Advanced Google reCAPTCHA vs CleanTalk Anti-Spam (October 2026)
Updated October 22, 2026 · Data from WordPress.org, refreshed daily · How this works
Both rank in the WordPress.org CAPTCHA Plugins top 10: Advanced Google reCAPTCHA at #9 and CleanTalk Anti-Spam at #3. CleanTalk Anti-Spam leads on 4 of the 6 measures we track. Every number below comes straight from WordPress.org and is refreshed every day.
Advanced Google reCAPTCHA
Captcha protection against spam comments & brute force login attacks using Google reCAPTCHA.
CleanTalk Anti-Spam
CleanTalk Anti-Spam – Complete Spam Protection
Advanced antispam for comments, registrations, contact forms, WooCommerce, plus email validation and protection. We catch spam others miss!
Who leads on what
CleanTalk Anti-Spam leads on 4 of the 6 measures we track.
CleanTalk Anti-Spam ranks higher on WordPress.org: #3 against #9 in CAPTCHA Plugins.
Both report 200,000+ active installs on WordPress.org.
Both are rated 4.8 out of 5 (430 and 3,219 reviews).
CleanTalk Anti-Spam has more reviews behind its score: 3,219 against 430.
CleanTalk Anti-Spam was updated more recently, on October 21, 2026; Advanced Google reCAPTCHA on October 6, 2026.
CleanTalk Anti-Spam was downloaded more in the last 30 days: 429,496 times against 246,222.
Which one to pick
Each plugin is the better answer for the measure it actually leads on. Nothing here is a recommendation we invented.
Advanced Google reCAPTCHA
Advanced Google reCAPTCHA does not lead on any measure we track, so pick it only for something these numbers cannot show, such as a feature you need.
CleanTalk Anti-Spam
Pick CleanTalk Anti-Spam if you go by where WordPress.org itself puts them, you want the score backed by more reviews, you want the one shipping releases most recently or you want the one being installed faster right now.
Advanced Google reCAPTCHA vs CleanTalk Anti-Spam side by side
| Advanced Google reCAPTCHA | CleanTalk Anti-Spam | |
|---|---|---|
| CAPTCHA Plugins ranking | #9 | #3 |
| Rating | 4.8 | 4.8 |
| Reviews | 430 | 3,219 |
| Active installs | 200,000+ | 200,000+ |
| Total downloads | 3,622,015 | 25,787,134 |
| Downloads, last 30 days | 246,222 | 429,496 |
| Last updated | Oct 6, 2026 | Oct 21, 2026 |
| First published | Mar 11, 2021 | May 18, 2012 |
| Tested up to WordPress | 7.1.3 | 7.1.3 |
| Requires PHP | 5.2 | 7.2 |
| Pricing | Free on WordPress.org | Free on WordPress.org |
Downloads per day, last 48 days
Advanced Google reCAPTCHA ratings
CleanTalk Anti-Spam ratings
How we compare these two
Every figure here is pulled from the WordPress.org plugin API every day at 03:00 UTC, for both plugins in the same run, so the two are always read on the same day. We compare only what the directory reports: active installs, the rating and how many reviews stand behind it, the last release date and, once we have a month of history, downloads over the last 30 days. Ratings are only called a win above 50 reviews each, because a handful of five-star reviews is not evidence. Nothing is weighted into an overall score, no measure is worth more than another, and neither Advanced Google reCAPTCHA nor CleanTalk Anti-Spam can pay to appear here: the pair exists only because both plugins reached the CAPTCHA Plugins top 10. Full methodology.
Advanced Google reCAPTCHA vs CleanTalk Anti-Spam: common questions
Is Advanced Google reCAPTCHA better than CleanTalk Anti-Spam?
CleanTalk Anti-Spam leads on 4 of the 6 measures we track. Neither is better at everything, and the answer depends on which measure you weigh. CleanTalk Anti-Spam ranks higher on WordPress.org: #3 against #9 in CAPTCHA Plugins.
Which has more users, Advanced Google reCAPTCHA or CleanTalk Anti-Spam?
CleanTalk Anti-Spam ranks higher on WordPress.org: #3 against #9 in CAPTCHA Plugins.
Which is rated higher, Advanced Google reCAPTCHA or CleanTalk Anti-Spam?
Both report 200,000+ active installs on WordPress.org.
Are Advanced Google reCAPTCHA and CleanTalk Anti-Spam free?
Both are free to install from WordPress.org. Advanced Google reCAPTCHA may also sell a paid version or add-ons. CleanTalk Anti-Spam may also sell a paid version or add-ons.
Alternatives to Advanced Google reCAPTCHA and CleanTalk Anti-Spam
Plugins that score close to both in the same WordPress.org rankings and tags.
-
Simple CAPTCHA with Cloudflare Turnstile
200,000+ installs · 4.6 from 259 reviews
-
SiteGuard
500,000+ installs · 4.3 from 15 reviews
-
reCaptcha by BestWebSoft
100,000+ installs · 3.9 from 391 reviews
-
hCaptcha for WP
70,000+ installs · 4.6 from 88 reviews
-
CF7 Apps
300,000+ installs · 3.8 from 135 reviews
More CAPTCHA Plugins comparisons
- Advanced Google reCAPTCHA vs CAPTCHA 4WP
- Advanced Google reCAPTCHA vs Captcha Code
- Advanced Google reCAPTCHA vs SilentShield
- Advanced Google reCAPTCHA vs HookAndHook
- Advanced Google reCAPTCHA vs LukasApps CAPTCHA tools for Contact Form 7
- Advanced Google reCAPTCHA vs reCaptcha by BestWebSoft
- Advanced Google reCAPTCHA vs Really Simple CAPTCHA
- Advanced Google reCAPTCHA vs Simple CAPTCHA with Cloudflare Turnstile
- Advanced Google reCAPTCHA vs SiteGuard
- CAPTCHA 4WP vs CleanTalk Anti-Spam
- Captcha Code vs CleanTalk Anti-Spam
- SilentShield vs CleanTalk Anti-Spam
Weekly · free
What moved this week
One email a week, built from the same daily snapshots these rankings come from: the plugins that climbed, what launched, and one ranking worth a look.