7 Mailing List Plugins to Grow Your Email List

WordPress can do wonderful things for your business. One of those is building your email list. Times have changed. You can’t just ask people to opt-in to your mailing list. You have to be smart about it.

Fortunately, the plugins listed below will help you get people to engage.

What are mailing list plugins?

For those who are unfamiliar, mailing list plugins are WordPress tools used to gain email subscribers. You usually see these in blog sites, but e-commerce sites have been using them too. You may have noticed these pop-up notifications that ask for your email address. Some of these are made possible through plugins.

The reason it asks for your email is so site owners can send you newsletters or special offers. Using mailing lists can change the way you do business. Some people would rather see offers in their email than through social media, for one thing. It’s seen as less intrusive than targeting someone on Facebook where they spend their downtime.

There are lots of reasons why creating an email list makes sense. And now, you too can start one without learning how to code.

The best WordPress mailing plugins

These plugins, at this time, are considered heavyweights in this category. Take a look at each to see which plugins have features that complement your business.

1. Thrive Leads

Thrive Leads is one of the most exciting plugins for mailing lists. You have a variety of opt-in forms to use. It uses a drag-and-drop interface meaning it’s easy to use, even for beginners. They give you the ability to make as many forms as you need.

Because of the A/B testing functionality, you can check what designs work best for your audience. They also a reporting tool so you can monitor your progress.

Thrive Leads also has a bunch of cool features that help improve the overall experience. Not just for you but your audience as well.

SmartLinks lets you set a call to action depending on who’s reading the form. If the user had already signed up, there’s no point in asking him to subscribe. You can change the call to action to have him do something else. Content Locking will let you reward users with premium content after signing up.

Pros

• Variety of opt-in forms
• Create as many forms as you want
• The plugin has useful built-in features

Cons

• It has no plan that covers unlimited websites.

Price

• $67 (Single Site License): 1 site, SmartLinks, A/B testing, SmartExit, Animations, and more
• $97 (5 License Pack): 5 sites + Single Site features
• $147 (15 License Pack): 15 sites + Single Site features
• $19 per month (Thrive Membership, paid annually): 25 sites + Single Site features and unlimited support

See this full review of Thrive Leads for more information.

2. OptinMonster

OptinMonster started as a WordPress plugin but is now a full-on app. This is excellent news as the cloud-based service it now provides opens up new opportunities. For starters, you can use this tool on sites outside of WordPress. You can also do all your forms from within the app.

They are also known for their Exit Intent Technology. The app can sense a visitor that’s about to leave a website. But before they do, OptinMonster can bring out a pop-up message of your choosing.

You can quickly create your message designs with their drag-and-drop interface. They also have pop-ups that are designed for mobile users.

Pros

• Cloud-based plugin
• Can also be used on non-WordPress sites
• Add custom CSS
• Easy setup

Cons

• The Exit Intent Technology they’re known for is locked behind their most expensive plan.

Price

• $9 per month (Basic, billed annually): Unlimited forms, A/B testing, one site
• $19 per month (Plus, billed annually): Everything in Basic + 3 sites, floating bar, sidebar forms, and more
• $29 per month (Pro, billed annually): Everything in Plus + 2 sub-accounts, referral detection, exit-intent technology, mobile-specific forms, and more

See this full review of OptinMonster for more information.

3. Optin Forms

If you’re looking for a free solution, Optin Forms has enough features to make it worth considering. Their designs are customizable, and it is easy to set up. They’re optimized for mobile users. Through a widget plugin and a shortcode, you can connect the form to your site’s sidebar.

You even get to control where the form is placed. This plugin is still being updated.

Pros

• Works on different email solutions like AWeber, MailChimp, and GetResponse
• The translation is possible through Translate WordPress
• Widget-friendly

Cons

• Only comes in five designs
• Some users reported that the plugin stopped working after some time

Price

• Free: 5 unique layouts, email integration, and more

See this full review of Optin Forms for more information.

