At WPBeginner, we’ve been using different types of lead magnets for over a decade now to get readers to subscribe to our email list. So far, we have built lead magnets like ebooks, free tools, giveaways, checklists, and a lot more.
We have also used dozens of lead magnet tools, including an ebook builder, an optin form creator to build optin forms, and email newsletter tools to grow an email list. That’s why we know what it takes to capture as many leads as possible and turn them into paying customers.
In this article, we will share the best lead magnet tools and our firsthand experience with them.
What Is a Lead Magnet?
A lead magnet or an optin bribe is a valuable piece of content or resource that you can offer to potential customers in exchange for their contact information, like their email address or phone number.
Lead magnets are highly effective in attracting new leads and growing your email list.
Some common types of lead magnets include ebooks, whitepapers, checklists, templates, webinars, quizzes, case studies, video tutorials, podcasts, free trials, discounts, and more.
If you want to grow your email list with a lead magnet, then you will need to make it relevant to your target audience and provide valuable information or insights that they can’t easily find elsewhere.
How We Selected Lead Magnet Tools
Here are a few things we considered when choosing lead magnet tools for this showcase:
Our first-hand experience: We’ve been growing our email list with lead magnets and have used several lead magnet tools in the process. We picked tools that we are already using on WPBeginner and our partner brands.
Different use cases: To grow leads with lead magnets, you’ll need to use different types of tools, such as a lead magnet creator, email marketing software, a form builder, and promotion tools. While compiling this list, we considered those different use cases.
Factors: We looked at multiple factors, including ease of use, features, pricing, and customer support to ensure that you get the best possible value for your money.
Why Trust WPBeginner?
At WPBeginner, we are a dedicated team with over 16 years of experience in WordPress, lead generation, and design. We extensively reviewed each plugin and tool featured here and thoroughly tested them on real websites.
To learn more, see our complete editorial process.
Overview of the Best Lead Magnet Tools
1. Beacon (Lead Magnet Creator)
Beacon is a powerful lead magnet creator that helps businesses and marketers create high-converting lead magnets. With Beacon, you can easily make ebooks, whitepapers, checklists, email templates, and more without any design or coding skills.
We tested Beacon for this article. From our experience, it’s by far the best lead magnet builder we’ve ever worked with.
Beacon features a user-friendly interface that makes it easy to create lead magnets, even for beginners. You don’t need any design or coding skills to get started.
It offers a wide range of professionally designed templates that you can customize to create your own unique lead magnets.
Its drag-and-drop editor allows you to easily add and arrange elements on your lead magnet. With just a few clicks, you can add text, images, videos, and more.
Pros of Using Beacon:
Lead capture forms: Aside from lead magnets, Beacon also lets you build lead capture forms that you can embed on your site to collect leads.
Integration with popular email marketing platforms: It seamlessly integrates with all major email marketing platforms, so you can easily add new subscribers to your email list.
Content blocks: Beacon provides a library of pre-made content blocks, such as calls-to-action, opt-in forms, and social share buttons. These not only help you build a lead magnet but also grow your email list.
Team collaboration: It allows multiple team members to collaborate on creating lead magnets. This feature is particularly useful for teams working remotely or on different schedules.
Cons of Using Beacon:
Limited free plan: While Beacon offers a free plan, you’ll have to upgrade to download a lead magnet you have built. However, you can embed a lead magnet form on your site and collect emails with the free plan.
No A/B testing: Beacon doesn’t offer A/B testing, which can be helpful for optimizing your lead magnet forms.
Why We Recommend Beacon: Beacon is the best bet if you are looking to build stunning lead magnets that convert without hiring a designer. It even lets you create a library of gated content within a minute!
Pricing: Beacon offers a free version, which is best for new businesses and hobbyists. The premium version starts at $19 per month.
2. OptinMonster (Lead Magnet Form Builder)
OptinMonster is the best lead generator tool that comes with pre-designed form templates to help you create a high converting lead magnet form.
We actually use it on WPBeginner to create high-converting popups, a sticky floating bar, and many other types of campaigns to grow our email list.
For more details, learn how to do lead generation in WordPress like a pro.
Creating a Lead Magnet Form
To create a high-converting optin bribe form, simply sign up for OptinMonster, choose a lead magnet template that you like, and then customize it to match your branding.
