External Links – nofollow, noopener &… vs External Links (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
Quick Verdict
As of April 2026, External Links has a higher user rating (4.8/5 from 36 reviews) while External Links – nofollow, noopener &… leads in active installations (90K+ vs 9.0K+). Both are free WordPress plugins. External Links – nofollow, noopener &… has accumulated 1.7M+ total downloads while External Links has 358K+.
Detailed Comparison
| Metric | External Links – nofollow, noopener &… | External Links | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rating | 4.3/5 | ► | 4.8/5 |
| Total Reviews | 247 | ◄ | 36 |
| Active Installs | 90K+ | ◄ | 9.0K+ |
| Total Downloads | 1.7M+ | ◄ | 358K+ |
| Support Resolution | 100% | N/A | |
| Last Updated | 1 week ago | ◄ | 8 years ago |
| First Released | 2011 | 2008 | |
| Age | 15 years | 18 years | |
| WP Requires | 4.2+ | 2.8+ | |
| PHP Requires | 7.2+ | false+ | |
| Business Model | Free | Free | |
| Latest Version | 2.64 | 6.8.1 |
Rating Breakdown
External Links – nofollow, noopener &…
External Links
Download Trends
Over the past 30 days, External Links – nofollow, noopener &… averaged approximately 1,227 daily downloads while External Links averaged 10.
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 Reviews
Best of its kind!
Hope this one never goes away!!!
Works just fine
The only of all such plugins that I tried that works fine and did not break anything. Would be nice to have icons options, but hey, I’m thankful for it as it is, and the current icon is a good choice.
Simple and useful
Simple and comfortable to use, really nice style, I was looking for. I’m searching to improve my website, accessibility and usability too and I removed all the target="_blank" on my posts and I marked
More External Links Worth Comparing
Top alternatives in the same category as External Links – nofollow, noopener &… and External Links
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 External Links more popular?
Which has better ratings — External Links – nofollow, noopener &… or External Links?
Are External Links – nofollow, noopener &… and External Links free?
Which plugin has better support — External Links – nofollow, noopener &… or External Links?
Which plugin is updated more frequently?
Plugin data sourced from WordPress.org. Comparison and analysis by PluginSift.