7 perfect newsletter popups that convert

Imagine this: you just landed on a beautifully designed page and before you get the information you need, five pop-ups appear. Now you are distracted and annoyed and quickly leave the site.

As a WordPress expert, I completely understand this frustration.

But at the same time I understand the importance of popups. They’re great for lead generation and building your email subscriber base – two things that can make or break your online success.

Now I try to avoid popups because they are frustrating. But I can’t ignore the power of generating leads, especially in email marketing.

All you have to do is take a look at this list of the best popups for WordPress that I created to find one that actually works.

That’s why, just like the list of the best WordPress subscription popups I created, I decided to take an even more detailed approach.

I made it my mission to find WordPress email capture popups that don’t distract or overwhelm visitors. Ones that appear at just the right time to increase conversions without impacting the user experience.

Here’s what I discovered:

• Premium newsletter popup plugins with advanced features but at a higher price
• Lower cost options that offer the best value for pure WordPress users
• Options that uniquely combine popups with integrated newsletters
• Free versions are available for price-conscious beginners
• Each tool serves different user needs and experience levels

This is how I test email popup plugins for WordPress

When testing email popup plugins, I focus on what matters most for beginners who are just starting out with email marketing. I don’t get caught up in complex business metrics that overwhelm new users.

• Easy setup and ease of use comes first. Can you get your first popup up and running without tearing your hair out? I measure how long it takes from plugin installation to displaying a working popup on your website.
• Effectiveness of email capture comes next. Does the subscription popup actually collect emails properly? I test the forms myself and check that subscribers are displayed correctly in email lists.
• Integration with popular email services is very important. Most beginners use MailChimp, ConvertKit or AWeber. I make sure that these connections work smoothly and without technical problems.
• Mobile experience and responsiveness cannot be ignored. Over half of your visitors use phones. I check each popup on different screen sizes to make sure the buttons are easy to tap.
• Timing and targeting options Separate good pop-ups from annoying ones. Can you set them to appear after someone has read for 30 seconds? Can you avoid the same popup appearing twice?
• Value for money completes my test. I compare free versions to paid plans to see what beginners actually need and what fancy features they’ll never use.

These criteria help me find popup plugins to get more email subscribers that work for real WordPress users, not just marketing agencies with unlimited budgets.

Why trust IsItWP?

At IsItWP, we’ve been the go-to source for the WordPress community since 2009, helping over 2 million users make better business decisions.

Unlike review sites that never actually use the products, we maintain active accounts, run real customer websites and provide ongoing WordPress advice.

For us, this is the best way to learn what our community is going through so we can recommend solutions that actually work.

We have also developed countless free tools. This includes tools like our domain name generator to help those still looking for the perfect business name and a free malware scanner to help you improve your website security.

Most importantly, our most popular tool, the Is It WordPress Scanner, is used to see what WordPress theme other websites are using.

As you can see, we listen to what companies are experiencing and offer real and simple solutions.

The best newsletter popup plugins I tested and compared

Now that you understand how the email popup testing process works and what IsItWP stands for, let’s begin our ranking.

To help you quickly compare the email popup plugins on this list, I created a table. You can see if there is a free version and also get started by clicking on the price of the tool.

Plugin	Best for	Free version	Ease of use	Starting price
🥇 OptinMonster	Advanced marketers on a budget	❌	Moderate	$84/year
🥈Thrive Leads	WordPress-only users who want control	❌	Moderate	$99/year
🥉 Bloom	Divi theme users	❌	Simply	$89/year
4. Elementor Pro	Elementor page builder users	❌ (Free, excluding popups)	Simply	$60/year
5. Convert Pro	Visual designers	❌	Simply	$89/year
6. PopupAlly	Beginner-friendly recording	✅	Very simple	$49/year
7. MailOptin	Complete solution for WordPress	✅	Simply	$99/year

Additionally, you can jump to any section of this article by selecting one of the links below.

With that out of the way, let’s get started!

1. OptinMonster ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Cloud-based conversion powerhouse | Best for: Advanced marketers on a budget | Pricing: Starting at $84/year (no free version)

OptinMonster is absolutely the best email subscriber popup you can use. First, it works as a cloud-based platform and not just a WordPress plugin, so you can use it on any website.

As a WordPress expert, this flexibility becomes huge when you manage multiple websites on different platforms.

Setting up email capture is pretty easy once you get used to the dashboard. You add a little code to your website and then create everything using the online interface or directly in WordPress.

Both interfaces look similar, so you won’t have to experience a learning curve. This makes OptinMonster super easy to use.

OptinMonster’s main focus is to reach you Quality leads.

So it doesn’t send any newsletters itself. Instead, it captures emails very well and sends them to your preferred email service.

OptinMonster connects to over 30 email services such as MailChimp, ConvertKit, and AWeber with automatic syncing. Once it’s set up, no manual work is required.

