Skip to content

MailOptin vs OptinMonster (2026): which should you pick?

As of Nov 13, 2026, MailOptin grades higher than OptinMonster: 2.2 against 1.8 out of 4.0.

Checked Oct 17, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 · graded Oct 18, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA

MailOptin grades higher on value for money and the free plan. OptinMonster grades higher on features and platforms. They get the same grade on ease of use.

Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.

MailOptin

WordPress popup, opt-in form and email newsletter plugin

Free plan

OptinMonster

Pop-ups, floating bars and opt-in forms added to an existing site

From $210/yr

Which one is for you

Pick MailOptin if

  • Fits if you run WordPress and want popups and newsletters from one plugin
  • Works for a small list that can live on the free Lite edition

Look elsewhere if

  • Skip it if your site is not on WordPress
  • Watch out: premium prices could not be read, so check them before you plan around Pro
  • Not for you if you want spam protection with reCAPTCHA or Turnstile for free: it is premium
  • Watch out: some broadcast audiences, such as membership or course plugin users, need the Pro version

Pick OptinMonster if

  • Fits if you run a blog or shop and want more email sign-ups from it
  • Works for agencies running sign-up campaigns across client sites, with sub-accounts from Pro

Look elsewhere if

  • Skip it if you want exit intent on a budget, as it starts on Pro at $870 a year
  • Not for you if you want to try it first, as there's no free plan or trial, only a 14-day refund
  • Pricey if you budgeted on the first year, as Basic goes from $108 to $210 at renewal
  • Watch out: going over the impression limit moves the account up to the next plan automatically
  • Tight if you want geolocation, retargeting or store integrations, as all need Growth at $1,470 a year

How we grade them

2.2GPAMailOptinFair1.8GPAOptinMonsterWeak
Value for money
CNo paid price could be read, since the vendor's pricing page was behind a bot check, so we have nothing to grade against and it sits at the ordinary C.
DGraded on a site with 20,000 visitors, more than Plus's 10,000 impressions a month, so it's Pro: $870 a year at renewal, $72.50 a month, after a $444 first year. That's dearer than most popup tools here. Pro does bring exit intent, which the cheaper plans lack.
Free plan and trial
BMailOptin Lite is free on WordPress.org with popups, before and after post opt-ins, sidebar forms, page-level targeting and new-post emails. One person could run a small list on it.
FNothing free and no trial. There's a 14-day refund, but a money-back promise isn't a trial: you pay before you see it on your site.
Features
CPopups, forms, targeting, broadcasts and mail-service integrations in one plugin. The WordPress.org listing says reCAPTCHA or Turnstile spam protection and several conversion actions are premium, and some broadcast audiences need Pro.
BLightboxes, floating bars, slide-ins, full-screen overlays and coupon wheels, 700+ templates, targeting by page, time, scroll and device, A/B tests and revenue tracking. Exit intent and geolocation sit on the dearer plans.
Ease of use
CNo store rating on record. It is a plugin you install and wire to an email service, with forms to build.
CNo rating on record. Templates and a drag-and-drop builder help, but you have to add its code to your site, or use the WordPress or Shopify route, and set up targeting rules before anything shows.
Platforms and integrations
CWordPress only. It lists Mailchimp, AWeber, Constant Contact, ActiveCampaign, HubSpot, Brevo and Kit, but there is no app outside the site.
BWorks on any site you can add JavaScript to, with plugins and guides for WordPress and Shopify, and sends sign-ups to Mailchimp, Constant Contact, ActiveCampaign and ConvertKit. Zapier needs Pro. No desktop or phone app.
Best fora free WordPress popup and newsletter pluginpop-ups that grow an email list

The GPA is the average of the five grades: an A is 4 points, an F is none. The full reasons are on each tool's page: MailOptin and OptinMonster. How we grade

Where they differ

  • MailOptin also covers email campaigns.
  • OptinMonster also covers templates, no-code and a/B testing.
In commonWebFormsPopups

At a glance

MailOptinOptinMonster
PricingFree planPaid
Starts atNot published$210 per year at renewal, after a first year for $108 (Basic)
Free planMailOptin Lite is free on WordPress.org, with popups, before and after post opt-ins, sidebar forms, page-level targeting and new-post notification emails.None
Free trialNone listedNone listed
Web
Made byMailOptinRetyp, LLC
Price read fromNot confirmedoptinmonster.com
CheckedNov 13, 2026Oct 17, 2026

Worth knowing

MailOptin

  • Premium prices could not be read: the vendor's site answered with a bot check, so pricing is unverified.
  • Runs only inside WordPress.
  • Spam protection with reCAPTCHA or Turnstile and several conversion actions are premium-only, per the WordPress.org listing.
  • The listing says some broadcast audiences, such as membership and course plugin users, need the Pro version.

