Akismet Anti-spam vs FormLayer (September 2026)
Updated September 7, 2026 · Data from WordPress.org, refreshed daily · How this works
Both rank in the WordPress.org Contact Form Plugins top 10: Akismet Anti-spam at #12 and FormLayer at #50. Akismet Anti-spam leads on 3 of the 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.
FormLayer
Build fast and powerful contact forms in WordPress with an intuitive drag-and-drop builder packed with smart features.
Who leads on what
Akismet Anti-spam leads on 3 of the 5 measures we track.
Akismet Anti-spam ranks higher on WordPress.org: #12 against #50 in Contact Form Plugins.
Akismet Anti-spam has more users: 5 million+ active installs against 100,000+.
Not enough reviews to compare ratings fairly: Akismet Anti-spam has 1,186, FormLayer has 0. We compare ratings only above 50 reviews each.
Akismet Anti-spam has more reviews behind its score: 1,186 against 0.
FormLayer was updated more recently, on August 25, 2026; Akismet Anti-spam on August 18, 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 or you want the score backed by more reviews.
FormLayer
Pick FormLayer if you want the one shipping releases most recently.
Akismet Anti-spam vs FormLayer side by side
| Akismet Anti-spam | FormLayer | |
|---|---|---|
| Contact Form Plugins ranking | #12 | #50 |
| Rating | 4.7 | 0.0 |
| Reviews | 1,186 | 0 |
| Active installs | 5 million+ | 100,000+ |
| Total downloads | 405,811,187 | 116,215 |
| Downloads, last 30 days | – | – |
| Last updated | Aug 18, 2026 | Aug 25, 2026 |
| First published | Oct 20, 2005 | May 26, 2026 |
| Tested up to WordPress | 7.1 | 7.1 |
| Requires PHP | 7.2 | – |
| 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
FormLayer 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 FormLayer can pay to appear here: the pair exists only because both plugins reached the Contact Form Plugins top 10. Full methodology.
Akismet Anti-spam vs FormLayer: common questions
Is Akismet Anti-spam better than FormLayer?
Akismet Anti-spam leads on 3 of the 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: #12 against #50 in Contact Form Plugins.
Which has more users, Akismet Anti-spam or FormLayer?
Akismet Anti-spam ranks higher on WordPress.org: #12 against #50 in Contact Form Plugins.
Which is rated higher, Akismet Anti-spam or FormLayer?
Akismet Anti-spam has more users: 5 million+ active installs against 100,000+.
Are Akismet Anti-spam and FormLayer free?
Both are free to install from WordPress.org. Akismet Anti-spam is listed as commercial, so a paid version or add-ons exist. FormLayer may also sell a paid version or add-ons.
Alternatives to Akismet Anti-spam and FormLayer
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.