Pop-ups are beneficial for collecting leads. However, setting them up on your website can be a challenge, especially if you’re a new WordPress user.
You search for plugins to do the job, only to end up confused about which one to pick.
To clear up that confusion, we’ve created this comparison of five top contenders: OptinCraft, Popupkit, WowOptin, Popup Maker, and OptinMonster. This article will help you pick the right fit. Let’s begin.
TL;DR
- This article compares five WordPress pop-up plugins.
- OptinMonster is the most powerful, but is an expensive SaaS.
- Popup Maker is flexible for developers, but its UI is dated and requires paid add-ons.
- Popupkit is the best choice for Gutenberg users.
- WowOptin offers AI-copywriting and strong targeting.
- OptinCraft is the recommended winner for most WordPress users. It provides the best value, featuring a modern builder, excellent performance, and includes key features such as analytics and free A/B testing.
Meet the Contenders: A Quick Overview
This section gives a quick overview of each plugin.
OptinCraft
OptinCraft is a modern, powerful WordPress plugin focused on creating high-converting pop-ups for lead capture and conversions. It provides a simple drag-and-drop canvas builder that works in a fully WordPress-friendly environment.
Its most notable feature is the drag-and-drop canvas builder. The editor feels familiar, like Gutenberg, but offers the visual freedom of Canva. This natural flow lets you design custom pop-ups without coding.
This plugin is built for WordPress users who want to create beautiful, responsive pop-ups quickly. It is excellent for email subscriptions, floating announcement bars, or slide-in promotional deals. It also works seamlessly with all major page builders.
Popupkit
Popupkit is a robust builder designed to work directly with the Gutenberg editor. It offers features to create various types of pop-ups and on-site messages for your website.
Its main strength is deep integration with Gutenberg. You can build pop-ups using the same block-based system as your posts and pages. Popupkit also offers unique options, including gamified pop-ups like spin wheels and advanced triggers such as geo-location.
This plugin is ideal for WordPress users who love the block editor. If you build your site with Gutenberg, Popupkit will feel like a natural extension of your workflow.
WowOptin
WowOptin is another strong contender in the pop-up space. It helps users design campaigns quickly with a Canva-like visual editor.
The standout feature for WowOptin is its AI-powered copywriting, which helps you write effective text for your pop-ups. The plugin also has extensive targeting rules, letting you show pop-ups based on traffic source, operating system, or specific WooCommerce data.
WowOptin is a great choice for marketers who want to test ideas fast. The AI assistance and A/B testing features help you optimize campaigns efficiently.
Popup Maker
Popup Maker is one of the most popular and flexible pop-up plugins. It is a classic, “do-it-all” tool that has been a favorite of WordPress users for years.
Its power comes from extensive targeting and display conditions. The free version is competent. Popup Maker also integrates deeply with almost every major form plugin, such as Gravity Forms or WPForms.
This plugin is perfect for developers or power users. If you need complex, custom rules and deep integration with other tools, Popup Maker provides the necessary control.
OptinMonster
OptinMonster is a market-leading SaaS (Software as a Service) solution. It is a premium, external platform, not just a plugin. It is known across the industry for its conversion optimization power.
OptinMonster is most famous for its Exit-Intent technology, which is highly effective at capturing visitors about to leave your site. It also offers advanced A/B testing, detailed analytics, and a gamified spin-to-win wheel.
This tool is built for large businesses and marketing agencies. OptinMonster is for those who need powerful analytics and retargeting features and have the budget for a premium subscription.
At a Glance: Full Feature Comparison
| Feature | OptinCraft | Popupkit | WowOptin | Popup Maker | OptinMonster |
| Editor Style | Drag & Drop Canvas | Gutenberg Blocks | Canva-like Visual | Classic WP Settings | External SaaS Dashboard |
| Templates | Yes (Modern) | Yes | Yes (AI-enhanced) | Yes (Basic) | Yes (Extensive) |
| Key Triggers | Exit-Intent (Pro), Scroll, Click, Inactivity | Exit-Intent, Scroll, Geo-location | Exit-Intent, Scroll, OS, Traffic Source | Click, Time-Delay (Free) / Exit-Intent (Pro) | Exit-Intent®, Scroll, Inactivity, Geolocation |
| A/B Testing | Yes (Free, Upcoming) | No | Yes | Requires Extension | Yes (Advanced) |
| Analytics | Built-in Dashboard | Basic Stats | Built-in Dashboard | Requires Extension | Advanced Dashboard |
| Gamification | Upcoming | Yes (Spin Wheel) | No | No | Yes (Spin-to-Win) |
| Page Builder Sync | Excellent | Good (Gutenberg) | Good | Good | Good (Embed code) |
| Best For | Modern WP Users, Page Builder Fans | Gutenberg Purists | AI-driven Marketers | Developers, Power-Users | Enterprise, SaaS-first |
| Pricing Model | Freemium | Freemium | Freemium | Freemium (Add-ons) | Premium SaaS |
In-Depth Comparison: How Do They Really Stack Up?
