Hey all!
I’m comparing popup tools for 2025 and I’m stuck between a dozen options. There’s Popupsmart , Sleeknote, OptiMonk, OptinMonster, Ninja Popup, Adoric, Mailmunch, Poptin, Hello Bar, Privy, Sumo, and WisePops.
I run a Shopify store and we’re growing fast, but I need something that’s:
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Easy to use, mobile-friendly
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Strong with targeting rules (exit, cart, scroll, device)
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Integrates with Mailchimp/Klaviyo
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Affordable and scalable
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Bonus for gamification!
What’s working for everyone in 2025?
1 Like
Hey Michelle!
I’ve tested most of those on various Shopify sites. Here’s what I found:
Ease of Use / Mobile:
- Popupsmart is smooth, clean UI, and super fast. Has mobile + desktop design previews.
- Sleeknote looks great and is advanced but has a bit of a learning curve.
- Hello Bar & Poptin are beginner-friendly.
- Avoid Ninja Popup for Shopify — it’s really a WordPress plugin and super clunky.
Targeting Options:
- WisePops, OptiMonk, Popupsmart, and OptinMonster are all strong on targeting (exit, cart, scroll, etc.).
- Popupsmart has solid behavior triggers even on the free plan.
- Hello Bar is basic. Ninja Popup is limited.
Email Integrations (Mailchimp, Klaviyo):
All the main players (Popupsmart, OptiMonk, Sleeknote, Poptin, etc.) integrate easily.
Mailmunch was built for this.
Ninja Popup makes it a pain unless you use Zapier.
Pricing (2025):
- Popupsmart: Free up to 5k views, ~$32/mo for 50k, ~$82 for 250k. Scales well.
- OptiMonk: Free up to 15k views, then jumps up (e.g., $99 for bigger sites).
- Sleeknote: $$$ — around $50+ for 25k visitors.
- Privy: Starts at $24/month for displays only.
- Poptin: Free for 1k, then ~$25/mo for 10k.
- Mailmunch: Free tier is generous.
- Adoric: Charges based on order volume.
- BDOW! (Sumo): Still affordable, but lacks some modern features.
Gamification:
- Popupsmart just added spin-to-win popups — looks slick.
- Privy, OptinMonster, Poptin, and OptiMonk also support spin wheels and scratch cards.
- WisePops and Sleeknote now support gamified formats too.
- Hello Bar and Ninja Popup — not really.
TL;DR:
For a Shopify store:
Popupsmart or OptiMonk are solid all-around picks.
Sleeknote or WisePops if you’ve got the budget.
Skip Ninja Popup unless you’re on WordPress.
1 Like
HI! don’t want to repeat what others have said, but I have to give Popupsmart some credit.
If you don’t want to mess with designs like me, their AI popup creator is really handy. You tell it what you want to do (e.g., “collect emails” or “recover carts with a Black Friday theme”) and voila — it creates a pretty good popup for you. No dragging, template editing, or design headaches.
Additionally:
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Very fast setup — I created and published popups in under 10 minutes—actually, exactly 6 minutes 
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Affordable — free for 5,000 views, then $39 per month (fixed, no weird feature limitations)
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Robust targeting — exit intent, scroll depth, cart-based, even device-level
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Integrates locally with Mailchimp and with Klaviyo via Zapier
They’ve rolled out new AI features quite quickly this year. To be honest, it feels like an actively evolving product, not just one that’s standing still.
DO NOT use Sleeknote on Shopify. I tried. Regret it. 
I moved to Popupsmart and was amazed. No plugin, just a lightweight script — didn’t hurt my PageSpeed at all. Easy to install, mobile-friendly, and great targeting even on the free plan.
The spin-to-win popup literally took me 2 mins to set up. I also love how flexible the design editor is — you can even add custom CSS if you’re picky like me.
Also: integrates perfectly with Klaviyo. Took 1 API key, and done.
Here’s a quick‑glance decision table—just the essentials a typical Shopify merchant cares about. I kept it to five core factors, so you can spot strengths at a glance.
BEST POPUP BUILDER TOOLS
| Tool (2025) |
1‑Click Shopify Install |
Advanced Targeting (exit, cart, device) |
Built‑in Gamification |
Entry‑Level Price* |
Overall Fit for Shopify |
| Popupsmart |
 |
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Free ≤ 5 k views |
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| Then ≈ $32/mo (50 k) |
 Top pick – checks every box |
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| OptiMonk |
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Free ≤ 15 k views |
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| Then ≈ $39/mo |
Strong—watch price jump at scale |
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| Sleeknote |
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No free tier |
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| ≈ $55/mo (25 k) |
Premium features, premium cost |
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| OptinMonster |
 (code snippet) |
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From ≈ $19/mo |
Solid but manual install + pricier |
| Privy |
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Free plan |
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| Pop‑ups only: $24/mo (10 k) |
Great if you also want email/SMS |
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| Poptin |
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Free ≤ 1 k views |
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| $25/mo (10 k) |
Budget‑friendly, feature‑rich |
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| WisePops |
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Trial only |
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| $49/mo (50 k) |
Enterprise‑leaning, excellent data |
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| Hello Bar |
basic app |
basic |
 |
Free basic |
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| $29/mo (50 k) |
Simple banners; limited features |
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Why Popupsmart stands out in this simplified view
- Easiest start: One‑click Shopify app or copy‑paste script—no coding hoops.
- Full feature set on day one: Advanced targeting + gamified pop‑ups are included even on the free plan.
- Predictable scaling: Clear page‑view–based pricing, cheaper than most peers once traffic grows.
If you need maximum depth (e.g., revenue attribution dashboards) and have budget, and growing Shopify stores, Popupsmart delivers the core features fastest and at the lowest total cost of ownership—hence the verdict.
