Side-by-side comparison · 24 data points
Sell more with these announcement bar banner types: carousel, scrolling, sliding, rotating & sticky!
| Essential Announcement Bar | Zip On‑Site Messaging | |
|---|---|---|
| Tagline | ||
| Description | ||
| Screenshots | images | images |
| Languages | ||
| Platforms | ||
| Developer | ||
| Listed |
Display affordable pricing options that drive sales results with Zip on-site messaging
| Metric | Essential Announcement Bar | Zip On‑Site Messaging |
|---|---|---|
| Rating | ★ 5.0 ★ | 1.0 ★ |
| Total reviews | ★ 1.3k | 7 |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Pricing | Free plan available | Free |
| Built for Shopify | ★ Yes | — |
| Pricing tiers | 4 tiers | — |
| Listed features | ★ 5 | 3 |
| Languages | 19 supported | 1 supported |
| Listed since | Aug 2023 | Sep 2021 |
Based on the data on this page, Essential Announcement Bar is the stronger choice for most Shopify App Store merchants — 5.0★ vs Zip On‑Site Messaging's 1.0★ is a meaningful gap that usually reflects real product or support quality differences across the user base.
Pricing entry tiers: Essential Announcement Bar at Free plan available, Zip On‑Site Messaging at Free. Check each app's tier structure for the capacity limits you actually need before deciding — the headline number is the same shape, but the gating shape per tier (seats, usage volume, integrations) varies.
Essential Announcement Bar has the larger user base (1,306 reviews vs 7), which usually maps to broader integration coverage, faster bug-fix cadence, and a deeper bench of community workflow patterns. Zip On‑Site Messaging's smaller cohort can be an advantage for niche workflows where the bigger app has accumulated bloat.
Recommended by size: small/early-stage merchants who need fast install and low risk should default to Essential Announcement Bar; mid-market and enterprise merchants with specific feature requirements should evaluate both — Zip On‑Site Messaging's 7-review base may include the workflow context that matches your specific use case better than Essential Announcement Bar's broader-but-shallower coverage.
This verdict is generated from the live marketplace data on this page — rating, review count, pricing tier, and category position all refresh from the canonical Shopify App Store listing every 24 hours. AppRanks does not accept payment to influence comparison outcomes; the methodology is documented on the About page and applies identically to every pair on the site.
Read each app's audit: Essential Announcement Bar audit • Zip On‑Site Messaging audit
| Last updated | — | — |
|---|
| Keyword | Essential Announcement Bar | Zip On‑Site Messaging |
|---|---|---|
| buy now pay later messaging | Not ranked | #1 |
| banner | #4 | Not ranked |
| banners | #4 | Not ranked |
| announcement banner with timer | #7 | Not ranked |
| on-site messaging | Not ranked | #8 |
Both Essential Announcement Bar and Zip On‑Site Messaging offer paid plans only. Essential Announcement Bar starts at Free plan available; Zip On‑Site Messaging starts at Free. Compare the per-tier features in the Pricing section above before committing.
Essential Announcement Bar has the higher average rating (5.0★ from 1,306 reviews) compared to Zip On‑Site Messaging (1.0★ from 7 reviews). Both are tracked daily by AppRanks, so the figures here update each refresh cycle.
Essential Announcement Bar holds the higher average rating (5.0★ vs 1.0★). That is the one dimension AppRanks can separate them on here — read both apps' detail pages for the feature breakdown and recent listing changes.
Both apps are one-click installs from the Shopify App Store. Essential Announcement Bar has the deeper published review base (1,306 vs 7), which often — though not always — accompanies better-tested setup docs. AppRanks doesn't measure setup time directly: read the recent reviews on each app's detail page for user-reported install experience.
Essential Announcement Bar typically suits early-stage and growth-mode teams based on its published review base (1,306 reviews). Zip On‑Site Messaging typically suits early-stage and growth-mode teams based on its published review base (7 reviews). A larger review base generally means the app has been exercised at scale — relevant if you are processing high volume or handling enterprise compliance requirements.
Migration support varies by app and category. Essential Announcement Bar and Zip On‑Site Messaging both publish their export options on their marketplace listing pages (or in their support docs); some apps offer one-click import from competitors, others require CSV. The fastest check: search "import from Zip On‑Site Messaging" in each app's help center. AppRanks does not track migration tooling directly — this is a category-specific capability worth verifying before commitment.
