Simple BuddyPress Notifications
Simple BuddyPress Notifications replaces the default BuddyPress notification icon with a custom bell icon that also plays a sound when new notifications are received. It shows the number of unread notifications and…
Solid choice
Simple BuddyPress Notifications is a solid plugin choice in 2026, with a few things worth checking first. It runs on 10+ sites and was last updated 5 days ago, and scores 66/100 on our health check.
- Actively developed — last update 5 days ago
- Tested with the latest WordPress (7.1)
- Small user base (10+ active installs)
- Very few reviews so far
How does it stack up?
Side-by-side on installs, updates, ratings & support
Daily downloads
Download spikes usually follow a new release — each site that auto-updates counts as a download.
Rankings
Where Simple BuddyPress Notificat… stands todayWordPress.org search rankings
Live position in the plugin search, top 100| Keyword | Position |
|---|---|
| buddypress | >100 |
| buddypress notifications | #40 |
| forum | >100 |
| notification | >100 |
Version adoption
Share of active sites per release.
About Simple BuddyPress Notifications
From the official readme · v2.0.1Description
Simple BuddyPress Notifications replaces the default BuddyPress notification icon with a custom bell icon that also plays a sound when new notifications are received. It shows the number of unread notifications and plays a ting sound for new notifications.
This plugin works in two modes:
1. Live Notifications: Notifications will be updated in real-time with audio and visual alerts when the user is logged in.
2. Offline Notifications: When the user is offline, the plugin will still show the number of unread notifications.
Use the shortcode [simple_buddypress_notifications] to display the notifications icon anywhere on your site.
Notification audio attribution: https://github.com/akx/Notifications
Features
- Custom notification icon and sound
- Real-time notifications with sound alerts
- Easy to integrate with shortcodes
- Works with BuddyPress Notifications API
- Lightweight and simple setup
Installation
This section describes how to install the plugin and get it working.
- Upload
Simple BuddyPress Notificationsto the/wp-content/plugins/directory. - Activate the plugin through the ‘Plugins’ menu in WordPress.
- Place the shortcode
[simple_buddypress_notifications]wherever you want to display the notification bell.
Frequently asked questions
How do I add the notification icon to my site?
Use the shortcode [simple_buddypress_notifications] wherever you want to display the notification icon. This can be placed in any post, page, or widget.
Can I change the notification sound?
Currently, the sound is fixed as “Jinja.mp3”. You can replace the audio file in the plugin directory with your own sound if desired.
Why isn’t the sound playing?
Ensure that your browser supports autoplay for audio files, and check that JavaScript is enabled in your browser.
Does this work with all BuddyPress components?
Yes, as long as the BuddyPress Notifications component is active, the plugin will work with all registered BuddyPress notifications.
Changelog
Update to 2.0.1 for bug fixes, performance improvements, and PHP 8 compatibility.
2.0.1
- Fix: Resolved PHP 8 TypeError bug in Heartbeat notification ID comparison.
- Fix: Fixed JavaScript undefined
jqerror and wrapped scripts in standard jQuery enclosure. - Performance: Removed aggressive global 5-second Heartbeat override to avoid excessive server requests.
- Performance: Optimized asset enqueuing so heavy fonts, styles, scripts, and audio are not loaded for logged-out visitors.
- Performance: Added preload=”none” attribute to notification audio element to defer MP3 download until needed.
- Compatibility: Migrated notification queries to native BuddyPress APIs (BP_Notifications_Notification::get).
- Compatibility: Avoided hardcoded plugin file assumptions to support BuddyPress-compatible environments.
2.0
- Updated code for better BuddyPress integration.
- Fixed notification sound issues and ensured compatibility with modern browsers.
- Added support for real-time notifications with heartbeat.
- Improved CSS and JS for better performance.
1.3
- Initial release with BuddyPress notification support and sound feature.
For developers
Is this your plugin? Show off the numbers.
Add a live badge to your site, docs or GitHub README. It updates on its own — no account needed.
Best Simple BuddyPress Notificatio… alternatives
All buddypress plugins →
FAQ
Simple BuddyPress Notifications: quick answers
Straight answers, pulled from live WordPress.org data.
Live data from WordPress.org · checked Oct 11, 2026
Is Simple BuddyPress Notifications free?
Yes. Simple BuddyPress Notifications is free to download and use from the official WordPress.org plugin directory.
Is Simple BuddyPress Notifications safe to use in 2026?
Simple BuddyPress Notifications is a solid plugin choice in 2026, with a few things worth checking first. It runs on 10+ sites and was last updated 5 days ago, and scores 66/100 on our health check.
How many websites use Simple BuddyPress Notifications?
Simple BuddyPress Notifications is active on 10+ WordPress websites and has been downloaded 2,426 times since it launched in October 2019. It was downloaded 146 times in the last 30 days.
Does Simple BuddyPress Notifications work with WordPress 7.1?
Yes. The developer has tested Simple BuddyPress Notifications up to WordPress 7.1.3, the latest release. It requires WordPress 4.6 or newer.
What PHP version does Simple BuddyPress Notifications need?
Simple BuddyPress Notifications requires PHP 5.6 or higher. Most hosts run PHP 8.x today, so it works on any modern WordPress hosting.
When was Simple BuddyPress Notifications last updated?
The latest version, 2.0.1, was released on October 6, 2026 (5 days ago).
Who makes Simple BuddyPress Notifications?
Simple BuddyPress Notifications is developed and maintained by imemine.
What are the best alternatives to Simple BuddyPress Notifications?
The most popular alternatives to Simple BuddyPress Notifications are Better Messages (10K+ installs), rtMedia for WordPress, Budd… (7K+ installs) and BuddyPress Docs (6K+ installs).
Powered by PageForge
Want thousands of pages that rank like these? Build them in an afternoon.
This directory runs on the same engine as PageForge. Turn any spreadsheet, CSV or API into thousands of fast, SEO-ready WordPress pages — with schema, internal links and AI-written copy baked in.
- CSV, Google Sheets & API data sources
- AI content, schema & internal links per page
- Works with Elementor, Gutenberg, Yoast & Rank Math
- Free on WordPress.org — no credit card