Here’s what makes OptinMonster special for email capture.

Their exit-intent technology catches people just before they leave and displays a popup at the perfect moment. This means your users can stay on and interact with your site longer.

Additionally, the system remembers repeat visitors and shows them different messages, so people don’t get annoyed about seeing the same pop-up twice.

You can target visitors from specific countries or cities, which is great for location-based offers.

My favorite feature is the spin-to-win game pop-ups, which excite people instead of pissing them off. This gamification feature is one of the ways to make signup forms more engaging.

You can also create sequences that show different messages to people who didn’t log in the first time.

Beyond email capture, OptinMonster helps reduce cart abandonment and displays special offers to win back customers.

Additionally, you also get content promotion features that highlight your best blog posts without being intrusive.

The best part is that the analytics dashboard shows exactly which popups are attracting your most valuable subscribers.

My opinion: OptinMonster makes sense for established businesses that can afford the higher price. The advanced targeting and professional results justify the cost if you’re serious about growing your email list across multiple sites.

Check out my detailed OptinMonster review here.

Prices: Starts at $84/year.

2. Thrive Leads ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Maximum WordPress design freedom | Best for: WordPress-only users who want control | Pricing: $99/year or $299/year for the full suite

Which really fascinated me Thrive Leads is that you have much more control over how your popups look without paying monthly fees like other tools.

But unlike OptinMonster, it only works with WordPress, but that’s actually a good thing.

First of all, setting up email capture is pretty easy. You create everything directly in WordPress using the drag-and-drop editor.

Thrive Leads can automatically send your lead magnets to new subscribers, but not regular newsletters. For this you still need an email marketing service.

But the good thing is that you can connect to over 40 email services like Constant Contact, Drip, Active Campaign, ConvertKit and many more.

This ensures that there is no switching between different websites or dashboards.

Here’s what makes Thrive Leads special when it comes to email capture.

As mentioned, it has an easy-to-use drag-and-drop builder that allows you to design your popups to look exactly the way you want.

I’m talking about having complete control over colors, fonts, and layouts without knowing any code.

Smart forms allow users to choose what they are interested in before subscribing, so your email list gets higher quality subscribers.

A/B features allow you to test different versions of your popups to find out which ones work better.

Plus, there is no limit to how many popups you can create or how many people can see them. The best part is that returning visitors can see different popups depending on what they did before.

Aside from email capture, Thrive Leads can automatically send your lead magnets to new subscribers without you having to do anything. You can also lock your best content so that people have to log in to see it.

My opinion: Thrive Leads is perfect if you only use WordPress and want to save money in the long run. The one-time annual payment and unlimited features make it a smart choice for small businesses and bloggers.

Check out my latest Thrive Leads review here.

Prices: Starting at $99/year or $299/year for the full Thrive Suite

3. Bloom ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Elegant Email Capture for Content Creators | Best for: Divi theme users | Price: $89/year Elegant Themes membership (not a standalone option)

I discovered Bloom while using the Divi theme on my SEO agency website.

Bloom isn’t sold separately – you get it as part of an Elegant Themes membership, which also includes the popular Divi theme and other plugins.

This makes it a great offer if, like me, you are already in their ecosystem.

Bloom focuses solely on email collection and does not offer any functionality for sending newsletters. You need your email service to handle the actual campaigns.

As with our top 2 WordPress newsletter popup tools, Bloom also connects to 16 major email services like GetResponse. The connections work via a simple API setup that only takes a few minutes.

But the integration is so smooth that subscribers appear in your lists immediately.

I love how the email capture setup is done right in your WordPress dashboard. You choose from six different popup types such as lightbox popups, fly-ins and inline forms.

After you create your subscriber popup, you can set when it appears with an easy-to-use smart trigger.

You can set popups to appear based on time delays, scroll percentage, or when someone finishes reading a post.

The content lock feature is great for premium resources that require users to subscribe first. This allows you to attract subscribers who are actually interested in what you have to offer.

Additionally, built-in split testing lets you try out different popup designs to see which gets more signups. The stats dashboard shows real-time tracking so you know exactly how each popup is performing.

The best part is that you can create unlimited forms and target them to specific pages or posts.

My opinion: Bloom works best if you already use Divi or plan to join Elegant Themes. The design fits Divi websites perfectly and the annual membership gives you access to their entire toolkit.

Check out my Bloom review here.

Prices: From $89/year membership to Elegant Themes (not a standalone option)

4. Elementor Pro ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Professional popups in page builder | Best for: Elementor users Pricing: Starting at $60/year (free version without popups)

Firstly, for complete transparency, Elementor’s popup only works with the paid plans.

When I switched my SEO agency’s website from Divi to Elementor Pro, I started using Elementor’s popup feature since I had already paid for the page builder anyway.

