HBN: Announcement Bar vs Wave Bar
Two Shopify apps, side by side: detected stores, momentum, reviews, plans, listed features and who runs each. Store counts as of Oct 29, 2026 for HBN, Aug 8, 2026 for Wave Bar.
The short answer
- Only HBN lists a free plan.
- HBN lists 3 features Wave Bar’s listing doesn’t mention, including Backgrounds, Geo-targeting, Links and buttons.
Head to head
Free Plan
- · Full Style Customization
- · Lightweight And Blazing-fast
- · Max 2 Messages Carousel
- · Reorder Messages Supported
- · Responsive Web Design
Pro Plan
- · Advanced Geo-Targeting
- · Clickable Announcement Link
- · Countdown & Auto-Expiry
- · Dismiss Control
- · One-Click Discount Copy
- · Up to 10 Messages Carousel
Coverage counts what each App Store listing names. Every feature, checked off app by app, is in Shoplist.
See every featureHBN: Announcement Bar shows rotating announcement messages, promo banners, and countdown timers at the top of your store. Announce free shipping thresholds, flash sales, holiday cutoffs, or shipping delays without editing theme code. A stable-height carousel helps reduce layout shifts as messages rotate.
Wave Bar puts an announcement bar across the top of your storefront in about a minute. Show one message, or write up to three and they rotate on a timer you set. Add a link, pick your colours and fonts, and choose whether shoppers can close it. Add a countdown when the deadline is the point.
- Create and manage custom announcement bars for store banners.
- Easily reorder notification messages to prioritize your announcements.
- Customize colors and text alignment to match store design.
- One fixed message, or up to three that rotate on a timer you control
- Countdown to a date, or a repeating timer that rolls over on its own
- Separate text sizes for phones and desktop, so it reads well on both
All the numbers
Every figure, side by side
A green dot marks the app ahead on a measured figure. Estimates, gaps and apps that leave no storefront trace never take the lead.
Adoption
| Measure |  HBN |  Wave Bar |
|---|---|---|
| Detected stores | Not published | Not published |
| Net store change, 28 days | 0 | 0 |
| Stores added, 28 days | Not enough data | Not enough data |
| Big-brand share | Not enough data | Not enough data |
| Top store categories | Not published | Not published |
| Top store countries | Not published | Not published |
Reviews
| Measure | HBN | Wave Bar |
|---|---|---|
| App Store rating | Not published | Not published |
| App Store reviews | Not published | Not published |
| New reviews, 28 days | Not enough data | Not enough data |
| Reviewers a year or more in | Not enough data | Not enough data |
FAQ
HBN and Wave Bar: common questions
- Is HBN or Wave Bar cheaper?
- Only HBN lists a free plan. Shoplist compares base prices only between monthly plans in the same currency; usage charges and annual plans vary, so check each plan’s limits.
- What features does each app list that the other doesn’t?
- HBN lists 3 the others don’t mention, such as Backgrounds, Geo-targeting, Links and buttons. Wave Bar lists 2 the others don’t mention, such as Scheduling, Sticky display. A feature missing from a listing may still be supported; this compares what each App Store listing says.
- Where does this comparison’s data come from?
- Shoplist crawls Shopify storefronts to detect which apps each store runs, and reads each app’s Shopify App Store listing for reviews, pricing, features and integrations. Store counts are as of Oct 29, 2026 for HBN, Aug 8, 2026 for Wave Bar; estimated figures are labeled.
How Shoplist compares apps
Store counts come from Shoplist’s crawl of Shopify storefronts, which detects the apps each store runs; they are as of Oct 29, 2026 for HBN, Aug 8, 2026 for Wave Bar. Reviews, ratings, plans, features and integrations come from each app’s Shopify App Store listing. 28-day figures are labeled when estimated, and a figure that is missing or estimated never decides who leads. Read the methodology.