CAPTCHA 4WP 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: CAPTCHA 4WP at #7 and CleanTalk Anti-Spam at #3. CleanTalk Anti-Spam leads on all 6 measures we track. Every number below comes straight from WordPress.org and is refreshed every day.
CAPTCHA 4WP
CAPTCHA 4WP – Antispam CAPTCHA solution for WordPress
Use CAPTCHA to stop spam and allow customers & users to interact with your website easily. Block fake accounts and orders. Avoid false positives.
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 all 6 measures we track.
CleanTalk Anti-Spam ranks higher on WordPress.org: #3 against #7 in CAPTCHA Plugins.
CleanTalk Anti-Spam has more users: 200,000+ active installs against 100,000+.
CleanTalk Anti-Spam is rated higher: 4.8 out of 5 from 3,219 reviews, against 3.2 from 269 reviews.
CleanTalk Anti-Spam has more reviews behind its score: 3,219 against 269.
CleanTalk Anti-Spam was updated more recently, on October 21, 2026; CAPTCHA 4WP on August 25, 2026.
CleanTalk Anti-Spam was downloaded more in the last 30 days: 429,496 times against 16,122.
Which one to pick
Each plugin is the better answer for the measure it actually leads on. Nothing here is a recommendation we invented.
CAPTCHA 4WP
CAPTCHA 4WP 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 plugin more sites already run, the review score matters most to you, 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.
CAPTCHA 4WP vs CleanTalk Anti-Spam side by side
| CAPTCHA 4WP | CleanTalk Anti-Spam | |
|---|---|---|
| CAPTCHA Plugins ranking | #7 | #3 |
| Rating | 3.2 | 4.8 |
| Reviews | 269 | 3,219 |
| Active installs | 100,000+ | 200,000+ |
| Total downloads | 3,728,769 | 25,787,134 |
| Downloads, last 30 days | 16,122 | 429,496 |
| Last updated | Aug 25, 2026 | Oct 21, 2026 |
| First published | Apr 27, 2015 | May 18, 2012 |
| Tested up to WordPress | 7.1.3 | 7.1.3 |
| Requires PHP | 7.4 | 7.2 |
| Pricing | Free on WordPress.org | Free on WordPress.org |
Downloads per day, last 48 days
CAPTCHA 4WP 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 CAPTCHA 4WP nor CleanTalk Anti-Spam can pay to appear here: the pair exists only because both plugins reached the CAPTCHA Plugins top 10. Full methodology.
CAPTCHA 4WP vs CleanTalk Anti-Spam: common questions
Is CAPTCHA 4WP better than CleanTalk Anti-Spam?
CleanTalk Anti-Spam leads on all 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 #7 in CAPTCHA Plugins.
Which has more users, CAPTCHA 4WP or CleanTalk Anti-Spam?
CleanTalk Anti-Spam ranks higher on WordPress.org: #3 against #7 in CAPTCHA Plugins.
Which is rated higher, CAPTCHA 4WP or CleanTalk Anti-Spam?
CleanTalk Anti-Spam has more users: 200,000+ active installs against 100,000+.
Are CAPTCHA 4WP and CleanTalk Anti-Spam free?
Both are free to install from WordPress.org. CAPTCHA 4WP may also sell a paid version or add-ons. CleanTalk Anti-Spam may also sell a paid version or add-ons.
Alternatives to CAPTCHA 4WP 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
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reCaptcha by BestWebSoft
100,000+ installs · 3.9 from 391 reviews
-
SiteGuard
500,000+ installs · 4.3 from 15 reviews
-
hCaptcha for WP
70,000+ installs · 4.6 from 88 reviews
-
CF7 Apps
300,000+ installs · 3.8 from 135 reviews
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- Captcha Code vs CleanTalk Anti-Spam
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