the popup definition I mentioned earlier. This plugin will only display popups associated with links. When a visitor clicks on the link, the popup will show. That’s it. Check out the review here >>
Popup Best Practices
In deciding which popup plugins are best, I have considered some popup best practices and whether the plugins help marketers follow these best practices. These are the best practices I have considered in evaluating the plugins:
Display the popup at the right time — not the first time.
Readers need some time to trust you with their contact info. Do not blast them with your popup before you’ve gained their trust. Set your popup to delay for 60 seconds. Or set it to only display at the 3rd pageview. This gives them time to review your content.
Don’t nag.
When a visitor refuses to opt-in by clicking the close button or has already opted-in, do not keep showing the popup at every pageview. Make sure your popup plugin remembers who opted-in and who doesn’t want to opt-in. Honor your readers preferences.
Set your popup location and content strategically.
Some pages on your website will be talking about products and services. These pages are very relevant to your buyer-audience. Other pages on your site will be more heart-to-heart. These help you connect with your readers at a personal level. Which one of these two pages is suitable for a popup? You know the answer. So, make sure that you only show popups where appropriate. Not all pages on your site will benefit from popups.
Don’t look cheap.
If you’re going to force your readers to stop what they’re doing and look at your popup, at least put some effort in making the popup interesting and presentable. Don’t force your readers to stare at plain rectangular box with bright red, yellow, and blue dotted borders. This might induce a seizure in some cases.
Smart Alternative to Popups. And Popups Without Plugins
Smart alternative to popups
How about not using popups at all? Use a free slide-up opt-in form.
Popups Without Plugins
Did you know that you can show a popup on your website without using a WordPress plugin? Most email marketing service providers, such as GetResponse, provide their users with popup embed code. You simply paste that code in your website, and you’ll have yourself a popup. Get the details here.
Popup How-To’s
Finally, there are some common questions revolving around WordPress popups and popup plugins. Check them all out here:
Also I would like to recommend the LePopup plugin for WordPress – very useful for advertising purposes as well as the gallery, etc.. Although is for a small fee which is compensated with an high quality support and frequent updates.
You can found demo at this link http://goo.gl/y6Vgs or direct link http://goo.gl/7NnPu
I was searching for a free popup but with multiple popups. I found super popup interesting but the free version does not have multiple popups. By multiple I mean different popups for different pages as I wish. Is there any such free WP popup plugin? Thanks.
I’m not aware of any free popup plugin that allows different popups per page. Only paid ones have this feature.
You should give some screenshots… I’m looking to see what the popup looks like on my blog…
check out tab-slide as well at http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/tab-slide/
Did anyone else try Mow Pop? Its amazing! defiantly should make the top 3 list here as it easily crushes the ones in the top now. I belive the site is popup-plugin-software.com , but just google “mow pop” for information
Pop up plugins are very helpful in getting more email subscribers and to give some important informations regarding our blog.. Will be using one in my blog to increase the Subscribers.
very usefull content
Thank you for your post. I learned a lot and I have installed now the attention bar as a workpress plugin.
Hi MK,
I have a good question for you. My affiliate income for Pop Domination is almost gone. Do you have any such impact on your sales? Thanks.
Hmmm, not really. Sales of Popup Domination have been low and steady since the beginning for me. But it makes sense that if you promoted the plugin during its launch and the hype that followed, you would’ve seen more sales during that period than now. Additionally, there are many more worthy competitors than used to be, so some sales may be going to those competitors now.
You are right. May be that would be the reason. Thanks for your response. All the best!
The review on dpopup is not accurate. It matches the other solutions in many features and offers other unique features.
Also there are many inaccuracies in the dpopup review. I recommend anyone reading these reviews to look elsewhere until the author corrects inaccuracies or removes the inaccurate review.
Josh, “dpopup” is not reviewed on this page. You’re probably referring to Digital Flow Popup. You seem to be friends with the creator of that plugin. If he sent you, I recommend you research WordPress popup plugins more thoroughly before posting comments, so at least you know the names of the plugins.
I read your review and am very acquainted with the popup plugin… your review is inaccurate. I highly encourage you to properly test and review the product and represent the features accurately.
You have already acknowledged to Joe that your review is inaccurate and was of an older version of the software.
I invite you to update your review to accurately reflect both the features and the usability of the software or remove the link to that review which IS featured on that page.
I just don’t like affiliate sites posing as review sites with inaccurate reviews.
At the time of the review of Digital Flow Popup, it was of the most recent version. In fact, Joe himself sent it to me, which I appreciated. Joe was very nice and cooperative, but I want to recommend the best plugin to my readers, not the plugin made by the person who’s nicest to me.
Joe even offered me an affiliate commission for referrals, but I told him that this would not influence where the plugin is ranked. I still think Popup Domination, Platinum Popup, and Action Popup are the best three popup plugins for WordPress.
M.K.,
Actually, the correct name is not “Digital Flow Popup” either, as I have pointed out to you already. The name is “WordPress Popup Windows Plugin System”, and I look forward to your re-review,
Hi MK, if you are a customer of Action PopUp I suggest you check out the version I released last year… it has templates, you can exclude from pages and posts, and you can specify a different popup entirely depending on the category and even if the user is logged into your membership site or not.
Hi Robert, Thanks a lot for your comment and the information on the updated and improved Action PopUp plugin. I’ll make sure to reflect these new improvements soon when I update this page. Thanks again!
Hi
Any of these work with WordPress Multisite ? I have difficulties finding the right plugin
What about WPSubscribers? Do you think is better than Popup Domination?
Hi G.T.A., I’m unaware of WPSubscribers. Do you have a link to the plugin?
Never mind, I found it. I haven’t tested it — I’ll make sure to test it and add it above later on. Thanks!
Would like to make you aware of my plugin. Highly customizable, unobtrusive, works with most autoresponders, extremely easy to set up, images, call to action buttons, expands and contracts, match theme to your site, etc.
Thank you
Hi Peter, Thanks for including the WordPress Toolbar Plugin to this page. I like the ebook, product promo, and real estate demos that you have. I’ll mention the plugin in the main content above when I update it.
That would be great, thank you.
Great stuff…. where can I learn more and see examples of solid copy that should be included in my popup?
Good question, Tim. I think general copywriting skills apply to popup copy as well. I read Advertising Secrets by Joe Sugarman and learned a LOT from it.
Some members of the Copywriting section of the WarriorForum are helpful too. They can probably give you great ideas regarding this question!
Copy is important but on a popup I think it is more about the offer then the copy… Your copy can suck but if you spark a persons curiosity then you will get the opt-in- the only way they will opt-out is if you did not do what you said you was going to do or what you shard wasn’t worth they time. I would say focus on your offer rather then the ad copy.
~Willie