Brave vs OptinMonster (September 2026)
Updated September 7, 2026 · Data from WordPress.org, refreshed daily · How this works
Both rank in the WordPress.org Popup Plugins top 10: Brave at #9 and OptinMonster at #2. OptinMonster leads on 3 of the 5 measures we track. Every number below comes straight from WordPress.org and is refreshed every day.
Brave
Brave – Create Popup, Optins, Lead Generation, Survey, Sticky Elements & Interactive Content
The best drag-and-drop Popup Builder for WordPress. Create Popups, exit-intent popups, slide-ins, and lead generation forms & Woocommerce popups i …
OptinMonster
Popup Builder & Popup Maker for WordPress – OptinMonster Email Marketing and Lead Generation
🤩 Make popups & optin forms to get more email newsletter subscribers, leads, and sales - #1 most popular popup builder plugin! 🚀
Who leads on what
OptinMonster leads on 3 of the 5 measures we track.
OptinMonster ranks higher on WordPress.org: #2 against #9 in Popup Plugins.
OptinMonster has more users: 1 million+ active installs against 20,000+.
Brave is rated higher: 4.8 out of 5 from 209 reviews, against 4.3 from 816 reviews.
OptinMonster has more reviews behind its score: 816 against 209.
Brave was updated more recently, on August 26, 2026; OptinMonster on August 14, 2026.
Which one to pick
Each plugin is the better answer for the measure it actually leads on. Nothing here is a recommendation we invented.
Brave
Pick Brave if the review score matters most to you or you want the one shipping releases most recently.
OptinMonster
Pick OptinMonster if you go by where WordPress.org itself puts them, you want the plugin more sites already run or you want the score backed by more reviews.
Brave vs OptinMonster side by side
| Brave | OptinMonster | |
|---|---|---|
| Popup Plugins ranking | #9 | #2 |
| Rating | 4.8 | 4.3 |
| Reviews | 209 | 816 |
| Active installs | 20,000+ | 1 million+ |
| Total downloads | 586,236 | 134,422,955 |
| Downloads, last 30 days | – | – |
| Last updated | Aug 26, 2026 | Aug 14, 2026 |
| First published | Nov 30, 2019 | Apr 26, 2015 |
| Tested up to WordPress | 7.1 | 7.0.4 |
| Requires PHP | 7.2.24 | 7.4 |
| Pricing | Free on WordPress.org | Free on WordPress.org |
30-day download figures appear after both plugins have 30 days of tracking.
Brave ratings
OptinMonster ratings
How we compare these two
Every figure here is pulled from the WordPress.org plugin API every day at 03:00 UTC, for both plugins in the same run, so the two are always read on the same day. We compare only what the directory reports: active installs, the rating and how many reviews stand behind it, the last release date and, once we have a month of history, downloads over the last 30 days. Ratings are only called a win above 50 reviews each, because a handful of five-star reviews is not evidence. Nothing is weighted into an overall score, no measure is worth more than another, and neither Brave nor OptinMonster can pay to appear here: the pair exists only because both plugins reached the Popup Plugins top 10. Full methodology.
Brave vs OptinMonster: common questions
Is Brave better than OptinMonster?
OptinMonster leads on 3 of the 5 measures we track. Neither is better at everything, and the answer depends on which measure you weigh. OptinMonster ranks higher on WordPress.org: #2 against #9 in Popup Plugins.
Which has more users, Brave or OptinMonster?
OptinMonster ranks higher on WordPress.org: #2 against #9 in Popup Plugins.
Which is rated higher, Brave or OptinMonster?
OptinMonster has more users: 1 million+ active installs against 20,000+.
Are Brave and OptinMonster free?
Both are free to install from WordPress.org. Brave may also sell a paid version or add-ons. OptinMonster may also sell a paid version or add-ons.
Alternatives to Brave and OptinMonster
Plugins that score close to both in the same WordPress.org rankings and tags.
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Poptin
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Hustle
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Popup Box
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What moved this week
One email a week, built from the same daily snapshots these rankings come from: the plugins that climbed, what launched, and one ranking worth a look.