I have always preferred hula poppers. They work great for me, jitterbugs not so much.

Two different lures. Like comparing apples to oranges.

I have a harder time working a jitterbug in one place, i can twitch and pop a Hula in one spot without moving it much.  With the Jitterbug I'm either retrieving or pausing. 

 

For this reason I'd opt for the hula more frequently, but the jitterbug has done great on the toothy fish for me.

 

Like Catch and Grease said, you've got two different baits with different presentations, and at different times either or neither will produce. 

I've never widely used either. Though one summer in the Delaware River, the only thing smallmouths wanted was a jitterbug with the nose dish removed. No idea why, it only made a very weak water disturbance.

You can´t reel in steadily a Hula Popper and expect it to gurgle, you can´t jerk a Jitterbug and expect it to pop. There´s no such thing as Hula Popper VS Jitterbug, it´s Hula Popper AND Jitterbug, they are completely different animals, if a ´Bug don´t work for you it means you are not fishing it in the right conditions and locations, the same applies to the Hula.

Hey there both top water, and the two most popular top water lures. Not counting frogs of course.

Hey there both top water, and the two most popular top water lures. Not counting frogs of course.

I highly doubt that. I have both, and they both work, but almost no way they're the most popular. They probably were back in their day when there was far fewer lure options though.

 

Jitterbugs work great with a very slow, steady retrieve. The black jitterbug or musky jitterbug at night is a great bait but works very well during the day also. 

I've had a lot more success with Hula Poppers than Jitterbugs, but thats because I dont use the bugs much.  I also really like the Rebel PopR and Hopper Popper.  I'd be willing to bet Frogs are the most popular topwaters and that Hula Poppers and Jitterbugs aren't far behind.