This section will compare each plugin’s key features to help you better understand all these WordPress plugins.
User Interface & Ease of Use (The Builder Experience)
OptinCraft: OptinCraft features a unique drag-and-drop canvas editor. It feels familiar, like the Gutenberg block editor, yet provides the visual freedom of a tool like Canva.
This approach is highly intuitive. You can design pop-ups visually inside your WordPress admin.
Popupkit: Popupkit enables the creation of pop-ups directly with Gutenberg blocks. This is a strong advantage for users who build their entire site in the block editor.
It keeps the workflow consistent. However, it can feel restrictive if you prefer a free-form canvas.
WowOptin: WowOptin also provides a Canva-like visual editor. The interface is clean and modern.
It allows users to design pop-ups quickly, though its feel is less integrated with the WordPress admin and comes with a learning curve.
Popup Maker: This plugin uses a classic WordPress settings approach. There is no visual, drag-and-drop builder. All options are controlled through settings panels.
While powerful, this method has a steep learning curve.
OptinMonster: OptinMonster features a polished and professional dashboard. It is a SaaS platform, so you manage everything outside of WordPress.
The builder is clean, but this external workflow can disrupt your process. You must switch between your website and the OptinMonster site. Additionally, it requires you to enter card details during account creation.
Templates & Design Flexibility
OptinCraft: OptinCraft provides modern, clean templates designed to look professional and convert well. You can customize each one using Google Fonts and the drag-and-drop builder to match your website’s style.
WowOptin: This plugin boasts a large library of over 700 templates. Many are AI-enhanced, which helps you get started quickly.
OptinMonster: OptinMonster has the largest library of professionally designed templates. They are all highly polished and cover every possible use case.
Popupkit: Popupkit’s templates are designed to work within the Gutenberg block system. This is great for consistency but can be less flexible than a true canvas editor.
Popup Maker: The templates here are very basic. They are more like functional starting points. You must style them heavily to match a modern website design.
Targeting & Trigger Options
OptinMonster: This is OptinMonster’s biggest strength. It is famous for its powerful Exit-Intent® technology. It also offers advanced geo-location and dozens of other detailed retargeting rules.
WowOptin: WowOptin also provides powerful and unique targeting. It includes standard triggers like exit-intent. It also has advanced rules, such as targeting users based on their traffic source or operating system.
Popupkit: Popupkit offers a solid set of triggers. These include exit-intent, geo-location, and on-scroll triggers, which cover most campaign needs.
OptinCraft: OptinCraft gives you complete control over your campaigns. You can use behavior-based triggers like on-scroll, on-click, and inactivity. The Pro version adds powerful options, such as Exit-Intent and Geo-location targeting.
Popup Maker: The free version of this plugin is very limited. It only offers basic time-delay and on-click triggers. All other key triggers, like exit-intent or on-scroll, require separate paid extensions.
Analytics & A/B Testing
OptinMonster: This is a core strength for OptinMonster. It provides an advanced analytics dashboard and a very simple A/B testing system. This makes it easy for marketers to test headlines, images, and offers.
WowOptin: WowOptin also includes a built-in analytics dashboard. It features A/B testing, which enables you to test different variations and identify a clear winner.
OptinCraft: OptinCraft provides a powerful, real-time analytics dashboard. You can track key campaign metrics, including impressions, clicks, and conversions.
It also displays device-specific data to see which performs best on mobile or desktop. The Pro version adds country-specific, page-specific, and browser-specific analytics.
This is a significant advantage for optimizing campaigns without extra cost.
Popupkit: Popupkit offers basic stats for your pop-ups. It does not include an A/B testing feature.
Popup Maker: This plugin does not have analytics or A/B testing in its free version. You must purchase separate, premium extensions to add this essential functionality.
Integrations & E-commerce
OptinMonster: OptinMonster has the most integrations. It connects to every major email marketing service, CRM, and e-commerce platform, including WooCommerce and Shopify.
Popup Maker: This plugin’s main strength is its deep integration with other WordPress plugins. It works perfectly with form builders like Gravity Forms, WPForms, and Contact Form 7.
WowOptin: WowOptin connects to a wide range of popular email services, including Mailchimp, MailerLite, HubSpot, and FluentCRM.
OptinCraft: OptinCraft connects to essential tools. It integrates with Mailchimp, WooCommerce, Easy Digital Downloads, HubSpot, and Google Sheets. It also has a Webhook, with Zapier and MailPoet coming soon.
