Head-to-head · October 2026
Simple Banner vs Smartarget Message Bar
Simple Banner comes out ahead, winning 6 of 7 head-to-head checks against Smartarget Message Bar.
Simple Banner
This plugin makes it easy to display a simple announcement banner or bar at the top of your website. You can…
Smartarget Message Bar
The best way to inform users! Do you want to keep your customers engaged by offering them promotions and…
| Metric | Simple Banner | Smartarget Message Bar |
|---|---|---|
| Active installs | 50K+ | <10 |
| Downloads (30 days) | 31.3K | 70 |
| Download trend | -19% | +4.5% |
| Rating | 4.8/5 | — |
| Reviews | 45 | 0 |
| Health score | 79/100 | 49/100 |
| Last updated | 5 days ago | 4 months ago |
| Tested up to | WP 7.1.3 | WP 7.0.0 |
| Support resolved | 0% | — |
| Requires PHP | Any | 5.2.4+ |
| First released | Jul 2015 | Sep 2021 |
Daily downloads, last 90 days
Simple BannerSmartarget Message Bar
Choose Simple Banner if…
You care most about active installs, downloads (30 days) and reviews.
- Proven at scale on 50K+ active sites
- Loved by users — 4.8/5 from 45 reviews
- Actively developed — last update 5 days ago
- Tested with the latest WordPress (7.1)
Choose Smartarget Message Bar if…
You care most about download trend.
- Small user base (<10 active installs)
- Very few reviews so far
Both compete in: announcement
FAQ
Simple Banner 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, Simple Banner or Smartarget Message Bar?
Simple Banner comes out ahead, winning 6 of 7 head-to-head checks against Smartarget Message Bar. Choose Simple Banner if you care most about active installs, downloads (30 days) and reviews. Choose Smartarget Message Bar if you care most about download trend.
Is Simple Banner more popular than Smartarget Message Bar?
Simple Banner is the more popular of the two with 50K+ active installs, compared with <10 for Smartarget Message Bar.
Can I use Simple Banner 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 Simple Banner 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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