4. WP Subscribe Pro

MyThemesShop has a history of creating themes and plugins for WordPress. WP Subscribe Pro is their solution for capturing user email addresses. Their responsive designs will look great on any platform. You can add animations if you wish.

The plugin can also show related articles on the pop-ups. It supports Feedburner, MailChimp, and Aweber.

Pros

• Responsive designs
• Optimized for speed
• 30-day money-back policy

Cons

• The dashboard can be confusing for beginners.

Price

• $29 (Single Site License, regular price is $39): Support for multiple email services, customization options

5. Leadpages

With Leadpages, you’re getting more than just a WordPress plugin. You will actually get an entire platform from where you can manage multiple sites. It runs on a clean interface. The drag-and-drop functionality makes everything simple. You can add or edit text quickly.

They have a wide variety of designs for your cold use. So no matter what industry you’re in, there’s a design that would complement your business.

Leadpages claims to be able to collect data from landing pages, social media, text messaging, and email.

Pros

• Flexible billing options
• 130+ mobile-friendly designs
• 1-click signup links
• Add pages to any site

Cons

• You may end up paying for features you don’t actually need. This tool is for heavy users.

Price

• $37 per month (Standard): Unlimited pages, traffic, and leads; 160+ templates; $100 AdWords credit; and more
• $79 per month (Professional): Everything in Standard + A/B testing and more
• $25 per month (Standard, billed annually): Unlimited pages, traffic, and leads; 160+ templates; $100 AdWords credit; and more
• $48 per month (Professional, billed annually): Everything in Standard + A/B testing and more
• $199 per month (Advanced, billed annually): Everything in Professional + advanced integration with HubSpot, Marketo, and Salesforce; and more

6. SumoMe

Capturing your audience at the right time is important. You want to call their attention when they’re engaged the most. SumoMe allows you to do just that. You can delay the pop-up message to capture your readers at the right moment. You can also catch them right before they leave.

You can make adjustments to the design. That way, the designs look close to your site. A/B testing is available.

Pros

• Adjustable pop-up message timing
• Edit the design to look like your site
• Big list of email marketing sites for integration
• Custom quotes available

Cons

• The ability to remove Sumo branding comes with a $199 package.

Price

• Free (Just Starting): 500 subscribers, basic email integrations
• $29 per month (Professional): Unlimited subscribers, pro visitor targeting, pre-built templates
• $79 per month (Small Business): Live chat feature, content upgrades, analytics
• $199 per month (E-commerce): Cart casino forms, discount codes, remove Sumo branding
• Custom Quote (Team): Unlimited sites and seats, VIP support

See this full SumoMe guide for instructions on how to install the plugin.

7. Bloom

Bloom is pretty cool because of the different display types they offer from ElegantThemes. You have your standard automatic pop-up. Then you have other types of displays like Fly-in that come from the side. In-line forms are placed in the content itself.

Below content forms appear below your posts. Widget area forms can be placed anywhere that’s widget-ready. You also get a display that asks users to opt-in to unlock the content.

There are many more features in the plugin including A/B testing, email marketing integrations, and over 100 templates to choose from.

Pros

• You get other products with Bloom (Divi, Divi Builder, Monarch, & more)
• Six different display types
• 100+ design templates

Cons

• No standalone pricing for Bloom (always bundled with other products)
• Limited pricing structure

Price

• $89 per year (Yearly Access): Access to all themes and plugins, unlimited website usage
• $249 (Lifetime Access): Everything in Yearly Access + lifetime support and updates

Which is the best?

As they stand now, Optin Forms is the best option for people who are just starting. Since it’s free, you’re not losing anything here. However, it only has a limited number of designs. So that could turn people off.

There’s a lot to say about Thrive Leads. Their Single License is affordable enough for newbies. Their features pack quite a punch. Bloom also seems like a great deal since you’re also getting other products with your purchase.