Akismet Anti-spam vs Subscribe to Comments (October 2026)
Updated October 22, 2026 · Data from WordPress.org, refreshed daily · How this works
Both rank in the WordPress.org Comment Plugins top 10: Akismet Anti-spam at #5 and Subscribe to Comments at #3. Akismet Anti-spam leads on 3 of the 6 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.
Subscribe to Comments
Subscribe to Comments allows commenters on an entry to subscribe to e-mail notifications for subsequent comments.
Who leads on what
Akismet Anti-spam leads on 3 of the 6 measures we track.
Subscribe to Comments ranks higher on WordPress.org: #3 against #5 in Comment Plugins.
Akismet Anti-spam has more users: 5 million+ active installs against 10,000+.
Not enough reviews to compare ratings fairly: Akismet Anti-spam has 1,187, Subscribe to Comments has 14. We compare ratings only above 50 reviews each.
Akismet Anti-spam has more reviews behind its score: 1,187 against 14.
Subscribe to Comments was updated more recently, on October 6, 2026; Akismet Anti-spam on August 18, 2026.
Akismet Anti-spam was downloaded more in the last 30 days: 1,259,527 times against 14,469.
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 want the plugin more sites already run, you want the score backed by more reviews or you want the one being installed faster right now.
Subscribe to Comments
Pick Subscribe to Comments if you go by where WordPress.org itself puts them or you want the one shipping releases most recently.
Akismet Anti-spam vs Subscribe to Comments side by side
| Akismet Anti-spam | Subscribe to Comments | |
|---|---|---|
| Comment Plugins ranking | #5 | #3 |
| Rating | 4.7 | 3.9 |
| Reviews | 1,187 | 14 |
| Active installs | 5 million+ | 10,000+ |
| Total downloads | 407,841,128 | 589,464 |
| Downloads, last 30 days | 1,259,527 | 14,469 |
| Last updated | Aug 18, 2026 | Oct 6, 2026 |
| First published | Oct 20, 2005 | Jun 9, 2005 |
| Tested up to WordPress | 7.1.3 | 7.1.3 |
| Requires PHP | 7.2 | 7.4 |
| Pricing | Free + paid version | Free on WordPress.org |
Downloads per day, last 48 days
Akismet Anti-spam ratings
Subscribe to Comments 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 Subscribe to Comments can pay to appear here: the pair exists only because both plugins reached the Comment Plugins top 10. Full methodology.
Akismet Anti-spam vs Subscribe to Comments: common questions
Is Akismet Anti-spam better than Subscribe to Comments?
Akismet Anti-spam leads on 3 of the 6 measures we track. Neither is better at everything, and the answer depends on which measure you weigh. Subscribe to Comments ranks higher on WordPress.org: #3 against #5 in Comment Plugins.
Which has more users, Akismet Anti-spam or Subscribe to Comments?
Subscribe to Comments ranks higher on WordPress.org: #3 against #5 in Comment Plugins.
Which is rated higher, Akismet Anti-spam or Subscribe to Comments?
Akismet Anti-spam has more users: 5 million+ active installs against 10,000+.
Are Akismet Anti-spam and Subscribe to Comments free?
Both are free to install from WordPress.org. Akismet Anti-spam is listed as commercial, so a paid version or add-ons exist. Subscribe to Comments may also sell a paid version or add-ons.
Alternatives to Akismet Anti-spam and Subscribe to Comments
Plugins that score close to both in the same WordPress.org rankings and tags.
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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.