External Links – nofollow, noopener &… 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 – nofollow, noopener &…
90K+ 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 – nofollow, noopener &… leads in active installations (90K+ vs 2.0K+). Both are free WordPress plugins. External Links – nofollow, noopener &… has accumulated 1.7M+ total downloads while Open in New Window Plugin has 125K+.
Detailed Comparison
| Metric | External Links – nofollow, noopener &… | Open in New Window Plugin | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rating | 4.3/5 | ► | 4.8/5 |
| Total Reviews | 247 | ◄ | 16 |
| Active Installs | 90K+ | ◄ | 2.0K+ |
| Total Downloads | 1.7M+ | ◄ | 125K+ |
| Support Resolution | 100% | N/A | |
| Last Updated | 1 week ago | ◄ | 1 year ago |
| First Released | 2011 | 2009 | |
| Age | 15 years | 17 years | |
| WP Requires | 4.2+ | 3.0+ | |
| PHP Requires | 7.2+ | false+ | |
| Business Model | Free | Free | |
| Latest Version | 2.64 | 3.0 |
Rating Breakdown
External Links – nofollow, noopener &…
Open in New Window Plugin
Download Trends
Over the past 30 days, External Links – nofollow, noopener &… averaged approximately 1,227 daily downloads while Open in New Window Plugin averaged 13.
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.
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 – nofollow, noopener &… and Open in New Window Plugin
Open external links in a new window or new tab. SEO optimized and XHTML Strict compliant.
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 Open in New Window Plugin more popular?
Which has better ratings — External Links – nofollow, noopener &… or Open in New Window Plugin?
Are External Links – nofollow, noopener &… and Open in New Window Plugin free?
Which plugin has better support — External Links – nofollow, noopener &… or Open in New Window Plugin?
Which plugin is updated more frequently?
Plugin data sourced from WordPress.org. Comparison and analysis by PluginSift.