OptinMonster

  • It does not build or host pages: it runs on an existing site where you can add JavaScript, with plugins and guides for WordPress, Shopify and others.
  • First-year prices are introductory; Basic renews at $210 a year, and monthly billing costs $21 a month.
  • Exit Intent, countdown timers and Zapier need Pro; geolocation, retargeting and store integrations need Growth.
  • Going over the impression limit moves the account up to the next plan automatically; there is no free plan or trial, only a 14-day refund.

Key features

MailOptin

Popups and opt-in forms
Lightbox popups, before and after post opt-ins, sidebar widget forms, notification bars and slide-ins.
Page-level targeting
Show a form on chosen posts and pages.
New-post notification emails
Automatic newsletters when a post is published, limited by category or tag, sent to registered users or chosen roles.
Broadcasts and scheduling
One-off emails to registered users with scheduling.
Email platform integrations
Connects with services including Mailchimp, AWeber, Constant Contact, ActiveCampaign, HubSpot and Brevo.

OptinMonster

Campaign types
Lightbox pop-ups, floating bars, inline and sidebar forms, slide-in scroll boxes, full-screen overlays, yes/no forms and, on Growth, coupon wheels.
Drag-and-drop builder and templates
Design campaigns from more than 700 templates without code, with custom fonts, CSS and success messages, and an AI Popups option.
Targeting and triggers
Show a campaign by page, time on site, scroll depth, device or referrer; Exit Intent detection starts at Pro and geolocation at Growth.
A/B testing and analytics
From Plus, split-test campaigns and see full reports; Pro adds revenue attribution to tie campaigns to sales.
Onsite retargeting and follow-ups
Growth can show different campaigns to new and returning visitors and follow up after someone has already signed up.
Email and store integrations
Sends sign-ups to email services such as Mailchimp and Constant Contact; Growth adds Shopify, WooCommerce and Magento integrations.

Plans

MailOptin

Pricing could not be confirmed. See mailoptin.io.

OptinMonster

  • Basic (yearly)$210

    per year at renewal, after a first year for $108

    1 site and 2,500 campaign impressions a month, every campaign type, 700+ templates and page targeting. Advertised as $9 a month for the first year.

  • Basic (monthly)$21

    per month, billed monthly

    The Basic plan paid month to month: 1 site and 2,500 impressions a month, with basic marketing integrations.

  • Plus (yearly)$570

    per year at renewal, after a first year for $324

    2 sites, 10,000 impressions a month, A/B testing, device targeting and content locking. Advertised as $27 a month for the first year; $57 billed monthly.

  • Pro (yearly)$870

    per year at renewal, after a first year for $444

    3 sites, 25,000 impressions, exit intent, countdown timers, revenue attribution, Zapier and 2 sub-accounts. $37 a month the first year; $87 monthly.

  • Growth (yearly)$1,470

    per year at renewal, after a first year for $804

    5 sites, 100,000 impressions, geolocation, onsite retargeting, coupon wheels and unlimited sub-accounts. $67 a month the first year; $147 monthly.

  • EnterpriseCustom

    Custom impression volumes with dedicated support, and optional Okta SSO login or custom integrations at extra cost.

Ways to pay less

MailOptin

No public discounts listed.

OptinMonster

  • Other savings

    Introductory first year at about half price

    New annual plans cost $108 (Basic), $324 (Plus), $444 (Pro) or $804 (Growth) for the first year, then renew at $210, $570, $870 or $1,470.

  • Annual discount

    Annual plans cost less than paying monthly

    Basic renews at $210 a year against $21 a month ($252 a year) on monthly billing, and Growth at $1,470 against $147 a month.

Common questions

Which is cheaper, MailOptin or OptinMonster?

As of Nov 13, 2026, MailOptin has no price we could confirm, and OptinMonster starts at $210 per year at renewal, after a first year for $108 (Basic).

Which has a free plan, MailOptin or OptinMonster?

As of Nov 13, 2026, only MailOptin has a free plan. OptinMonster does not.

More comparisons

How this page was made

  • The verdict at the top follows a fixed rule. When both tools are in the same category and either is in our top three for it, the verdict follows that ranking: the higher-placed tool is our pick. The top three weigh who each tool suits as well as its grades, so a pick can go against the GPA. Otherwise the page does not pick one and says which grades higher: the higher GPA first; on a tie, the one with a free plan, then the one that starts cheaper in dollars a month, counted the same way for both; if they are still level, what the choice depends on.
  • The grades are our own, from each tool’s review or report card. The GPA is their average.
  • Prices, plans and platforms come from each tool’s listing. The table above says where each price was read and when.
  • The differences and the answers to the questions are worked out from those listings.
How we review and grade