But I quickly realized that adding popups felt natural and seamless since I was using the Elementor page builder. This is because creating email capture popups is done in the same drag-and-drop editor you use for pages.

Plus, you access the popup builder through templates and then design everything using the same widgets you know. The Elementor template library includes over 100 professionally designed popups that you can fully customize.

After creating the popups, you can collect the emails directly using Elementor Pro. However, if you want to add them to your newsletter campaigns, Elementor Pro connects to 11 email services that you can use.

Additionally, dynamic content integration means you can display WooCommerce products or blog posts directly in your popups.

I like how incredibly smooth the pop-up animation system is. You get professional effects like fade, zoom and bounce that make pop-ups look elegant and not distracting.

Additionally, the trigger options cover everything you need: exit intent, scroll percentage, time delays, and even specific page views.

For even more completed subscriptions, you can also use the multi-step forms. They allow you to collect more information without overwhelming visitors on the first screen.

My opinion: Elementor Pro popups make perfect sense if you are already using this popular site builder for your site. The design consistency and professional animations are worth upgrading, especially for corporate websites that need to look elegant.

Check out my updated Elementor review here.

Prices: Starting at $60/year (free version without pop-ups)

5. Convert Pro ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Canvas style pop-up design | Best for: Visual designers | Price: $89/year or $349 lifetime

Convert Pro works for popups like Photoshop or Canva and allows you to drag elements anywhere on the screen with pixel-perfect control.

Therefore, setting up email capture is similar to designing a poster. You can drag text boxes, images, and buttons exactly where you want using snapping guides to keep everything aligned.

Like the other email capture popups on this list, Convert Pro only focuses on lead capture without any built-in newsletter features.

However, you still need your email service to send campaigns. It connects to over 20 email services via their Connects add-ons.

Connections are made with one-click authentication, so you don’t need any programming knowledge.

Convert Pro’s multi-step popups impressed me the most. They allow you to ask simple questions first and then request email addresses after people have engaged.

On the other hand, the behavioral triggers are really intelligent as they detect exit intent, scroll depth, time on page and even the website the visitor was referred to.

If that’s not enough, video advertising popups allow you to embed YouTube or Vimeo videos to increase engagement before asking for emails.

Additionally, the Google Analytics 4 integration tracks conversions so you know exactly which popups are attracting the most valuable subscribers.

My opinion: Convert Pro is perfect if you love designing and want complete creative control. The lifetime option makes sense for agencies or designers who want to use it long-term across multiple projects.

Prices: Starts at $89/year or $349 lifetime

The Polite Popup Approach | Best for: Beginner-friendly recording | Pricing: Free version available, Pro for $49/year

I happily recommend PopupAlly to clients who are afraid of annoying their visitors.

This is because it follows a “polite popup” philosophy and uses exit technology that puts the reader experience first, meaning happier visitors and better long-term results.

To set it up, all you have to do is choose a template, customize the colors and text, and then copy and paste your email service’s HTML code.

PopupAlly works with any email service that provides you with HTML signup forms without the need for complicated API connections. These include MailChimp, ConvertKit, AWeber and much more.

The HTML approach makes it work with virtually every email tool in the world.

I like how PopupAlly also gives power to your users.

First of all, it has this unique feature called “Reader Choice” which is a mini survey. This allows visitors to choose their content path before asking for their email, resulting in better engagement.

Additionally, the Smart Subscriber feature remembers people across devices so your users don’t see the same popup twice, keeping you more engaged.

To ensure your users are more willing to share their information, you can use video popup integration. In this case, users will watch your video first and then feel more comfortable subscribing to it.

My opinion: PopupAlly is perfect for beginners who want something that works without overwhelming their visitors. The free version gives you real functionality to test out and the Pro upgrade adds just enough additional features without making it complicated.

Prices: Pricing starts at $49/year, with a free version also available

7. MailOptin ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

WordPress Email Marketing Hub | Best for: All-in-one WordPress solution | Pricing: Free version available, Premium starting at $99/year

I discovered it recently MailOptinbut I wish I had known about it sooner.

MailOptin does something unique in this list. It manages both popup creation and newsletter distribution directly from your WordPress dashboard. Additionally, it integrates with over 40 email service providers.

You don’t have to switch between different tools or pay for multiple subscriptions.

Creating email capture forms is done using the well-known WordPress Customizer with real-time preview. You can create lightbox popups, notification bars, slide-ins, or simple embedded forms.

The integrated newsletter function automatically turns your blog posts into email campaigns. When you publish a new post, your subscribers will receive it in their inbox without any action from you.

It doesn’t stop with blog posts. If you run an eCommerce store, your WooCommerce customers will automatically sync with your email lists based on what they buy.

You can also send one-off newsletters and create email sequences directly from WordPress.

I also like how easy it is to use exit intent technology to catch users right before they leave your website.