Once you’ve chosen a template, you can add your lead magnet image to the form.
Then, make sure you integrate your email marketing service with OptinMonster. That way, as soon as someone subscribes to your list, you can send the lead magnet to their email while also growing your list.
Pros of OptinMonster:
Super easy to build a form: With the drag and drop builder, you can create a high-converting lead magnet form in minutes.
Never build a form from scratch: OptinMonster offers a variety of pre-built lead magnet templates, so you don’t have to start a campaign from scratch.
Page-level targeting: You can target specific pages or posts with your form to increase conversions.
Other advanced targeting: OptinMonster also has several advanced targeting features, like exit intent, onsite retargeting, A/B testing, and more.
Cons of OptinMonster:
No free plan: While OptinMonster doesn’t advertise a free plan, if you install its free WordPress plugin, then you can get a free plan.
SaaS tool: Since it’s a SaaS plugin, you’ll have to log in to OptinMonster to build a form. However, unlike other popup plugins, it doesn’t slow down your site since it doesn’t consume much of your server resources.
Why We Recommend OptinMonster: OptinMonster is by far the best lead magnet form tool available on the market. We use it on WPBeginner to boost our lead generation growth.
Pricing: OptinMonster starts at $9/month when billed annually. To get advanced features like Exit Intent technology and Yes/No forms, you need the Pro plan, which starts at $29/month.
You can read our OptinMonster review for more details.
3. WPForms (Freemium WordPress Form Builder)
WPForms is the most user-friendly WordPress form builder plugin that allows you to create high-converting lead magnet forms with ease. It’s available in both a free and premium version, with the free version offering a wide range of features to help you get started.
Unlike most free WordPress form plugins, WPForms offers native integration with an email marketing service: Constant Contact. That means without paying a dime, you can create a lead magnet form in WordPress and start growing your email list right away.
We use WPForms on WPBeginner for different purposes, including contact forms, lead generation, and more. Based on our experience, we believe it’s the most beginner-friendly WordPress form builder.
The premium version of WPForms comes with several additional features:
Integrations: Integrate your forms with popular email marketing services like AWeber, GetResponse, Mailchimp, and more.
Pre-built form templates: WPForms comes with a library of 1800+ pre-built form templates to choose from. This can save you time and effort when creating your own forms.
Drag-and-drop form builder: The drag-and-drop form builder makes it easy to create forms without any coding knowledge. Simply drag and drop the fields you need onto the form builder to launch your forms right away.
Mobile-responsive forms: WPForms forms are mobile-responsive, so they will look great on any device.
Spam protection: WPForms includes built-in spam protection to keep your forms safe from spam submissions.
Pros of Using WPForms:
Beginner-friendly: WPForms is designed to be easy to use, even for beginners who don’t have any coding experience.
Easy peasy: Its drag-and-drop interface and its collection of pre-built form templates make it easy to build and launch a WordPress form.
Complete WordPress form solution: Whether you want to integrate payment processors with your forms or build other types of forms, like registration or even login forms, WPForms is the best bet.
Great support: WPForms has a dedicated support team that is available to help you with any issues you may encounter.
Cons of Using WPForms:
Only Constant Contact with the free version: The free version only supports the Constant Contact integration. For integration with other email marketing services, like Mailchimp or AWeber, you’ll have to use the paid version.
No targeting features: WPForms is a great option for creating simple lead generation forms, but it doesn’t offer any targeting features. That means you’ll have to embed the forms via WordPress blocks to display them.
Why We Recommend WPForms: If you’re looking for a lead generation form builder plugin, then WPForms is the right fit. It even allows you to create multiple types of forms, like payment forms, registration forms, survey forms, and more.
Pricing: WPForms pricing starts at $49.50/year. There’s also a free version of the plugin, which has limited features.
Read our WPForms review for more details.
4. Thrive Leads (WordPress Plugin to Build Forms)
Thrive Leads is another popular lead generation tool that allows you to create high-converting optin forms and lead magnet campaigns.
Although it comes with limited functionalities compared to OptinMonster, it’s built specifically for WordPress users. On the other hand, OptinMonster is a standalone tool that supports non-WordPress sites as well.
We use Thrive Leads on some of our partner brands, and it’s helped us grow our leads exponentially.
