How to Create an Exit-Intent Popup (With Examples)

A shopper adds a pair of sneakers to the cart, hesitates over the shipping cost and moves the cursor toward the close button. That's the last moment you can still say something, and an exit-intent popup is how you say it.

An exit-intent popup is a popup that appears when a visitor is about to leave your store. On desktop it fires when the cursor moves toward the tabs, address bar or close button. On mobile it reacts to a tab switch, a quick scroll back to the top, or the Back button. It gives shoppers one last reason to stay, like a discount or a cart reminder.

How do I create an exit-intent popup?

To create an exit-intent popup, choose one clear offer, build the popup, and set it to appear when a visitor is about to leave: on desktop when the cursor moves toward the browser bar, on mobile when they press back or switch tabs. Show it only to visitors who haven't subscribed or bought yet.

• Pick one offer, such as 10% off the first order or free shipping.
• Build the popup. In OptiMonk, describe it in one sentence ("an exit-intent popup with 10% off for first-time visitors") and the agent designs it for your brand, with a separate mobile version.
• Set the exit-intent trigger for desktop, mobile or both, and exclude existing subscribers.
• Publish it, then A/B test the offer or the headline.

The full walkthrough with screenshots is in the step-by-step guide further down.

How do exit-intent popups work on desktop and mobile?

Exit intent watches for the moment a visitor is on the way out, then shows the popup once. It never interrupts someone who is still browsing. The signals differ by device, because phones have no cursor.

You can switch exit intent on for desktop, mobile or both. Some mobile browsers don't support every signal; where one is missing, that action simply doesn't fire the popup. The technical details are on the exit intent feature page, and every other trigger that runs on phones is listed under mobile triggers.

One campaign can hold up to 8 triggers and fires when any one of them does. So you can keep exit intent on mobile and use, say, a time delay on desktop in the same campaign. To decide which trigger suits which visitor, see when to show a popup.

New to popups in general? Start with what a popup window is and the main types, then come back here for the exit intent popup.

Do exit-intent popups increase conversions?

Yes, when the offer fits the visitor. An exit-intent popup only reaches people who were leaving anyway, so every signup or order it brings is one you would otherwise have lost.

How much it adds depends on the offer and who sees it.

One example with a published result: Kiss My Keto showed shoppers who were leaving with items in their cart a final 15% off, with a countdown timer. That popup converted at 15.05%, and together with their other campaigns the store cut cart abandonment by 20%. Read the full Kiss My Keto case study.

What should your exit popup offer?

Pick the offer from the goal, then show it only to the visitors it is for. A discount for someone who already subscribed, or a cart reminder for an empty cart, wastes the moment.

For cart-based rules, OptiMonk can target by cart value and by what's in the cart. More cart ideas: cart abandonment popup examples.

12 exit-intent popup ideas from the Popup Library

These exit-intent popups come from the OptiMonk Popup Library. Each one was designed by the OptiMonk agent for a real store's brand, with a separate mobile version. Open any of them in the library and build your own version for your store.

1. Free Shipping Threshold Modal (designed for Crocs)

A big headline on a block of the brand's color: orders over $34.99 ship free, returns are free too. No photo, no form, one button back to shopping. It suits visitors with a cart just under the threshold.

See this popup

2. Visual Refresh (designed for Flytt)

A cart reminder that shows the product the shopper left behind, its price and a single button back to the order. No discount: the product photo does the persuading. Show it only when the cart is not empty.

See this popup

3. The Editorial Guide (designed for Waterdrop)

A free hydration guide for an email address, laid out like a magazine page. A lead magnet works for brands that don't want to discount, and it brings in subscribers who care about the topic.

See this popup

4. Infrared Explorer (designed for Tropicfeel)

A fullscreen early-access signup with a live countdown, in a dark "night vision" look. It turns leaving visitors into a waiting list for a launch. Use a timer only when the deadline is real.

See this popup

5. Midnight Diamonds Immersive (designed for Fenty Beauty)

A fullscreen scene from the latest collection with 10% off the whole order for an email address. A bold, on-brand image makes the last moment feel like part of the store, not an interruption.

See this popup

6. The Clean Minimalist (designed for Vilgain)

A split card: a close-up of the product on one side, 10% off the first order and one email field on the other. The "no thanks" link sits right under the button, so closing it is easy.

See this popup

7. The Serenity Suite (designed for Lemme)

No form at all: the popup shows one best-selling product with an Add to cart button and a free-shipping line. It works as an upsell for visitors who browsed but didn't add anything.

See this popup

8. The Lifestyle Hero (designed for Crocs EU)

A lifestyle photo next to a short newsletter offer: 10% off the first pair for joining. The friendly tone matches the brand, and there's a clear way to say no.

See this popup

9. The Editorial Duo (designed for Almave)

A giveaway instead of a discount: leaving visitors can enter to win the brand's two-bottle bundle with a single email field. It brings in subscribers without cutting your margin, and "No thanks, I'll pass" keeps the exit polite.

