Akismet Anti-spam vs CF7 Apps (September 2026)
Updated September 7, 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 CF7 Apps at #5. Akismet Anti-spam leads on all 5 measures we track. 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.
CF7 Apps
CF7 Apps – Honeypot, Database, Redirection, Webhook, and Addons for Contact Form 7
Add hCaptcha, Honeypot, and Redirection to Contact Form 7 with CF7 Apps, and generate forms effortlessly with AI. Improve form security, keep it light …
Who leads on what
Akismet Anti-spam leads on all 5 measures we track.
Akismet Anti-spam ranks higher on WordPress.org: #1 against #5 in Anti-Spam Plugins.
Akismet Anti-spam has more users: 5 million+ active installs against 300,000+.
Akismet Anti-spam is rated higher: 4.7 out of 5 from 1,186 reviews, against 3.8 from 135 reviews.
Akismet Anti-spam has more reviews behind its score: 1,186 against 135.
Akismet Anti-spam was updated more recently, on August 18, 2026; CF7 Apps on August 6, 2026.
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, the review score matters most to you, you want the score backed by more reviews or you want the one shipping releases most recently.
CF7 Apps
CF7 Apps does not lead on any measure we track, so pick it only for something these numbers cannot show, such as a feature you need.
Akismet Anti-spam vs CF7 Apps side by side
| Akismet Anti-spam | CF7 Apps | |
|---|---|---|
| Anti-Spam Plugins ranking | #1 | #5 |
| Rating | 4.7 | 3.8 |
| Reviews | 1,186 | 135 |
| Active installs | 5 million+ | 300,000+ |
| Total downloads | 405,811,187 | 6,521,250 |
| Downloads, last 30 days | – | – |
| Last updated | Aug 18, 2026 | Aug 6, 2026 |
| First published | Oct 20, 2005 | Jun 28, 2011 |
| Tested up to WordPress | 7.1 | 7.0.4 |
| Requires PHP | 7.2 | 7.4 |
| Pricing | Free + paid version | Free on WordPress.org |
30-day download figures appear after both plugins have 30 days of tracking.
Akismet Anti-spam ratings
CF7 Apps 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 CF7 Apps 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 CF7 Apps: common questions
Is Akismet Anti-spam better than CF7 Apps?
Akismet Anti-spam leads on all 5 measures we track. Neither is better at everything, and the answer depends on which measure you weigh. Akismet Anti-spam ranks higher on WordPress.org: #1 against #5 in Anti-Spam Plugins.
Which has more users, Akismet Anti-spam or CF7 Apps?
Akismet Anti-spam ranks higher on WordPress.org: #1 against #5 in Anti-Spam Plugins.
Which is rated higher, Akismet Anti-spam or CF7 Apps?
Akismet Anti-spam has more users: 5 million+ active installs against 300,000+.
Are Akismet Anti-spam and CF7 Apps free?
Both are free to install from WordPress.org. Akismet Anti-spam is listed as commercial, so a paid version or add-ons exist. CF7 Apps may also sell a paid version or add-ons.
Alternatives to Akismet Anti-spam and CF7 Apps
Plugins that score close to both in the same WordPress.org rankings and tags.
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CleanTalk
200,000+ installs · 4.8 from 3,211 reviews
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Antispam Bee
700,000+ installs · 4.8 from 226 reviews
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Simple CAPTCHA with Cloudflare Turnstile
200,000+ installs · 4.7 from 255 reviews
-
Titan Anti-spam & Security
50,000+ installs · 4.5 from 370 reviews
-
Maspik
30,000+ installs · 4.7 from 87 reviews
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