by 1. What Is Popup Maker?
Popup Maker is a versatile WordPress plugin designed to create highly effective pop-ups, modals, banners, slide-ins, and content overlays for enhancing user engagement, growing email lists, and boosting conversions. It’s used on over 780,000 websites worldwide and praised for its flexibility and robust feature setPopup MakerWordPress.com.
With an impressive 4.9 rating across more than 4,200 reviews, it stands as one of the most trusted and widely adopted popup solutions in the WordPress ecosystem.
2. Core Features & Capabilities
Build and Design Flexibly
- Users can design virtually any kind of popup: opt-in forms, announcements, cookie notices, e-commerce promos, content upgrades, login modals, age verification overlays, and moreWordPress.org BosanskiWordPress.com.
- A powerful Popup Editor allows full control over size, position, animation, and content. Users can insert text, shortcodes, media, or custom forms. Both the Classic Editor and Block Editor (Gutenberg) are supportedPopup MakerWordPress.org Bosanski.
Trigger Options
- Popup triggers include time-delayed auto-open, click activation, exit intent, scroll-based activation, inactivity triggers, and morePopup MakerWordPress.org Bosanski.
Advanced Targeting & Conditions
- Pinpoint popup display using rules based on pages or posts, categories, device type, user role, referrer, shopping cart contents, or custom criteria. Works seamlessly with WooCommerce and Easy Digital Downloads (EDD)Popup MakerWordPress.org BosanskiPopup Maker.
Cookies & Frequency Control
- Set precise rules for how often a popup appears per user using cookies. Configure cookies based on interactions like open or close events, offering a balance between engagement and user-friendlinessWordPress.org BosanskiPopup Maker.
Seamless Integrations
- Compatible with major form plugins (Gravity Forms, Ninja Forms, WPForms, Contact Form 7, etc.) and email marketing tools. Allows embedding of forms from MailChimp, AWeber, ConvertKit, HubSpot, Emma, and moreWordPress.org BosanskiSoninowWordPress.com.
- Supports page builders like Gutenberg, Elementor, Beaver Builder, facilitating content-rich popup designPopup MakerPopup Maker.
Developer-Friendly & Extensible
- Open-source with hooks, filters, and JS API for deep customization, integrations, and automationPopup MakerPopup Maker.
- Premium extensions available for specialized overlays like AJAX login modals, age verification, and morePopup Maker+1.
3. Performance & User Experience
- Popup Maker is designed to maximize conversions through smart behavioral targeting and analytics trackingPopup Maker.
- Many users commend its ease of use and reliability: “We use Popup Maker on our corporate website… if you don’t need to code, but if you do it becomes even more valuable.”
“Easy to install and maintain… help team is very responsive.”Popup MakerPopup Maker
However, a few users report performance considerations:
- One user noted that having many popups load globally (even when not visible) caused slow page load times—targeting rules helped significantly improve performanceReddit.
- Another user faced issues with JS errors when caching plugins were active, specifically with SG Optimizer’s “Combine JS Files” feature. Disabling it resolved the problemReddit.
4. Version & Usage Metrics
- The plugin has over 700,000 active installations, as of an update flagged in August 2024 (version 1.19.1) and also a September 2024 listing at version 1.20.2WordPress PluginWordPress.com.
- With over 17.8 million downloads, average popup views reaching nearly 13 million per day, and cumulative impressions surpassing 28 billionPopup Maker, Popup Maker is among the most widely used popup generators globally.
5. Pros & Cons Summary
| Pros | Notes |
|---|---|
| Highly versatile with broad popup types | Supports everything—from lead generation to announcements |
| Advanced triggers and targeting | Includes exit intent, timing, scroll, device-based targeting |
| Integrations galore | Supports forms, email services, page builders, and e-commerce |
| Free core plugin with generous usage & unlimited popups | No paywall for basic functionality |
| Extensible architecture | Customization via API, hooks, and premium extensions |
| Cons / Considerations | Notes |
|---|---|
| Potential site load impact | Popups loading globally can slow sites—use targeting wisely |
| Cache conflicts | JS and CSS merge tools may interfere—test thoroughly |
| Editor experience | Some users find interface slightly dated or clutteredWordPress.org भारतम् |
6. Final Thoughts
Popup Maker is a powerful, proven, and highly flexible JavaScript-based popup toolkit for WordPress. Whether you aim to grow your email list, promote sales, capture leads, or deliver announcements, it provides unmatched customization without steep learning curves. The free version is feature-rich and scalable, while premium add-ons offer advanced targeting, triggers, and overlays if needed.
Strong community support, frequent updates, and the plugin’s impressive track record make it a reliable choice. Just remember to use sensible targeting rules for performance and test behavior alongside your site’s caching setup.