See this popup

10. The Cozy Cabin (designed for Buffy)

A seasonal exit popup for the gift-buying weeks: "Don't get cold feet." next to a cosy bedroom photo, with 15% off the first order. A short line of social proof under the button reassures first-time buyers.

See this popup

11. Level Up Your Library (designed for PlayStation)

A Black Friday wishlist reminder: the headline points at what the visitor saved, a countdown shows when the deal ends, and the only button takes them back to browse. No form needed.

See this popup

12. Golden Hour Fullscreen (designed for Halfdays)

An end-of-season cart saver: "Summer is fading. This sale isn't." reminds visitors that their cart is waiting and that 20% off still applies, over a warm outdoor photo.

See this popup

Browse more exit reminder popups in the Popup Library.

How to create an exit-intent popup with OptiMonk (step by step)

You need a free OptiMonk account and about ten minutes. No coding required.

Step 1: Describe the popup in one sentence

Start a new campaign and tell the agent what you want, for example: "an exit-intent popup with 10% off for first-time visitors". Say the goal, the offer and who it's for. The agent may ask a few questions about your store and your offer.

Step 2: Pick a concept and ask for changes

The agent draws four concepts in your brand's colors, fonts and logo. Pick the one you like, then ask for any change in plain words: "make the headline shorter", "use a product photo", "add a countdown". It builds a separate mobile version too, so check the phone view before you move on.

Step 3: Set the exit-intent trigger

If you asked for an exit-intent popup, the agent has already set the trigger, but you can change it in the Targeting step. Go to "When will the popup show up", and on the On exit-intent card switch Desktop and Mobile on or off.

Step 4: Choose who sees it and connect your email tool

Narrow the audience so the popup only reaches the people it's for:

• Visitors who haven't subscribed yet, so subscribers don't see a signup offer.
• Visitors whose cart is not empty, or whose cart value is in a set range, for cart offers.
• Pages to include or exclude: show it on product and cart pages, never on checkout.
• A frequency limit: a new campaign starts at most once per visitor and stops once they convert.

Then connect your email or SMS tool, so new subscribers land in the right list. If you use Klaviyo, you can also target Klaviyo lists and segments. Other options include Mailchimp and Google Analytics.

Step 5: Save, publish and A/B test

Save the campaign and publish it: nothing reaches your visitors until you do. Then let the agent run an A/B test on the copy, the offer or the whole design, and roll out the winner.

You can also build the same popup from Claude or ChatGPT, through the OptiMonk MCP connection, without opening OptiMonk.

How to add an exit-intent popup to Shopify

Shopify has no built-in exit-intent popup, so you add one with an app. With OptiMonk, the steps are the same as above, plus two Shopify-only extras: discount codes and auto-apply at checkout.

• Install the OptiMonk: AI Popup Builder app from the Shopify App Store and connect your store.
• Describe the popup in one sentence, for example "an exit-intent popup for visitors with items in their cart, 10% off with code STAY10".
• Set the discount code. The code has to exist in your store. On a connected Shopify store, OptiMonk checks it and, if it's missing, creates it in Shopify for you. See built-in discount code creation.
• Turn on auto-apply. With automatic redemption, the code applies itself at checkout, so shoppers don't have to copy or remember it.
• Target by cart. Show the offer only when the cart is not empty, or when the cart value is under your free-shipping threshold. Exclude the checkout pages.
• Publish and watch orders and revenue in the campaign's analytics.

On Shopify, an exit-intent popup is most useful for three jobs: saving full carts, growing the email list from first-time visitors, and asking leaving visitors what stopped them.

If you run email in Klaviyo, Klaviyo exit intent works best when the two tools talk to each other. Send new popup subscribers to a Klaviyo list, and target the popup at Klaviyo lists and segments, so existing subscribers see a cart reminder instead of a signup offer.

How to make exit-intent popups work on mobile

On a phone, the screen is small and visitors move fast, so a desktop popup squeezed onto mobile rarely works. OptiMonk builds a separate mobile version of every popup, so you can tune it apart from desktop. A few rules for the mobile version:

• Keep the copy short. One headline and one line of text. The offer should read at a glance.
• Make buttons easy to tap. A full-width button and enough space around it, so nobody mis-taps.
• Make closing obvious. A visible close button and a "No thanks" link. A popup that's hard to close on a phone frustrates visitors and drives them off.
• Test the signals on a real phone. Exit intent on mobile reads tab switches, a quick scroll to the top and the Back button on the landing page. Try each one in the browsers your shoppers use.
• Mind the frequency. One showing per visitor is usually enough on mobile.

Mobile exit-intent popup examples

Three popups from the Popup Library, shown as their mobile versions:

Designed for Crocs: on a phone the cart offer takes the full screen. The photo sits on top, then a short headline with 20% off the cart, one email field and a full-width button, with "Return to store" right below. See this popup

Designed for Caraway: a cart reminder with the product photo on top and the copy below: "Ready to Cook?", the free-shipping threshold and one big "Return to Checkout" button, with "I'll finish later" as the way out. See this popup

Designed for Surreal: no photo at all. A huge headline that reads at a glance, one field, one wide button and a plain "Close" link. Type-only popups stay readable on a small screen. See this popup

Exit-intent popup best practices

1. One offer, one button

A visitor on the way out reads one line, not a menu. Pick a single offer and a single call to action, and cut everything that competes with it: extra links, a second offer, a list of benefits.

