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6 Best Email Capture Plugins in 2022 (Free and Paid)

Email marketing, WordPress plugins

Looking for best email capture plugins? Email marketing is the most effective solution for connecting with your audience and keeping them updated with your content.

Most people find your website, read some information, leave and then never return. Only a few of them really do something that will boost your conversion rate. Wouldn’t it be great for your business to convert some of those people to subscribe to your mailing list?

The most important asset of your online presence is your email list.

No, it´s not the design of your WordPress theme or your content. These just help a lot to get your email subscribers. But if you’re not gathering prospects, they don’t do you much good.

As you build your email subscriber list, promoting your new posts becomes faster and more effective. You can send a notification to thousands of interested people who want to read your content and get highly-targeted traffic to your website.

To get acquainted with the world of generating leads via email, I will list some of the best free and paid WordPress plugins for email marketing. Let’s start with the best.

1. Thrive Leads

The Thrive Leads plugin is definitely located at the top of our list in case you don’t want any compromises in your email list-building strategy. We recommended it to all of our clients and they’ve witnessed duplication and even tripling their conversion rates after installing and configuring it properly.

Thrive Leads Best List Building Plugins for WordPress

What makes Thrive Leads special is time-saving, easy handling without any programming or coding knowledge. Below is the list of its features.

More Opt-in Forms

Unlike the vast majority of plugins on the market, there are several types of forms available:

  • Classic Sign-up Box – The classic sidebar sign-up box which always stays in the field of vision and not just above the fold.
  • Pop-up Box – The pop-up window contains a menu of commands and stays on the screen only until you select one of the commands. It then disappears.

ThriveLeads Email Marketing Pop Up Box

  • Sticky Ribbon – (Since ThematoSoup is one of the sticky header plugin authors, we can confirm that the Thrive team made a serious shift when it comes to this type of add-on, both from the frontend and backend).

ThriveLeads Email Marketing Plugin with Sticky Ribbon Feature

  • Inline Forms – Especially suitable for bloggers who have a major following. The main attention is always on the text, and with this function, it is possible to increase the number of email subscribers up to 200% compared to the classic sign-up box on the right.

Thrive Leads Inline Form Email Marketing

  • 2-step Opt-in – Suitable primarily for marketers who want to build a relevant email list. The site visitor must do 2 steps – click on the link and sign in with an email.
  • Slide-In – Display the relevant opt-in boxes on the right side of the blog and customize for every blog post.

Thrive Leads Slide In Email Marketing Form

  • Screen Filler – Ok, we admit that we did not use this. It should increase conversion rates, but I do not personally like to bomb our visitors that much.

ThriveLeads Screen Filler Subscription Form

  • Content Lock – A recommendation for articles that have viral potential. Especially how-to articles. Set up some worth of content in exchange for the email.

Thrive Leads Content Unlock Form

  • Welcome Mat – Similar to Screen Filler.

Thrive Leads Welcome Mat

  • Multiple Choice Form – Engage your visitors and ask them to make a choice right away.

Multiple Choice Form Thrive Leads

Advanced targeting

Every marketer knows that today it’s more important than ever to make content relevant. It’s the same with email marketing plugins.

For one of our clients, we installed a special email form that is relevant to the topic of each blog post. For example, if an article was about WordPress Security then the form offered a whitepaper on security. This way, the conversion rate has risen by 350%!

Advanced statistics

Even though we are marketers and the installation of Google Analytics code is not a problem, the built-in thrive leads statistics help us set it a lot faster and measure the effect of the setup email forms.

Here are the reports you get access to:

  • Conversion Report
  • Conversion Rate Report
  • Cumulative Conversions Report
  • Comparison Report
  • List Growth
  • Cumulative List Growth
  • Lead Referral Report
  • Lead Tracking Report
  • Content Marketing Report

A/B Tests

Pay special attention to A/B tests when installing the plugin. In relation to the time you put into configuring and installing the plugin, your investment should return X10 times. When you set it up correctly, the email plugin works on its own!

What to measure

  • Types of opt-in forms – does a content locker work better or a pop-up box
  • Different email triggers – does it work better with a 3-second pop-up or with an exit-intent function
  • Different offers – do you achieve better conversion rates using an e-book or a free course that you offer?

