External Links in New Window / New Tab vs Open in New Window Plugin (2026)
Detailed side-by-side comparison of two WordPress plugins, based on real-time data from WordPress.org.
External Links in New Window / New Tab
30K+ active installs
Free
Open in New Window Plugin
2.0K+ active installs
Free
Quick Verdict
As of April 2026, Open in New Window Plugin has a higher user rating (4.8/5 from 16 reviews) while External Links in New Window / New Tab leads in active installations (30K+ vs 2.0K+). Both are free WordPress plugins. External Links in New Window / New Tab has accumulated 489K+ total downloads while Open in New Window Plugin has 125K+.
Detailed Comparison
| Metric | External Links in New Window / New Tab | Open in New Window Plugin | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rating | 4.5/5 | ► | 4.8/5 |
| Total Reviews | 77 | ◄ | 16 |
| Active Installs | 30K+ | ◄ | 2.0K+ |
| Total Downloads | 489K+ | ◄ | 125K+ |
| Support Resolution | N/A | N/A | |
| Last Updated | 4 months ago | ◄ | 1 year ago |
| First Released | 2010 | 2009 | |
| Age | 16 years | 17 years | |
| WP Requires | 4.0+ | 3.0+ | |
| PHP Requires | 5.2+ | false+ | |
| Business Model | Free | Free | |
| Latest Version | 1.45 | 3.0 |
Rating Breakdown
External Links in New Window / New Tab
Open in New Window Plugin
Download Trends
Over the past 30 days, External Links in New Window / New Tab averaged approximately 83 daily downloads while Open in New Window Plugin averaged 13.
Recent Reviews
External Links in New Window / New Tab Reviews
Not working
Not working with google ads
Works as expected, minimal setup
Download, activate, you are done. This is pretty much you need, works flawlessly.
Simple, elegant plug-in
This one’s going to save me a good deal of time with my new writing process. Thank you for creating it.
Open in New Window Plugin Reviews
Works with No Fuss
Install, check the Settings page Settings > Open in New Window and uncheck the images etc checkbox if you want, and you’re done. Nifty. Works. No fuss.
It worked
Not much to say, but it worked as advertised. 🙂
Works like a charm!
I installed different plugins with that purpose, but none of them worked with my custom theme. This one works like magic! Thank you! You saved me lots of time!
More New Window Worth Comparing
Top alternatives in the same category as External Links in New Window / New Tab and Open in New Window Plugin
Internal links & external links manager: open in new window or tab, control nofollow, ugc, sponsored & noopener. SEO friendly.
Opens external links and internal links in a new window depending on user settings. Manage all external & internal links on your site.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Which has better ratings — External Links in New Window / New Tab or Open in New Window Plugin?
Are External Links in New Window / New Tab and Open in New Window Plugin free?
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Plugin data sourced from WordPress.org. Comparison and analysis by PluginSift.