HashBar vs Simple Banner (September 2026)
Updated September 7, 2026 · Data from WordPress.org, refreshed daily · How this works
Both rank in the WordPress.org Notification Plugins top 10: HashBar at #9 and Simple Banner at #5. Simple Banner leads on 3 of the 5 measures we track. Every number below comes straight from WordPress.org and is refreshed every day.
HashBar
HashBar – Announcement, Notification Bar & Popup Campaign
Create Announcement Bars, Notification Bars & Popup Campaigns with countdown timers, A/B testing, smart targeting & analytics.
Simple Banner
Simple Banner – Easily add multiple Banners/Bars/Notifications/Announcements to the top or bottom of your website
Display a simple banner/bar at the top or bottom of your website. Now with multi-banner support.
Who leads on what
Simple Banner leads on 3 of the 5 measures we track.
Simple Banner ranks higher on WordPress.org: #5 against #9 in Notification Plugins.
Simple Banner has more users: 50,000+ active installs against 9,000+.
Not enough reviews to compare ratings fairly: HashBar has 36, Simple Banner has 45. We compare ratings only above 50 reviews each.
Simple Banner has more reviews behind its score: 45 against 36.
HashBar was updated more recently, on August 24, 2026; Simple Banner on August 21, 2026.
Which one to pick
Each plugin is the better answer for the measure it actually leads on. Nothing here is a recommendation we invented.
HashBar
Pick HashBar if you want the one shipping releases most recently.
Simple Banner
Pick Simple Banner if you go by where WordPress.org itself puts them, you want the plugin more sites already run or you want the score backed by more reviews.
HashBar vs Simple Banner side by side
| HashBar | Simple Banner | |
|---|---|---|
| Notification Plugins ranking | #9 | #5 |
| Rating | 4.2 | 4.8 |
| Reviews | 36 | 45 |
| Active installs | 9,000+ | 50,000+ |
| Total downloads | 381,580 | 2,099,097 |
| Downloads, last 30 days | – | – |
| Last updated | Aug 24, 2026 | Aug 21, 2026 |
| First published | Jan 8, 2018 | Jul 14, 2015 |
| Tested up to WordPress | 7.1 | 7.1.0 |
| Requires PHP | – | – |
| Pricing | Free + paid version | Free on WordPress.org |
30-day download figures appear after both plugins have 30 days of tracking.
HashBar ratings
Simple Banner ratings
How we compare these two
Every figure here is pulled from the WordPress.org plugin API every day at 03:00 UTC, for both plugins in the same run, so the two are always read on the same day. We compare only what the directory reports: active installs, the rating and how many reviews stand behind it, the last release date and, once we have a month of history, downloads over the last 30 days. Ratings are only called a win above 50 reviews each, because a handful of five-star reviews is not evidence. Nothing is weighted into an overall score, no measure is worth more than another, and neither HashBar nor Simple Banner can pay to appear here: the pair exists only because both plugins reached the Notification Plugins top 10. Full methodology.
HashBar vs Simple Banner: common questions
Is HashBar better than Simple Banner?
Simple Banner leads on 3 of the 5 measures we track. Neither is better at everything, and the answer depends on which measure you weigh. Simple Banner ranks higher on WordPress.org: #5 against #9 in Notification Plugins.
Which has more users, HashBar or Simple Banner?
Simple Banner ranks higher on WordPress.org: #5 against #9 in Notification Plugins.
Which is rated higher, HashBar or Simple Banner?
Simple Banner has more users: 50,000+ active installs against 9,000+.
Are HashBar and Simple Banner free?
Both are free to install from WordPress.org. HashBar is listed as commercial, so a paid version or add-ons exist. Simple Banner may also sell a paid version or add-ons.
Alternatives to HashBar and Simple Banner
Plugins that score close to both in the same WordPress.org rankings and tags.
-
Easy Notification Bar
9,000+ installs · 4.6 from 16 reviews
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NotificationX
30,000+ installs · 4.8 from 227 reviews
-
WPFront Notification Bar
50,000+ installs · 4.5 from 131 reviews
-
My Sticky Bar
100,000+ installs · 4.9 from 1,197 reviews
-
Customize WordPress Emails and Alerts
30,000+ installs · 4.8 from 184 reviews
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What moved this week
One email a week, built from the same daily snapshots these rankings come from: the plugins that climbed, what launched, and one ranking worth a look.