Example, designed for Converse: one headline, 10% off for joining the list, one email field and one "Sign me up" button. "Continue to site" is the only other link. See this popup

2. Speak to the moment

Headlines like "Wait, before you go" or "Your cart is saved" tell the visitor why the popup appeared. Then state the offer in plain words, so they understand it before they move the mouse again.

Example, designed for Everlane: "Wait, Don't Go." in big type, then the offer in one sentence: 10% off the first order for signing up. See this popup

3. Always include a "No thanks"

A clear close button and a polite decline link keep the experience friendly. Never hide or delay the way out, and keep the wording neutral: "No thanks, I'm still browsing" reads better than a line that makes the visitor feel guilty.

Example, designed for Revox: the cart reminder ends with "No thanks, I'm still browsing", right under the main button. See this popup

4. Show it once, to the right people

Use a frequency limit, and exclude subscribers and recent buyers: a popup they've already answered only gets in the way. Match the offer to what the visitor did, so a cart reminder only reaches people with something in the cart.

Example, designed for Feastables: the popup names the product waiting in the cart, so it only makes sense for visitors who added it. See this popup

5. Use a countdown only with a real deadline

A timer works when the sale or the offer really ends. A fake one costs trust, and shoppers notice when the same "last chance" comes back the next day.

Example, designed for GANNI: free worldwide shipping "ending tonight", with a timer that counts down to the real end of the offer. See this popup

6. Design for the phone separately

Check the mobile version on its own: short copy, big buttons, fast to load. The mobile examples above show what that looks like.

7. A/B test the offer

Test a discount against free shipping, or two headlines, and keep the winner. You can also test two designs of the same offer.

Example, designed for Frost Buddy: the agent drew two designs with the same 10% offer, this compact card and a fullscreen version. Running both as an A/B test shows which one your visitors answer. See the card and the fullscreen version.

For more ways to use the trigger, see exit intent popups for online stores.

What to look for in exit-intent popup software

Most exit popup software can show a popup when a visitor leaves. For an online store, check these points before you choose an exit popup creator:

• Desktop and mobile triggers. Exit intent should work on phones, not only with a cursor, and you should be able to switch each device on or off.
• Cart and source targeting. Target by cart value, cart contents, traffic source and returning visitors.
• Store discount codes. On Shopify, look for codes created or checked in the store and applied automatically at checkout.
• Email and SMS integrations. New subscribers should flow straight into your email tool, and you should be able to target its lists.
• A/B testing. Built-in tests for copy, offer and design, with revenue in the results.
• Speed. The script should load asynchronously and not slow down your store.
• Design without a designer. A tool that designs the popup for your brand, with a mobile version, saves you hours per campaign.

On WordPress? See our list of exit intent popup plugins for WordPress.

Comparing tools? Start with these OptinMonster alternatives.

Exit-intent popup FAQ

How do you trigger an exit-intent popup?

On desktop, the popup fires when the cursor moves into the top 10 pixels of the browser window, toward the tabs, address bar or close button. On mobile, it fires on a tab switch, a quick scroll to the top, or the Back button on the landing page. In OptiMonk, ask the agent for an exit-intent popup, or write "Change trigger to exit intent" in the campaign chat.

Do exit-intent popups work on mobile?

Yes. Phones have no cursor, so exit intent reads other signals: switching tabs, a quick scroll to the top of the page, or the Back button on the page the visitor landed on. Some mobile browsers don't support every signal, so test on a real phone.

Do exit-intent popups hurt SEO?

Not when they're easy to close. Google's guidance on intrusive interstitials warns against popups that cover the main content and make it hard to reach, especially on mobile. An exit-intent popup appears when the visitor is leaving rather than when they arrive, but keep it small on mobile and always give it a clear close button.

How often should an exit-intent popup show?

Usually once per visitor, and never again after they've signed up or bought. In OptiMonk, a new campaign starts at most once per visitor, at least one hour apart, and stops once the visitor converts. You can change all three.

Can I add an exit-intent popup to Shopify without code?

Yes. Install the OptiMonk app, describe the popup in one sentence, and the agent designs it and sets the exit-intent trigger. OptiMonk can also create the discount code in Shopify and apply it at checkout automatically.

What is a good conversion rate for an exit-intent popup?

It depends on the offer and the audience: a cart offer to shoppers with a full cart converts very differently from a newsletter signup. As one published example, Kiss My Keto's exit-intent cart popup converted at 15.05%.

Catch your next leaving visitor

Your first exit-intent popup is one sentence away. Describe the offer and who should see it, and the agent designs it for your brand, sets the exit-intent trigger on desktop and mobile, and builds a separate phone version you can check before you publish.

Free to start. No credit card.