Privy vs OptiMonk: Which Popup Builder Is Best in 2026?

1. Reputation & Support

Privy is a solid entry point for new stores that need 1:1 coaching to navigate technical hurdles. While you might deal with some billing confusion, the high-touch onboarding is designed to help smaller teams land that ~50% revenue lift through expert guidance.

OptiMonk caters to teams that have outgrown basic tools and want more control over conversion templates. There is a steeper learning curve and some setup friction, but it serves as a reliable middle ground for brands that prefer self-service documentation over constant manual support.

Alia Popups is the clear winner for mature Shopify stores looking to replace legacy tools with a high-stickiness, 3-5x ROI solution. By offering a dedicated CSM and "white-glove" Slack access, it fixes the support gaps found in other platforms, making it the most seamless upgrade for established businesses.

"The customer support/team provided the level of service and timely responses you would expect of a 5-star resort."

—Urban Smokehouse team

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2. Design, Templates, & Performance

Privy focuses on rapid launches by offering dozens of proven, gamified templates like wheels and quizzes. While it provides reliable performance and a unified dashboard, its drag-and-drop editor is specifically designed for brands that want to get interactive displays live quickly without complex design work.

OptiMonk gives you access to a massive library of 300+ templates and advanced dynamic content insertion for deep personalization. Your site speed remains protected via asynchronous loading, making this a powerhouse for teams that need high-volume variety and mobile-optimized campaigns that adapt to user behavior.

Alia Popups delivers a premium, zero-lag experience built specifically to ensure your Shopify store performance never dips. Beyond just speed, it offers custom fonts, code, and advanced triggers, allowing established brands to create production-ready storytelling layouts that track clear revenue impact and performance lift.

Nakie saw 600% improvement in email capture and $5.8M in sales after switching to Alia

35%

PEAK EMAIL OPT-IN RATE (UP FROM 5-6%)

600%

IMPROVEMENT IN EMAIL CAPTURE

$5.8M

IN ATTRIBUTED SALES

Dean Leibbrandt

Co-Founder of Nakie

“

"We always cared about the customer journey, and Alia's the first tool that actually let us design one that makes sense. And once we did, everything clicked — sign-up rates, conversions, the whole funnel started significantly performing. Since switching to Alia, our lowest sign-up rate has been 28%, and we've even reached 35% in some months."

1

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2

Launch first popup in 5 minutes

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3. Automation & AI Features

Privy gives you total control via manual variant creation and visual flow builders for rule-based automation. It’s perfect for teams that want to personally map every stage of the customer journey—from win-backs to cart recovery—while leveraging AI for quick, on-brand copy.

OptiMonk utilizes user-configured rules to trigger popups based on specific actions like exit-intent or scroll-depth. While it requires manual A/B testing, it provides the flexibility to define your own personalization rules and dynamic content without relying on autonomous systems.

Alia Popups removes the guesswork with an AI-powered learning loop that automatically optimizes popup timing and content. By using automated A/B testing to shift traffic to winners, it’s the top choice for brands prioritizing storytelling and zero-party data over basic discount codes.

"

Alia gave us the power to A/B test everything…

Personalized triggers made popups feel more relevant and less intrusive… Access to conversion, AOV, and orders data has made decision-making so much faster.

Andrea Haynes

Retention Marketing Manager at Portland Leather

Try Alia instead →

14 days free

4. Data Collection & Integrations

Privy specializes in granular behavioral targeting by syncing contacts and events across email and SMS platforms. It offers precise frequency controls to prevent over-messaging, making it the top choice for brands needing complex personalization across multiple marketing channels.

OptiMonk leverages custom fields and advanced rules to power personalized cart abandonment campaigns. With comprehensive GA4 integration and real-time tracking, it provides a highly sophisticated environment for businesses focused on behavior-based visitor segments.

Alia Popups captures shopping goals and preferences directly via interactive mini-quizzes and AI-predicted intent. Its Smart Suppression feature automatically hides popups for existing subscribers, ensuring a high-end experience for Shopify brands prioritizing education-led signup flows.

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"Alia has helped us gather richer, more actionable data by making it easier to capture customer intent in real time."

“We use it to collect customer-specific data, which helps us deliver more personalized product recommendations for each individual shopper.”

TUSHY

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14 days free

5. Pricing & Scalability

Privy offers a low-cost entry for pop-ups alone, though full plans start at $30/month and scale based on your mailable contact list. With its 15-day free trial, it’s a strong choice for growing brands that need the flexibility to scale their costs alongside their expanding email and SMS audience.

OptiMonk is the most accessible for startups, featuring a free plan and paid tiers starting at just $29/month. Because pricing is strictly tied to pageviews with clear tier progression, it serves as a highly scalable and predictable budget option for teams that prefer a 14-day trial to test high-volume traffic impact.

Alia Popups simplifies overhead for established Shopify stores by providing all-in-one pricing that starts at $100/month. By basing its limits on monthly unique visitors rather than pageviews or contacts, it offers a transparent, high-value model that includes full feature access during its 14-day free trial.