Popupkit: Popupkit lists integrations for Mailchimp, Zapier, and WooCommerce, covering the basics for lead generation and e-commerce.
Page Builder & Performance
OptinCraft: This is a major advantage for OptinCraft. It is lightweight, optimized for speed, and built to work flawlessly with all popular page builders. This includes Elementor, Bricks, Divi, Beaver Builder, Brizy, Oxygen, Breakdance and Gutenberg.
Popupkit: This plugin is designed for Gutenberg. It works perfectly within the block editor, but is less ideal for those who use other builders, such as Elementor or Divi.
Popup Maker: Popup Maker works well with all themes and builders. Its classic, settings-based approach is separate from the editor, so it does not conflict.
WowOptin: WowOptin is a modern plugin that is compatible with major page builders and themes.
OptinMonster: OptinMonster works with everything because it is an external script. However, this can be a performance weakness.
It relies on loading external resources, which can sometimes cause a page to load slowly.
Strengths & Weaknesses of Each Plugin
This is a high-level overview of the best and worst aspects of each tool, based on their features and user feedback.
OptinCraft
Strengths: Its builder is the biggest advantage. The drag-and-drop canvas feels modern and intuitive. It integrates perfectly with all major page builders.
The plugin is also lightweight and built for performance. Including A/B testing in the free version is a significant benefit.
Weaknesses: It is a new plugin. Some advanced features are still under development.
Popupkit
Strengths: This plugin is perfect for Gutenberg users. Building pop-ups with the native block editor is fast and seamless. It also includes gamified spin wheels in its pro version.
Weaknesses: Its reliance on the block editor is also a weakness. It is not the best choice for users who prefer Elementor, Divi, or other visual page builders.
WowOptin
Strengths: The AI-powered copywriting is a unique feature that saves time and effort. It has very strong and specific targeting rules, such as targeting by traffic source or operating system. It also includes A/B testing.
Weaknesses: Some users report that its interface can be buggy.
Popup Maker
Strengths: This is a potent and flexible plugin. The free version is very generous with its core features. It is known for its reliability and integrates deeply with almost every WordPress form plugin.
Weaknesses: The user interface is dated. It is not a visual builder. Additionally, many essential features, such as analytics and exit intent, require separate paid add-ons.
OptinMonster
Strengths: This is a powerful tool. Its Exit-Intent® technology is industry-leading. It has the best analytics, A/B testing, and the most extensive template library.
Weaknesses: It is costly. It is also a SaaS platform, rather than an actual WordPress plugin, so it operates on an external dashboard. This can be slow and is often overkill for small businesses.
Pricing & Value Proposition
Price is a major factor, but value is more important. The best plugin offers the right features for a fair price. Let’s see which plugin provides the most value at a fair price.
OptinCraft: This plugin provides the best overall value. It follows a freemium model. The free version is powerful, with a drag-and-drop canvas, multiple pop-up styles, and built-in analytics.
Key features like A/B testing are also included in the free version, which is rare. The Pro version adds advanced triggers and integrations at a competitive price.
Popup Maker: This is also a freemium plugin. Its free version is capable, but it is not a complete solution. You must purchase separate paid add-ons for essential features, such as exit-intent, analytics, and A/B testing.
Popupkit & WowOptin: Both of these plugins use a freemium model. Their pro plans bundle all features. They are good alternatives if you need their specific features, like AI-powered copywriting.
OptinMonster: This is the most expensive option by far. It is a premium SaaS subscription. Plans start at $14/month (billed annually) but require the $24/month Pro plan to unlock key features like Exit-Intent®.
It is a powerful tool, but it is priced for large businesses, not for most WordPress users.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Is OptinCraft Free?
Yes, OptinCraft has a powerful free version. It includes the drag-and-drop builder, campaign analytics, and even A/B testing. You can upgrade to Pro for advanced triggers and integrations.
Will OptinCraft Slow Down My Website?
No. OptinCraft is a modern plugin that is lightweight and optimized for performance. It uses clean scripts that load efficiently and will not slow down your site.
Does OptinCraft Work with My WordPress Theme and Page Builder?
Yes. OptinCraft works seamlessly with all major WordPress themes. It is built to be compatible with all popular page builders, including Elementor, Gutenberg, Bricks, and Divi.
Which One to Choose?
The right pop-up plugin depends on your goals. OptinMonster is built for enterprise budgets. Popup Maker offers power for developers. Popupkit is ideal for Gutenberg fans. However, most modern WordPress users need a different solution.
OptinCraft provides the best balance. It offers an intuitive canvas builder, fast performance, and powerful features without the high cost. It is the clear choice for seamless page builder integration and outstanding value.