Thrive Leads comes with tons of lead generation form templates, including a lead magnet optin form. Just choose one of those templates, and you can quickly design an optin freebie form that helps you skyrocket your email list.
Thrive Leads lets you easily integrate the forms with your email marketing software, such as Constant Contact, Brevo, AWeber, and more.
Pros of Using Thrive Leads:
Drag-and-drop interface: Thrive Leads features an easy drag-and-drop interface, allowing you to create and customize opt-in forms without any coding knowledge.
Variety of opt-in form types: Thrive Leads offers a wide range of opt-in form types, including lightbox popups, slide-ins, content lockers, and more. This allows you to choose the type of form that best suits your needs and website design.
Mobile-responsive: All Thrive Leads opt-in forms are mobile-responsive, meaning they look great and function properly on all devices.
WordPress plugin: You don’t have to log into the Thrive Themes website to create a campaign. Campaigns can be set up right within your WordPress dashboard.
Purchase as a bundle: If you’re looking for a complete conversion optimization toolkit, then you can buy the Thrive Themes suite as a bundle for huge savings.
Cons of Thrive Leads:
No free version: Thrive Leads is a premium plugin, and doesn’t offer a free version.
Limited targeting features: Although it has many features, they are limited compared to tools like OptinMonster.
Why We Recommend Thrive Leads: Thrive Leads is the best choice if you are looking for a lead form solution built for WordPress sites. It also offers a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Price: Thrive Leads costs $99/year. It’s also available to purchase as part of the Thrive Suite, which has several integrated plugins at one great price: $299/year.
Read our Thrive Suite review for more details.
5. Canva (Yet Another Lead Magnet Builder)
Canva is a free online graphic design platform that allows you to create professional-looking designs, including a lead magnet design, without any design experience.
As we tested Canva, one of the features that stood out was its wide range of templates and tools. Those templates make it super easy to create stunning visuals.
Canva can be a valuable tool for creating visually appealing and informative lead magnets. You can use it to create various types of lead magnets, including ebooks, whitepapers, infographics, checklists, templates, and more.
Pros of Using Canva:
Create eye-catching designs: Canva’s drag-and-drop interface makes it easy to create beautiful designs for your optin bribes. You can choose from a library of templates or start from scratch and easily add your own images, text, and branding.
Use high-quality images: You can easily find high-quality images from their library. You can also upload your own photos or use royalty-free images from the web.
Share your lead magnets easily: Canva makes it easy to share your lead magnets with your audience. You can download them as PDFs or images, or share them directly on social media or via email.
Cons of Using Canva:
Learning curve: While Canva is user-friendly, mastering the platform’s features has a learning curve.
Can be slow: Canva can be slow to load and use, especially when working with complex designs or large files.
Not all features are free: While Canva offers a generous free plan, some features are only available to paid subscribers.
Limited design options: Some users may find the design options to be limited compared to professional design software like Photoshop.
Why We Recommend Canva: If you’re looking for a free platform that lets you design a lead magnet, then Canva is the right choice.
Pricing: The basic features are free to use. You can get premium access for $120/year for one person.
6. SeedProd (Landing Page Tool for Lead Magnet Campaigns)
SeedProd is a powerful WordPress landing page builder that helps you create high-converting landing pages to promote your lead magnet campaigns. It comes with a library of 300+ pre-built landing page templates, including templates for lead magnets.
After choosing a template, you can customize your landing pages to match your brand by changing the colors, fonts, and layout.
We use SeedProd on many of our sites to create high converting landing pages. We have also used it build a complete website from the ground up.
From our experience, one thing that makes SeedProd stand out is its collection of website kits and templates for landing pages, sales pages, and more.
Pros of Using SeedProd:
Drag-and-drop interface: SeedProd features an easy drag-and-drop builder, allowing you to create and customize landing pages without any coding knowledge.
Variety of landing page templates: SeedProd offers a wide range of landing page templates, including templates for lead generation, sales, and thank you pages. This allows you to choose the template that best suits your lead generation campaign.
Mobile-responsive: All SeedProd landing pages are mobile-responsive, meaning they look great and function properly on all devices.
Integration with popular email marketing platforms: SeedProd integrates with all major email marketing platforms, including Constant Contact, MailChimp, AWeber, and so on. This makes it easy to add new subscribers to your email list.
