CleanTalk Anti-Spam vs CF7 Apps (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: CleanTalk Anti-Spam at #3 and CF7 Apps at #8. CleanTalk Anti-Spam leads on 5 of the 6 measures we track. Every number below comes straight from WordPress.org and is refreshed every day.
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!
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
CleanTalk Anti-Spam leads on 5 of the 6 measures we track.
CleanTalk Anti-Spam ranks higher on WordPress.org: #3 against #8 in Anti-Spam Plugins.
CF7 Apps has more users: 300,000+ active installs against 200,000+.
CleanTalk Anti-Spam is rated higher: 4.8 out of 5 from 3,219 reviews, against 3.8 from 135 reviews.
CleanTalk Anti-Spam has more reviews behind its score: 3,219 against 135.
CleanTalk Anti-Spam was updated more recently, on October 21, 2026; CF7 Apps on September 29, 2026.
CleanTalk Anti-Spam was downloaded more in the last 30 days: 429,496 times against 199,439.
Which one to pick
Each plugin is the better answer for the measure it actually leads on. Nothing here is a recommendation we invented.
CleanTalk Anti-Spam
Pick CleanTalk Anti-Spam if you go by where WordPress.org itself puts them, 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.
CF7 Apps
Pick CF7 Apps if you want the plugin more sites already run.
CleanTalk Anti-Spam vs CF7 Apps side by side
| CleanTalk Anti-Spam | CF7 Apps | |
|---|---|---|
| Anti-Spam Plugins ranking | #3 | #8 |
| Rating | 4.8 | 3.8 |
| Reviews | 3,219 | 135 |
| Active installs | 200,000+ | 300,000+ |
| Total downloads | 25,787,134 | 6,742,643 |
| Downloads, last 30 days | 429,496 | 199,439 |
| Last updated | Oct 21, 2026 | Sep 29, 2026 |
| First published | May 18, 2012 | Jun 28, 2011 |
| Tested up to WordPress | 7.1.3 | 7.1.3 |
| Requires PHP | 7.2 | – |
| Pricing | Free on WordPress.org | Free on WordPress.org |
Downloads per day, last 48 days
CleanTalk 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 CleanTalk 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.
CleanTalk Anti-Spam vs CF7 Apps: common questions
Is CleanTalk Anti-Spam better than CF7 Apps?
CleanTalk Anti-Spam leads on 5 of the 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 #8 in Anti-Spam Plugins.
Which has more users, CleanTalk Anti-Spam or CF7 Apps?
CleanTalk Anti-Spam ranks higher on WordPress.org: #3 against #8 in Anti-Spam Plugins.
Which is rated higher, CleanTalk Anti-Spam or CF7 Apps?
CF7 Apps has more users: 300,000+ active installs against 200,000+.
Are CleanTalk Anti-Spam and CF7 Apps free?
Both are free to install from WordPress.org. CleanTalk Anti-Spam may also sell a paid version or add-ons. CF7 Apps may also sell a paid version or add-ons.
Alternatives to CleanTalk Anti-Spam and CF7 Apps
Plugins that score close to both in the same WordPress.org rankings and tags.
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Simple CAPTCHA with Cloudflare Turnstile
200,000+ installs · 4.6 from 259 reviews
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Antispam Bee
700,000+ installs · 4.8 from 226 reviews
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hCaptcha for WP
70,000+ installs · 4.6 from 88 reviews
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Forminator Forms
600,000+ installs · 4.8 from 2,139 reviews
-
Fluent Forms
800,000+ installs · 4.8 from 806 reviews
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