My opinion: MailOptin offers a lot if you want to do everything within WordPress and without additional newsletter tools. The free version is really useful and the premium plans cost less than most popup plugins alone.

Pricing: Starts at $99/year and also offers a free version

This is my list of the best WordPress newsletter and email capture popups to attract subscribers. But as always, I offer a few additional tools for anyone who doesn’t get what they’re looking for.

The following popup plugins are not specifically designed to help you get more email subscribers. Instead, they help build your confidence. This trust can, in turn, help you get more email subscribers.

TrustPulse

TrustPulse adds social proof to your popups by showing real-time activity like “John from Miami just signed up” or “5 people have viewed this page in the last hour.”

The main focus of this plugin is to build FOMO to make users feel like they are not alone and get them to make a purchase with more urgency.

This social proof WordPress tool works with any popup plugin of your choice and displays small notifications that appear next to your login forms.

The best part is that you can customize the messaging, timing, and positioning to fit your site’s design without affecting your popup functionality.

Here’s my TrustPulse review to see what it can do.

User feedback

User feedback helps you understand why people subscribe or not by adding quick feedback widgets to your website.

You can ask questions like “Why did you decide to subscribe?” or “What information were you looking for?” right after someone closes a popup without logging in.

The feedback insights help you improve your popups over time by showing exactly what visitors thought.

UserFeedback works with any popup solution and provides you with data that most popup plugins cannot provide.

Check out my detailed UserFeedback review here.

How to create a popup form with Popup Maker and WPForms

Sometimes the best solution is no dedicated email capture popup plugin at all. I’ve helped several clients create amazing subscriber capture systems using WPForms and Popup Maker.

This gives you more control and is more cost effective.

If you need complex forms or want ultimate control over every aspect of your popup system, splitting the work between dedicated plugins can deliver better results than all-in-one solutions.

In this case, Popup Maker handles displaying the popup while WPForms handles collecting the email.

Once you have both plugins installed, create your registration form in WPForms. Then embed this form into a Popup Maker popup.

The good thing is that with the basic version of Popup Maker you get unlimited popups for free, and WPForms works with virtually any email service.

This is useful if you need more than just simple email capture. Think custom registration forms, event registrations, or detailed lead qualification surveys.

These alternative approaches work best if you need more than standard email capture or want to build a comprehensive conversion system rather than just adding a popup to your website.

Choosing the right subscription popup plugin to add users to your newsletter doesn’t have to be overwhelming.

After testing all of these tools, I learned that the best choice depends on these simple questions about your situation.

What newsletter optimization features do you want?

• Exit intent technology is one of the best ways to get subscribers to WordPress without being intrusive. For this and other advanced features like geotargeting that actually convert, I recommend OptinMonster And Thrive Leads.

What is your WordPress setup?

• If you’re already using Elementor Pro, the popup builder makes perfect sense since you’re paying for it anyway. The same goes for Divi users with Bloom – you get it included in your membership. However, if you are using a simple WordPress setup, dedicated newsletter popup plugins will give you far more functionality.

What are your budget and long-term plans?

• The free versions of PopupAlly and MailOptin Actually works well for beginners who just want to test email capture. If you have a larger budget and need advanced features, OptinMonster delivers significant conversion performance but costs significantly more. Thrive Leads is in the sweet spot with one-time annual payments instead of monthly subscriptions.

What should happen after someone logs in?

• MailOptin stands out here because it can send newsletters directly from WordPress, potentially replacing your separate email service. Most other plugins simply capture emails and send them elsewhere. If you are already happy with MailChimp or ConvertKit, any popup plugin with good integration will work fine.

The biggest mistake I see is making a decision based on hype rather than simplicity.

Remember: a simple email popup that you actually set up and use right away is better than an advanced popup that stays inactive because it’s too complicated.

Well done! You now have the right tools to create popups and grow your email list. If something is unclear, check out the frequently asked questions below.

FAQs: The best newsletter popup plugins I tested and compared

Absolutely yes, but only if you choose the right one for your situation.

The difference between annoying and effective popups lies in timing and design. Visitors don’t mind pop-ups if they appear at the right moment with real added value.

You can use a well-thought-out lead magnet like a free guide, discount code, or useful newsletter offer that seems helpful rather than intrusive.

This can transform your website from a visitor destination into a lead generation machine.

As I always say, the key is to just start.

Choose a plugin that fits your current WordPress setup and budget. First test it with the basic settings. Once you see results, you can always upgrade to more advanced features or switch to another tool.

If you are looking for more ways to get newsletter subscribers, here is an article about the best WordPress lead magnet plugins.

Otherwise there are more posts from I here knowledge You will be interested in reading.

These resources will help you build a complete email marketing system that will actually grow your business.

Start with pop-ups, then use these guides to turn those subscribers into loyal customers who can’t wait to hear from you.