WP Updates Notifier vs Top Bar (2026)
Detailed side-by-side comparison of two WordPress plugins, based on real-time data from WordPress.org.
Quick Verdict
As of April 2026, WP Updates Notifier has a higher user rating (4.2/5 from 35 reviews) and leads in active installations (30K+ vs 20K+). Both are free WordPress plugins. WP Updates Notifier has accumulated 236K+ total downloads while Top Bar has 299K+.
Detailed Comparison
| Metric | WP Updates Notifier | Top Bar | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rating | 4.2/5 | ◄ | 4/5 |
| Total Reviews | 35 | ► | 43 |
| Active Installs | 30K+ | ◄ | 20K+ |
| Total Downloads | 236K+ | ► | 299K+ |
| Support Resolution | N/A | N/A | |
| Last Updated | 6 years ago | ► | 2 months ago |
| First Released | 2011 | 2014 | |
| Age | 15 years | 12 years | |
| WP Requires | 3.1+ | 3.6+ | |
| PHP Requires | false+ | false+ | |
| Business Model | Free | Free | |
| Latest Version | 1.6.0 | 3.0.6 |
Rating Breakdown
WP Updates Notifier
Top Bar
Download Trends
Over the past 30 days, WP Updates Notifier averaged approximately 18 daily downloads while Top Bar averaged 30.
Recent Reviews
WP Updates Notifier Reviews
Essential plugin to manage many sites
A unique plugin of its kind but which I consider very useful and fundamental if you have to manage many websites (as in my case) in order to have a “memory” of the plugins to be updated! EXCELLENT!
Out-of date and not fully working
It’s ok for theme and plugins notifications, but notification about core updates does’t work for more than one year! This plugin probably won’t recieve an update anymore. This topic was modifi
Simple and effective
I get notified whenever a plugin needs to be updated. Perfect!
Top Bar Reviews
Does exactly what it describes
Does exactly what it describes. Nothing less, nothing more. I like it!
Very, very limited
You can’t change the color of the text, it’s always white. And apparently you can’t change it with code either. This topic was modified 2 years, 4 months ago by estudiobla.
Doesn’t work well / difficult uninstallation
Doesn’t work well with Salient theme. When uninstalling, the plugin would not uninstall cleanly. It was giving a critical error message. I uninstalled it through cPanel. I have used it several times i
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is WP Updates Notifier or Top Bar more popular?
Which has better ratings — WP Updates Notifier or Top Bar?
Are WP Updates Notifier and Top Bar free?
Which plugin has better support — WP Updates Notifier or Top Bar?
Which plugin is updated more frequently?
Plugin data sourced from WordPress.org. Comparison and analysis by PluginSift.