External Links – nofollow, noopener &… vs External Links in New Window / New Tab (2026)
Detailed side-by-side comparison of two WordPress plugins, based on real-time data from WordPress.org.
External Links – nofollow, noopener &…
90K+ active installs
Free
External Links in New Window / New Tab
30K+ active installs
Free
Quick Verdict
As of April 2026, External Links in New Window / New Tab has a higher user rating (4.5/5 from 77 reviews) while External Links – nofollow, noopener &… leads in active installations (90K+ vs 30K+). Both are free WordPress plugins. External Links – nofollow, noopener &… has accumulated 1.7M+ total downloads while External Links in New Window / New Tab has 489K+.
Detailed Comparison
| Metric | External Links – nofollow, noopener &… | External Links in New Window / New Tab | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rating | 4.3/5 | ► | 4.5/5 |
| Total Reviews | 247 | ◄ | 77 |
| Active Installs | 90K+ | ◄ | 30K+ |
| Total Downloads | 1.7M+ | ◄ | 489K+ |
| Support Resolution | 100% | N/A | |
| Last Updated | 1 week ago | ◄ | 4 months ago |
| First Released | 2011 | 2010 | |
| Age | 15 years | 16 years | |
| WP Requires | 4.2+ | 4.0+ | |
| PHP Requires | 7.2+ | 5.2+ | |
| Business Model | Free | Free | |
| Latest Version | 2.64 | 1.45 |
Rating Breakdown
External Links – nofollow, noopener &…
External Links in New Window / New Tab
Download Trends
Over the past 30 days, External Links – nofollow, noopener &… averaged approximately 1,227 daily downloads while External Links in New Window / New Tab averaged 83.
Recent Reviews
External Links – nofollow, noopener &… Reviews
Almost nothing at free version
Almost nothing at free version.
Essential Plugin for SEO Control Over External Links
This plugin is exactly what I needed to manage external link behavior on my site. The ability to customize nofollow and dofollow rules by domain is a huge win for SEO, especially for trusted citations
Garbage
Messed my whole site up.
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.
More New Tab Worth Comparing
Top alternatives in the same category as External Links – nofollow, noopener &… and External Links in New Window / New Tab
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
Is External Links – nofollow, noopener &… or External Links in New Window / New Tab more popular?
Which has better ratings — External Links – nofollow, noopener &… or External Links in New Window / New Tab?
Are External Links – nofollow, noopener &… and External Links in New Window / New Tab free?
Which plugin has better support — External Links – nofollow, noopener &… or External Links in New Window / New Tab?
Which plugin is updated more frequently?
Plugin data sourced from WordPress.org. Comparison and analysis by PluginSift.