Cons of Using SeedProd:
Limited features in the free version: The free SeedProd plugin comes with a limited number of features.
Requires a Pro plan to build themes: Their flagship WordPress theme builder, complete website builder, and theme kits are only available with Pro or higher plan.
Why we Recommend SeedProd: SeedProd is the best option for growing your leads by building stunning landing pages that convert.
Pricing: Starting from $39.50 for a single site license. There’s also a free version with limited features.
For more details, see our complete SeedProd review.
7. Constant Contact (Email Newsletter Tool)
To build an email list with your lead magnet campaign, you will need to use an email marketing service. Constant Contact is a leading email marketing platform that comes with all the essential features to grow an email list with a lead magnet.
While we use Drip on most of our websites, we believe Constant Contact is the best choice for small businesses that need affordable email marketing plans.
During our testing, we found that it lets you create professional-looking emails quickly and easily.
It provides a range of professional email templates that you can customize to match your brand.
Plus, you’ll get a range of automation features, such as autoresponders and drip campaigns, to help you save time and streamline your email marketing efforts.
Pros of Using Constant Contact:
Drag-and-drop email editor: The drag-and-drop email editor makes it easy to create professional-looking emails without any HTML knowledge.
Affordable pricing: Constant Contact offers a variety of pricing plans to fit your budget.
Landing pages: Constant Contact allows you to create landing pages to capture leads and grow your email list.
List segmentation: Constant Contact allows you to segment your email list so you can send targeted emails to your subscribers.
Cons of Using Constant Contact:
No free plan: It doesn’t offer a free forever plan.
Expensive: The pricing can get expensive as you grow your email list.
Why We Recommend Constant Contact: Constant Contact is the best email marketing service that offers affordable pricing plans for small businesses.
Pricing: Constant Contact has a 60-day free trial (no credit card required). After that, their pricing starts as low as $12 /month.
WPBeginner users can use our Constant Contact coupon code to get an additional 20% off.
8. Brevo (Freemium Email Newsletter Tool)
Brevo is a beginner-friendly email marketing platform. It’s designed to make it easy for small companies and entrepreneurs to build email lists and grow their businesses.
We like Brevo’s interface, which is designed to be simple and easy to use, even for people who don’t have any experience with email marketing. You can create beautiful emails, build landing pages, and automate your email campaigns with just a few clicks.
Once you build your lead magnet, you can create an optin form with Brevo and start collecting email addresses by embedding the form on your site.
With Brevo, you can easily set up a trigger email that sends the lead magnet to your users’ email addresses as soon as they sign up for your newsletter.
Pros of Using Brevo:
Free plan: Unlike Constant Contact, Brevo offers a free forever plan. No credit card info is needed to sign up.
Affordable: Brevo offers affordable plans, especially when compared to other similar email marketing tools.
SMS and WhatsApp marketing: Aside from email marketing, Brevo also lets you connect with your contacts through SMS and WhatsApp marketing.
Great customer support: Brevo has a dedicated customer support team that is available to help you with any questions or problems you may have.
Cons of Using Brevo:
Not comprehensive: Brevo isn’t as comprehensive as other feature-rich email marketing services.
Limited free plan: Its free plan only allows you to send a limited number of emails and contacts.
Why We Recommend Brevo: If you’re looking for a reliable email marketing service that comes with a free plan, then Brevo is the best choice.
Pricing: Brevo offers a completely free email marketing plan with unlimited contacts. Their free plan lets you send up to 300 emails per day, but all your emails will have their branding.
Their paid plans start from $25 per month for Starter. You can also include SMS in your account, but the pricing will vary based on your sending requirements.
What Are the Best Lead Magnet Tools?
If you want to build a stunning lead magnet, then we recommend using Beacon. It lets you design ebooks, checklists, email templates, whitepapers, and more without any design skills.
Alternatively, to create high-converting lead magnet forms, OptinMonster is your best bet. It allows you to design popups, sticky footer bars, and other campaigns.
You can then connect your lead magnet campaigns with a powerful email marketing tool like Constant Contact.
We hope this article helped you find the best WordPress lead magnet plugins for your site. You may also want to learn how to grow your email list faster or the future of popup marketing.
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