Trigger options

Exit trigger – when someone tries to get out of the site, the form is shown

Time trigger – email form does not have to be boring – show it only to those who showed interest in your content

Scroll Trigger – similar to time trigger, the email form appears after the visitor scrolls more than a specified percentage of the page

Click Trigger – the form appears after clicking on a particular item or link

Precise targeting

This is the option we used to increase the number of leads for one of our clients. The tactic is simple – show the relevant (email) offer to each visitor.

Marketing automation & autoresponders make a difference

Thrive Leads is very easy to connect with the most popular email services. Here’s the list of email services that are currently available (and constantly increasing):

  1. ActiveCampaign
  2. ArpReach
  3. Aweber mail marketing
  4. Campaign Monitor
  5. Constant Contact
  6. ConvertKit
  7. Drip email marketing automation
  8. Facebook
  9. Getresponse
  10. Google
  11. Citrix GotoWebinar
  12. Hubspot
  13. iContact
  14. Infusionsoft platform
  15. Kick Tipp
  16. Mad Mimi
  17. Mailchimp
  18. Mailerlite
  19. Mailpoet
  20. Mailrelay
  21. Mautic – open source email platform
  22. Ontraport
  23. SendReach
  24. SendGrid

Pricing

You have several licenses to choose from depending on your needs:

  • 1 license – $67
  • 5 licenses – $97
  • 15 licenses – $147
  • or 25 licenses / $19 month (if you’re a Thrive member already)

Give Thrive Leads try if you need a robust email marketing plugin for your WordPress website.

2. SendinBlue

The SendinBlue WordPress plugin is a powerful email marketing tool with over 30.000 active installs. It allows you to create customized subscription forms and integrate them into your posts, pages or sidebars.

Sendinblue Best Email Marketing Plugin

You can also easily manage your contact lists and use advanced audience segmentation to improve the performance of your campaign.

There is a mobile-friendly drag and drop builder and template library which helps you to create and send engaging newsletters. Also, you have insights in stats, such as:

  • Open emails
  • Clicks
  • Bounce rate
  • A/B tests
  • Heatmaps

Automate your marketing communications

SendinBlue offers advanced features like marketing automation. You can now optimize your contact management with personalized workflows. With 8 automation workflow templates, you can configure everything from welcome emails to abandoned cart reminders.

Email Marketing Automation by SendinBlue

SendinBlue gets high grades from us and is totally free up to 9,000 sent emails per month or 300 emails daily. You can upload an unlimited number of your existing contacts, but you can have automated workflow for up to 2000 contacts on their free plan.

You also get free customer support for the first 60 days upon signing up, which is enough for you to configure and test your email campaigns, lists and forms.

SendinBlue is compatible with all of the most popular tools on the market:

  • CMS : WordPress, Prestashop, Magento, Drupal, WooCommerce
  • CRM : Salesforce, Intercom
  • Web performance : Google Analytics

SendinBlue Service Implementation

If you’re looking for a free email marketing service with automation features and free support, then SendinBlue is the one.

3. OptinMonster

Over 300.000 websites use the OptinMonster software to get more email subscribers. It helps them grow email lists and get more subscribers using pop-ups and other types of high converting opt-in forms.

The only catch is that you must have an OptinMonster account if you want to take advantage of this plugin.

OptinMonster lead Generation plugin and service.

OptinMonster has a paid service, as well, with Geo-location targeting, 2-step opt-ins and exit-intent technology.

An easy to use form builder allows you to create stunning opt-in forms with the highest conversion rates. All templates are 100% responsive and mobile friendly. You can choose from 9 different types of opt-ins.

  • Lightbox PopupThe most effective and popular way to grow your email list.
  • Fullscreen Welcome MatCreate a fullscreen interstitial with a call to action that can’t be ignored.
  • Slide-in Scroll BoxHigh-converting alternative for popups that slides from the corner.
  • Floating BarIncrease conversions with a footer or header bar that scrolls with you.
  • Countdown TimerUse urgency and scarcity to boost your sales and conversions.
  • Sidebar FormsTurn every page of your website into a lead generation opportunity.
  • Inline FormsEmbeddable forms that you can add in blog posts and page content.
  • Content LockerTurn any article into gated content and watch your email list grow.
  • Coupon Wheel OptinsCreate interactive spin-a-wheel campaigns proven to increase sales.

