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Best WordPress Plugins for External Links

15 plugins compared · Updated August 2026 · External Links

All Free only 15 Premium only

Choosing a WordPress plugin for external links comes down to a few things: whether it is still actively maintained, whether real users rate it well, and whether it does the specific job you need without dragging the rest of the site down.

We ranked 15 plugins using our WPScore, which weighs the user rating (adjusted for how many people actually rated it), how many sites run it, how recently it was updated, and which WordPress version it is tested against. 15 of them have enough public data to be scored; the rest are listed below the ranked block, clearly marked, rather than being given a number we cannot justify.

How this list is funded. Some links here earn us a commission if you buy. It costs you nothing extra, and it does not move anything up the list — the order comes from the WPScore, which is calculated from public ratings, install counts and update history. See the method.

At a glance

  1. 1. External Links Best overall 86/100
  2. 2. External Links in New Window / New Tab 85/100
  3. 3. EXMAGE 85/100
  4. 4. No External Links 81/100
  5. 5. Rel Nofollow 80/100
  6. 6. Leaving Notice Popup For External Links 78/100
  7. 7. External Links Overview 74/100
  8. 8. Simple Exit Notifier 71/100
  9. 9. Emplibot 68/100
  10. 10. Indicate External Links 67/100
  11. 11. Internal Link Visualizer 67/100
  12. 12. Traction External Links Speed Bump 64/100
  13. 13. Customize External Links and add Icon 59/100
  14. 14. Open in New Window Plugin 57/100
  15. 15. Nofollow for external link 56/100
1 External Links
Best overall Free by WebFactory

External Links

Internal links & external links manager: open in new window or tab, control nofollow, ugc, sponsored & noopener. SEO friendly.

4.3★
from 247 ratings
90k+
active installs
Updated
Aug 2026
Tested to
WP 7.1
86

WPScore

Read review View on WordPress.org
3 EXMAGE
Free by VillaTheme

EXMAGE

Add images using external links - Save your storage with EXMAGE effortlessly

5★
from 33 ratings
6k+
active installs
Updated
Aug 2026
Tested to
WP 7.1
85

WPScore

Read review View on WordPress.org
4 No External Links
Free by mihdan

No External Links

Convert external links into internal links, site wide or post/page specific. Add NoFollow, Click logging, and more...

4.8★
from 16 ratings
4k+
active installs
Updated
Apr 2026
Tested to
WP 7.0.4
81

WPScore

Read review View on WordPress.org
5 Rel Nofollow
Free by Stefano

Rel Nofollow

Adds rel="nofollow" to posts external links unless specified otherwise.

5★
from 4 ratings
700+
active installs
Updated
Aug 2026
Tested to
WP 7.1
80

WPScore

Read review View on WordPress.org
8 Simple Exit Notifier
Free by CHRS Interactive

Simple Exit Notifier

Display a customizable notification when users click on external links. Perfect for warning users about leaving your website.

4★
from 3 ratings
200+
active installs
Updated
Jan 2026
Tested to
WP 6.9.7
71

WPScore

Read review View on WordPress.org
9 Emplibot
Free by Emplibot

Emplibot

Automated keyword research, automated blogging, with internal and external links, engaging infographics, unique featured images, and more.

5★
from 2 ratings
100+
active installs
Updated
Nov 2025
Tested to
WP 6.8.8
68

WPScore

Read review View on WordPress.org
11 Internal Link Visualizer
Free by suivixtenzia

Internal Link Visualizer

Visualize your site's internal and external links as an interactive map. Discover orphan content and optimize your linking strategy.

3.7★
from 3 ratings
100+
active installs
Updated
Dec 2025
Tested to
WP 6.8.8
67

WPScore

Read review View on WordPress.org
12 Traction External Links Speed Bump
Free by Traction

Traction External Links Speed Bump

Activates a speed bump on all external links and gives site owner the ability to enter a list of domains or specific links that when clicked will not …

5★
from 4 ratings
100+
active installs
Updated
Jul 2025
Tested to
WP 6.8.8
64

WPScore

Read review View on WordPress.org
14 Open in New Window Plugin
Free by Keith P. Graham

Open in New Window Plugin

Opens external links in a new window, keeping your blog page in the browser so you don't lose surfers to another site.

4.8★
from 16 ratings
2k+
active installs
Updated
Jul 2024
Tested to
WP 6.6.7
57

WPScore

Read review View on WordPress.org
15 Nofollow for external link
Free by CyberNetikz

Nofollow for external link

Automatically insert rel=nofollow and target=_blank to all the external links into your website posts, pages or menus. Support exclude domain.

3.8★
from 36 ratings
9k+
active installs
Updated
Apr 2024
Tested to
WP 6.5.10
56

WPScore

Read review View on WordPress.org