Essential Announcement Bar vs FormCRM AI Custom Form Builderfor Shopify (2026)
Essential Announcement Bar and FormCRM AI Custom Form Builder, while both in the 'Notifications' category, cater to fundamentally different needs of Shopify merchants. Essential Announcement Bar focuses on delivering marketing messages and promotions through highly visible, dynamic announcement bars. It's designed to increase sales by highlighting deals and directing traffic. FormCRM, on the other hand, is a versatile form builder aimed at collecting customer data and streamlining interactions. It allows merchants to create customized forms for various purposes, such as lead generation, customer registration, and feedback collection. The primary difference lies in their core functionality. Essential Announcement Bar is a sales-oriented tool designed for immediate impact and conversion. Its strength lies in its various display options (scrolling, rotating, sticky) and call-to-action buttons. FormCRM provides a flexible platform for creating custom forms and integrating them with other marketing and CRM tools. Its strength lies in its AI-powered builder, drag-and-drop interface, and integration capabilities. The number of reviews further highlights this difference; with 948 reviews, Essential Announcement Bar is a more established app in its niche, while FormCRM, with only 7 reviews, is a newer entrant potentially focusing on a different, more specific, need.
At a Glance
Essential Announcement Bar
948 reviews
FormCRM AI Custom Form Builder
7 reviews
Detailed Overview
Essential Announcement Bar
Sell more with these announcement bar banner types: carousel, scrolling, sliding, rotating & sticky!
Key Features
- Sticky Announcement Bar: Create a fixed position announcement header bar
- Scrolling Announcement Bar: Create moving banner announcement bar (Marquee)
- Rotating Announcement Bar: Create multiple sliding announcement bars
- Animated Announcement Bar: Scrolling banner, sliding & marquee announcement bars
- Create multi announcement discount bars and promote flash sale
FormCRM AI Custom Form Builder
Build any custom form with AI form builder, from a contact form to fully custom forms, in seconds
Key Features
- Build customer registration form, contact form, wholesale form & any custom form
- Create forms using a easy drag-and-drop interface with image/file uploads option
- Craft multistep forms with multilingual support and conditional logic
- Enable auto-response, admin notifications, submission limit and domain blocking
- Integrate with Shopify customers, Mailchimp, Klaviyo, HubSpot, Slack, Zoho etc.
Feature Comparison
| Rating | 5/5 | 5/5 |
Rating Essential Announcement Bar5/5 FormCRM AI Custom Form Builder5/5 | ||
| Reviews | 948 | 7 |
Reviews Essential Announcement Bar948 FormCRM AI Custom Form Builder7 | ||
| Primary Function | Displaying Announcements & Promotions | Creating Custom Forms |
Primary Function Essential Announcement BarDisplaying Announcements & Promotions FormCRM AI Custom Form BuilderCreating Custom Forms | ||
| Key Feature | Animated Announcement Bars (Scrolling, Rotating, Sticky) | AI Form Builder & Drag-and-Drop Interface |
Key Feature Essential Announcement BarAnimated Announcement Bars (Scrolling, Rotating, Sticky) FormCRM AI Custom Form BuilderAI Form Builder & Drag-and-Drop Interface | ||
| Target Merchant | Merchants needing to highlight promotions and drive sales | Merchants needing to collect customer data & build custom forms |
Target Merchant Essential Announcement BarMerchants needing to highlight promotions and drive sales FormCRM AI Custom Form BuilderMerchants needing to collect customer data & build custom forms | ||
| Value Proposition | Increase sales through visually appealing and dynamic announcements | Gather customer information and streamline interactions with custom forms |
Value Proposition Essential Announcement BarIncrease sales through visually appealing and dynamic announcements FormCRM AI Custom Form BuilderGather customer information and streamline interactions with custom forms | ||
| Integration Focus | Directs traffic to desired pages | Integrates with email marketing and CRM tools (Mailchimp, Klaviyo, etc.) |
Integration Focus Essential Announcement BarDirects traffic to desired pages FormCRM AI Custom Form BuilderIntegrates with email marketing and CRM tools (Mailchimp, Klaviyo, etc.) | ||
| Flexibility | Limited to announcement bar customization | Highly flexible in form creation for various purposes |
Flexibility Essential Announcement BarLimited to announcement bar customization FormCRM AI Custom Form BuilderHighly flexible in form creation for various purposes | ||
Our Verdict
For Shopify merchants looking to quickly and easily promote sales, discounts, or important announcements in a highly visible way, Essential Announcement Bar is the clear choice. Its focus on dynamic display options and direct call-to-action buttons makes it ideal for driving immediate conversions. It is the right choice for those who need easy implementation over highly customizable options.
On the other hand, FormCRM AI Custom Form Builder is better suited for merchants who need to gather specific customer information, conduct surveys, or build custom forms for various business purposes. Its AI-powered builder, drag-and-drop interface, and integration with marketing and CRM tools make it a more powerful and versatile tool for data collection and management. If you require custom forms more than announcements, FormCRM is the clear choice.
Common Questions
Which app is easier to set up and use?
Essential Announcement Bar is likely easier to set up and use, given its focused functionality and mature app status reflected in its high review count. FormCRM, while offering a drag-and-drop interface, involves creating custom forms, which may require more time and effort.
Can both apps be used together on the same Shopify store?
Yes, the apps can be used together. Essential Announcement Bar can be used for promotions, while FormCRM can be used to collect customer information through various forms. They fulfill different needs and do not conflict with each other.
Which app offers better value for money?
The value depends on the merchant's needs. If the primary goal is to increase sales through announcements, Essential Announcement Bar offers better value. If the goal is to collect customer data and build custom forms, FormCRM offers better value. A free trial of each, if available, would provide more clarity.
Does either app offer A/B testing?
The provided descriptions do not explicitly mention A/B testing. It's advisable to check the app documentation or contact the developers to confirm whether either app offers A/B testing capabilities.
Which app is better for collecting customer feedback?
FormCRM is the better choice for collecting customer feedback. Its ability to create custom forms allows merchants to design surveys and feedback forms tailored to their specific needs.
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