It has easy integration with over 19 different email marketing service providers.

And now let’s check some of the free email marketing plugins on WordPress.org.

4. MailPoet

Update: MailPoet now gives you access to their Premium plan for free if you have 1000 subscribers or less.

This free, trustworthy and simple WordPress plugin is an excellent solution for creating newsletters, automated emails, post notifications and autoresponders. You can capture subscribers with its great signup widget.

MailPoet Email Marketing WrdPress Plugin

Also, it allows you to drop your posts, images and social icons in your newsletter. Sending newsletters in the free version is limited to 2000 subscribers. This is ideal for small business owners and bloggers.

You can choose between 70 themes and get stats for your newsletter: opens, clicks, unsubscribes, bounce rate, etc.

With very high ratings from its users, MailPoet is definitely a plugin that is worth your attention. They also have a premium version with a lot more features such as your custom branding, detailed analytics, WooCommerce support, etc.

5. SendPress Newsletters

With very high ratings from its users and 10.000+ active installs, SendPress Newsletters is easy to use WordPress plugin.

SendPress Free Email Marketing Plugin for WordPress

It has all the features you need. You can create customized newsletter templates, easy import post content from your site and schedule sending newsletters.

It has unlimited subscribers plan, simple editor and you don’t need any previous code experience. You can also sync WordPress roles to newsletter subscriber lists.

Also, there is stat tracking for each email: clicks, opens and unsubscribes.

If you worry that your emails maybe aren´t sent for some reason, just enable the Auto Cron option from the admin panel. The system will check your site every 15 minutes to make sure your newsletters are sent.

SendPress premium gives you access to their support, their pro modules and their help in implementing the plugin correctly.

6. Mailchimp

As the most popular email marketing solution for marketers, it provides you with numerous ways to manage your subscriber list, design and send your email newsletters. More than 7 million people around the world use it. Mailchimp is free for lists of up to 2000 subscribers.

Mailchimp for WordPress, a free email marketing plugin

This plugin connects together your WordPress website and your MailChimp account. Updates are regular, and this plugin has over 1M active installs.

Mailchimp has the highest ratings from its users in comparing with other WordPress plugins for email marketing automatization. If you’re looking for good Mailchimp alternatives, we’ve written a post about that, as well.

Mailchimp plugin helps you to add more subscribers to your lists using various methods. You can create eye-catching opt-in forms or integrate it with any other form of your site (your comment, contact or checkout form).

Conclusion

Email marketing is highly effective in increasing leads and conversions. If you want to share the latest news, promotions or offers with your prospects and customers, then this is the best choice for your online business.

If you use WordPress, you should install one of these great free plugins to get your email marketing campaign up and running.

Do you use one of these WordPress plugins for your email marketing campaigns? Which one works best for you?

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Ivan Muljevski
Google Ads specialist at ThematoSoup sharing marketing tips on how to increase and automate your online presence.
Ivan Muljevski

@nislija

SEO / Internet marketing.Ninet Company. Nislija.
Ovako izgleda Niš ovih dana "Autor: Predrag Stamenković – Media Press" https://t.co/Q9hujkpaIF - 5 years ago
Ivan Muljevski

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37 comments 6 Best Email Capture Plugins in 2022 (Free and Paid)

  1. Hi Ivan!

    We’re so sad you forget about us :'(

    Maybe it’s because you didn’t know us :) We’re a brand new Newsletter plugin for WordPress called Jackmail and the first one ever to include a routing platform so you don’t have to fiddle with complicated smtp settings.

    Check it out : https://www.jackmail.com
    Plugin, support, features and updates are free! You only pay above the free plan (which is 3000 emails per month for free !)

    Have a great day :)

    1. Are there any newsletter plugins for WP that allow us to send emails to our subscribers based on the subscription list?

      E.g. A Magazine WP site might have a subscriber that is interested in Sports, Kids activities, and Things to do… While another subscriber is interested in Entertainment, Politics, and Sports.

