HashBar vs Simple Countdown (October 2026)
Updated October 22, 2026 · Data from WordPress.org, refreshed daily · How this works
Both rank in the WordPress.org Countdown Timer Plugins top 10: HashBar at #12 and Simple Countdown at #9. HashBar leads on 4 of the 6 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 Countdown
Simple Countdown Timer – Sales, Launch and Event Countdowns
Add a countdown to any page or post for a sale, launch or event. Build one in a click, or customise every part of it.
Who leads on what
HashBar leads on 4 of the 6 measures we track.
Simple Countdown ranks higher on WordPress.org: #9 against #12 in Countdown Timer Plugins.
HashBar has more users: 9,000+ active installs against 1,000+.
Not enough reviews to compare ratings fairly: HashBar has 38, Simple Countdown has 1. We compare ratings only above 50 reviews each.
HashBar has more reviews behind its score: 38 against 1.
HashBar was updated more recently, on October 13, 2026; Simple Countdown on September 6, 2026.
HashBar was downloaded more in the last 30 days: 11,015 times against 675.
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 plugin more sites already run, you want the score backed by more reviews, you want the one shipping releases most recently or you want the one being installed faster right now.
Simple Countdown
Pick Simple Countdown if you go by where WordPress.org itself puts them.
HashBar vs Simple Countdown side by side
| HashBar | Simple Countdown | |
|---|---|---|
| Countdown Timer Plugins ranking | #12 | #9 |
| Rating | 4.2 | 5.0 |
| Reviews | 38 | 1 |
| Active installs | 9,000+ | 1,000+ |
| Total downloads | 397,826 | 18,427 |
| Downloads, last 30 days | 11,015 | 675 |
| Last updated | Oct 13, 2026 | Sep 6, 2026 |
| First published | Jan 8, 2018 | Jan 22, 2023 |
| Tested up to WordPress | 7.1.3 | 7.1.3 |
| Requires PHP | – | 7.0.0 |
| Pricing | Free + paid version | Free on WordPress.org |
Downloads per day, last 48 days
HashBar ratings
Simple Countdown 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 Countdown can pay to appear here: the pair exists only because both plugins reached the Countdown Timer Plugins top 10. Full methodology.
HashBar vs Simple Countdown: common questions
Is HashBar better than Simple Countdown?
HashBar leads on 4 of the 6 measures we track. Neither is better at everything, and the answer depends on which measure you weigh. Simple Countdown ranks higher on WordPress.org: #9 against #12 in Countdown Timer Plugins.
Which has more users, HashBar or Simple Countdown?
Simple Countdown ranks higher on WordPress.org: #9 against #12 in Countdown Timer Plugins.
Which is rated higher, HashBar or Simple Countdown?
HashBar has more users: 9,000+ active installs against 1,000+.
Are HashBar and Simple Countdown free?
Both are free to install from WordPress.org. HashBar is listed as commercial, so a paid version or add-ons exist. Simple Countdown may also sell a paid version or add-ons.
Alternatives to HashBar and Simple Countdown
Plugins that score close to both in the same WordPress.org rankings and tags.
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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.