HashBar vs WPFront Notification Bar (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 WPFront Notification Bar at #2. WPFront Notification Bar 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.
WPFront Notification Bar
Easily lets you create a bar on top or bottom to display a notification.
Who leads on what
WPFront Notification Bar leads on 3 of the 5 measures we track.
WPFront Notification Bar ranks higher on WordPress.org: #2 against #9 in Notification Plugins.
WPFront Notification Bar has more users: 50,000+ active installs against 9,000+.
Not enough reviews to compare ratings fairly: HashBar has 36, WPFront Notification Bar has 131. We compare ratings only above 50 reviews each.
WPFront Notification Bar has more reviews behind its score: 131 against 36.
HashBar was updated more recently, on August 24, 2026; WPFront Notification Bar on August 18, 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.
WPFront Notification Bar
Pick WPFront Notification Bar 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 WPFront Notification Bar side by side
| HashBar | WPFront Notification Bar | |
|---|---|---|
| Notification Plugins ranking | #9 | #2 |
| Rating | 4.2 | 4.5 |
| Reviews | 36 | 131 |
| Active installs | 9,000+ | 50,000+ |
| Total downloads | 381,580 | 1,067,581 |
| Downloads, last 30 days | – | – |
| Last updated | Aug 24, 2026 | Aug 18, 2026 |
| First published | Jan 8, 2018 | Dec 11, 2013 |
| Tested up to WordPress | 7.1 | 7.1 |
| Requires PHP | – | 7.0 |
| Pricing | Free + paid version | Free on WordPress.org |
30-day download figures appear after both plugins have 30 days of tracking.
HashBar ratings
WPFront Notification Bar 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 WPFront Notification Bar can pay to appear here: the pair exists only because both plugins reached the Notification Plugins top 10. Full methodology.
HashBar vs WPFront Notification Bar: common questions
Is HashBar better than WPFront Notification Bar?
WPFront Notification Bar leads on 3 of the 5 measures we track. Neither is better at everything, and the answer depends on which measure you weigh. WPFront Notification Bar ranks higher on WordPress.org: #2 against #9 in Notification Plugins.
Which has more users, HashBar or WPFront Notification Bar?
WPFront Notification Bar ranks higher on WordPress.org: #2 against #9 in Notification Plugins.
Which is rated higher, HashBar or WPFront Notification Bar?
WPFront Notification Bar has more users: 50,000+ active installs against 9,000+.
Are HashBar and WPFront Notification Bar free?
Both are free to install from WordPress.org. HashBar is listed as commercial, so a paid version or add-ons exist. WPFront Notification Bar may also sell a paid version or add-ons.
Alternatives to HashBar and WPFront Notification Bar
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
-
NotificationX
30,000+ installs · 4.8 from 227 reviews
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My Sticky Bar
100,000+ installs · 4.9 from 1,197 reviews
-
Simple Banner
50,000+ installs · 4.8 from 45 reviews
-
Customize WordPress Emails and Alerts
30,000+ installs · 4.8 from 184 reviews
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- Manage Notification E-mails vs WPFront Notification Bar
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What moved this week
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