# Announcement Bar vs Smartarget Message Bar

> Announcement Bar vs Smartarget Message Bar compared on installs, downloads, ratings, updates, compatibility and support. Announcement Bar comes out ahead, winning 4 of 7 head-to-head checks against Smartarget Message Bar.

**Announcement Bar comes out ahead, winning 4 of 7 head-to-head checks against Smartarget Message Bar.** Choose Announcement Bar if you care most about active installs, downloads (30 days) and download trend. Choose Smartarget Message Bar if you care most about health score, last updated and tested up to.

| | Announcement Bar | Smartarget Message Bar |
|---|---|---|
| Active installs | 3K+ ✅ | <10 |
| Downloads (30 days) | 317 ✅ | 70 |
| Download trend | +25.8% ✅ | +4.5% |
| Rating | 1/5 | — |
| Reviews | 2 ✅ | 0 |
| Health score | 23/100 | 49/100 ✅ |
| Last updated | 12 years ago | 4 months ago ✅ |
| Tested up to | WP 4.2.39 | WP 7.0.0 ✅ |
| Support resolved | — | — |
| Requires PHP | Any | 5.2.4+ |
| First released | Aug 2011 | Sep 2021 |

## Frequently asked questions

### Which is better, Announcement Bar or Smartarget Message Bar?
Announcement Bar comes out ahead, winning 4 of 7 head-to-head checks against Smartarget Message Bar. Choose Announcement Bar if you care most about active installs, downloads (30 days) and download trend. Choose Smartarget Message Bar if you care most about health score, last updated and tested up to.

### Is Announcement Bar more popular than Smartarget Message Bar?
Announcement Bar is the more popular of the two with 3K+ active installs, compared with <10 for Smartarget Message Bar.

### Can I use Announcement Bar and Smartarget Message Bar together?
Both plugins cover announcement, so most sites only need one. Running two plugins that do the same job can cause conflicts and slow your site down — pick the one that fits best and remove the other.

### Are Announcement Bar and Smartarget Message Bar free?
Yes. Both are free to download from the official WordPress.org plugin directory. Either may also offer paid upgrades from its developer.


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Source: live WordPress.org data · HTML version: https://pageforge.pro/directory/compare/announcement-bar-vs-smartarget-message-bar/ · Generated 2026-10-20 13:59 UTC by PageForge