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Top Bar

By WP Darko

Site Administration & Utilities / Maintenance Mode

Reviewed by Omar Dabbas

Trusted WordPress expert with 20+ years of experience evaluating plugins for the WP ecosystem.

Top Bar Review - In-Depth Analysis

Easily add a notification bar to your website. Create a top bar with a message and button for visitors.

Performance Overview

WPS Score

6.84/10

User Rating

4/5 (based on 43+ reviews)

Active Installations

10,000+

Update Frequency

Below Average It is calculated using the weighted average of same category plugins.

Security Score

3.67 / 10 (Low Risk) It is calculated using the weighted average of all versions.

What It Does

This plugin offers a simple solution to add a topbar to your website. It allows you to create a clean notification bar at the top of your site, displaying a message and a custom link for your visitors. The setup is straightforward and user-friendly, making it accessible for everyone.

The Free version of the Top Bar plugin is not limited in functionality. You can display your message without restrictions. For those looking for more features, the PRO version offers options like allowing users to close the Top Bar, selecting an initial state, adding a bottom border, setting a delay before the Top Bar appears, and customizing visibility settings for guests or registered users.

This plugin is fully translatable and includes necessary files for localization. You can manage various settings such as the status of the bar, visibility while scrolling, message content, button text and URL, and color customization. For detailed guidance, you can refer to the plugin's documentation.

Comparing to Alternatives

Top Bar is a popular plugin for adding notification bars, but there are other options available that offer similar functionality.

Top alternatives

Strengths

Simple and straightforward to use
Effectively displays notification bars
Good for basic notification needs
Has a pro version with additional features

Weaknesses

Limited customization options, such as text color
Some compatibility issues with certain themes
Uninstallation can be problematic
Customer support has been reported as unresponsive

User Sentiment Analysis

With an overall rating of 4 out of 5 stars from 43 reviews, most users appreciate the plugin's simplicity and effectiveness, though about 21% of ratings are 1 or 2 stars indicating some dissatisfaction.

Positive highlights

'Simple and excellent! Does what it says.' - forsteps
'Does exactly what it describes. Nothing less, nothing more.' - Marcin Pietrzak
'I have used it several times in the past with no problems.' - Jakours2

Common complaints

Plugin options do not save properly
Poor customer service and unresponsive support
Automatic license renewals without notification
Very limited customization, e.g., text color always white

Weaknesses

Known security vulnerabilities fixed in recent updates
Limited styling flexibility
Issues with uninstalling cleanly
Reported business practice concerns

Who Should Use This?

Best for

Users seeking a simple, no-frills notification bar plugin that works well for basic needs and who are comfortable with limited customization.

Not ideal for

Those requiring advanced styling options, reliable customer support, or who are concerned about past security vulnerabilities and business practices should consider other options.

Pricing & Value

Free version includes

The free version offers basic notification bar functionality suitable for simple announcements.

Pro version

The pro version includes additional features beyond the basics, though specific premium features are not detailed in the briefing.

Final Verdict

Top Bar is a straightforward and effective plugin for adding notification bars, favored for its simplicity and ease of use by many users. However, it has notable limitations in customization and has faced criticism for customer service and past security issues, which have been addressed in recent updates.

While it competes well with alternatives like Notice Bar and Announcement Bar, potential users should weigh the plugin's strengths against its weaknesses, especially if advanced features or responsive support are priorities. The availability of a pro version adds value for those needing more functionality.

Other Notable Features

Here are a few other notable features of this free Top Bar plugin.

notification bar

top bar

info bar

Screenshots

FAQ

The Free version of the Top Bar plugin is not limited.

The PRO version gives you access to a lot of new features: allow users to close the Top Bar, choose an initial state, add a bottom border, set a time before the Top Bar appears, bottom positioning, user visibility settings (only for guests or registered users), change the font-size…