Akismet Anti-spam 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 Anti-Spam Plugins top 10: Akismet Anti-spam at #1 and CleanTalk Anti-Spam at #3. They split the 6 measures we track, so the choice comes down to which one you weigh most. Every number below comes straight from WordPress.org and is refreshed every day.
Akismet Anti-spam
Akismet Anti-spam: Spam Protection
The best anti-spam protection to block spam comments and spam in a contact form. The most trusted antispam solution for WordPress and WooCommerce.
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
They split the 6 measures we track, so the choice comes down to which one you weigh most.
Akismet Anti-spam ranks higher on WordPress.org: #1 against #3 in Anti-Spam Plugins.
Akismet Anti-spam has more users: 5 million+ active installs against 200,000+.
CleanTalk Anti-Spam is rated higher: 4.8 out of 5 from 3,219 reviews, against 4.7 from 1,187 reviews.
CleanTalk Anti-Spam has more reviews behind its score: 3,219 against 1,187.
CleanTalk Anti-Spam was updated more recently, on October 21, 2026; Akismet Anti-spam on August 18, 2026.
Akismet Anti-spam was downloaded more in the last 30 days: 1,259,527 times against 429,496.
Which one to pick
Each plugin is the better answer for the measure it actually leads on. Nothing here is a recommendation we invented.
Akismet Anti-spam
Pick Akismet Anti-spam if you go by where WordPress.org itself puts them, you want the plugin more sites already run or you want the one being installed faster right now.
CleanTalk Anti-Spam
Pick CleanTalk Anti-Spam if the review score matters most to you, you want the score backed by more reviews or you want the one shipping releases most recently.
Akismet Anti-spam vs CleanTalk Anti-Spam side by side
| Akismet Anti-spam | CleanTalk Anti-Spam | |
|---|---|---|
| Anti-Spam Plugins ranking | #1 | #3 |
| Rating | 4.7 | 4.8 |
| Reviews | 1,187 | 3,219 |
| Active installs | 5 million+ | 200,000+ |
| Total downloads | 407,841,128 | 25,787,134 |
| Downloads, last 30 days | 1,259,527 | 429,496 |
| Last updated | Aug 18, 2026 | Oct 21, 2026 |
| First published | Oct 20, 2005 | May 18, 2012 |
| Tested up to WordPress | 7.1.3 | 7.1.3 |
| Requires PHP | 7.2 | 7.2 |
| Pricing | Free + paid version | Free on WordPress.org |
Downloads per day, last 48 days
Akismet Anti-spam 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 Akismet Anti-spam nor CleanTalk Anti-Spam can pay to appear here: the pair exists only because both plugins reached the Anti-Spam Plugins top 10. Full methodology.
Akismet Anti-spam vs CleanTalk Anti-Spam: common questions
Is Akismet Anti-spam better than CleanTalk Anti-Spam?
They split the 6 measures we track, so the choice comes down to which one you weigh most. Neither is better at everything, and the answer depends on which measure you weigh. Akismet Anti-spam ranks higher on WordPress.org: #1 against #3 in Anti-Spam Plugins.
Which has more users, Akismet Anti-spam or CleanTalk Anti-Spam?
Akismet Anti-spam ranks higher on WordPress.org: #1 against #3 in Anti-Spam Plugins.
Which is rated higher, Akismet Anti-spam or CleanTalk Anti-Spam?
Akismet Anti-spam has more users: 5 million+ active installs against 200,000+.
Are Akismet Anti-spam and CleanTalk Anti-Spam free?
Both are free to install from WordPress.org. Akismet Anti-spam is listed as commercial, so a paid version or add-ons exist. CleanTalk Anti-Spam may also sell a paid version or add-ons.
Alternatives to Akismet Anti-spam and CleanTalk Anti-Spam
Plugins that score close to both in the same WordPress.org rankings and tags.
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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.