      When the first reader subscribes to Sports, Kids Activities, and Things to do (which are 3 different types of Newsletter content) they receive 1 email per day (if that’s what the Magazine wants to send a newsletter to their subscribers) but INCLUDES all 3 subscription types into one. So the Subscriber should NEVER get more than 1 email from us.

      We use Tags/Custom Fields/taxonomies and such to mark all of our content on our site that’s been published, so we know that every content on our site is for a specific type of user.

      Thanks!

  2. This is an awesome list. But I think as a beginner one should start with MailChimp, which is free for first 2000 subscribers. This is a huge number of subscribers for a beginner and kick-start email marketing. Many thanks for sharing this list.

    1. I agree. Santanu. Everyone should try MailChimp. That’s why it’s in the article, maybe not as high as it deserves, but it’s there :)
      Thanks for the comment and for stopping by.

    2. Got mailchimp activated but d settings took me to some merri go round tour that ended up asking me to pay.
      Thought you said for the first 2000 subscribers list its absolutely free, can’t experience it here,or there an alternative way?

  3. Thank you for the list.

    I also as a beginner started with MailChimp.
    Now I use Mailster from CodeCanyon. Never regretted or looked back.

    Cheers!

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    Can you recommend a good web hoѕting provideг at a reasonable price?

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  5. According to Optin Monster “Over 70% of your visitors do just that and never return”
    and thats true, we have noticed this in our clients website and when we suggested them about Optin forms to collect emails and start taking actions, their sales started increasing.

    Everyone should at least try once and do A/B testing with it. Check what is working for them and then take the next step.

    You have covered the most important plugins that anyone will love to go with. The only draw back is “for a newbie it’s costly” like SumoMe shows data only for past 7 days and if you want to check for more days you have to pay.

    1. You’re right on both of the statements. A/B testing and collecting emails and prospecting is what everybody should do and yes, it can be costly for newbies, but you’ve got some free options as well.

  6. Hey Ivan, thanks for sharing the email marketing plugin list. OptinMonster is helps to grow email list & increase subscribers using pop-ups and high converting opt – in forms.
    IMO beginner should start with Autopitch, which is 30 days free trial with 2000 contacts & 2000 emails.

    1. Thanks for the comment. I’ll try out the options that you mentioned and update the article.

      If you have another suggestion, feel free to you comment again.

  7. A great comparison of the two veterans of email marketing, Ivan.

    I have an account with many autoresponder services. I tend to prefer Aweber, but I think it is just because I started with it and I’m just more used to it.

    However, both companies offer a great service and are very easy to use, with an almost self-explanatory user interface.

    The reason why I have an additional GetResponse account was to have buyers from JVZoo automatically added via API using single opt-in. As Aweber allows this meanwhile too, it became obsolete.

    With the recent release of their marketing automation tool, GetResponse made another great step forward.

    Although I just had a fast look at it, it seems to be much more powerful than Aweber’s campaigns which were released a while ago but lacks a lot of necessary functions.

    If I would get started now and had to decide between Aweber and GetResponse, I’d choose GetResponse, mainly because of their new automation tool.

    1. The truth is that all the tools I listed in the article have the features most people need.

      Automation is for most email marketing platforms the default now and not a premium feature.

      Thanks for stopping by.

  8. Thanks for the idea of all those
    i really like the mailchimp one for WP. i am a huge fan of weber though. they are some feature and integrations like none of above

  9. Hi Ivan, thanks for the list.

    I wanted to guide my readers on how to build a list with WordPress for free.

    I like Mailchimp but I prefer a plugin for WordPress that has a popup, I know many feel it’s annoying but it works when you’re offering exactly what the visitor needs. Like an ebook or video series.

    Do you know of any plugins that integrate with mailchimp but has popup features?

    Mozie

  10. Is there an email marketing plugin that behaves like one of the services (MailChimp, MailPoet, SendinBlue) but does the automation in WordPress and sends emails using MS Exchange or other in-house email system?

  11. This is a very important post. Thank you for sharing this. keep going I am waiting for your next post. Email marketing is the most important channel for any business. Thanks again

  12. Informative and helpful post. I am a newbie blogger and hopefully some of these plugins can satisfy my needs.

    Thank you for sharing this post.

  13. Informative and helpful post. I am a newbie blogger and hopefully some of these plugins can satisfy my needs.

    Thank you for sharing this post.

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