Head-to-head · October 2026
Announcement Bar vs Smartarget Message Bar
Announcement Bar comes out ahead, winning 4 of 7 head-to-head checks against Smartarget Message Bar.
Announcement Bar
This plugin adds a jQuery file that will position a fixed bar at the top of your browser screen to show…
Smartarget Message Bar
The best way to inform users! Do you want to keep your customers engaged by offering them promotions and…
| Metric | 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 |
Daily downloads, last 90 days
Announcement BarSmartarget Message Bar
Choose Announcement Bar if…
You care most about active installs, downloads (30 days) and download trend.
- Very few reviews so far
- No update in 11 years
- Only tested up to WordPress 4.2 (latest is 7.1)
Choose Smartarget Message Bar if…
You care most about health score, last updated and tested up to.
- Small user base (<10 active installs)
- Very few reviews so far
Both compete in: announcement
FAQ
Announcement Bar vs Smartarget Message Bar: quick answers
Straight answers, pulled from live WordPress.org data.
Live data from WordPress.org · checked Oct 20, 2026
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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