CleanTalk 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: CleanTalk at #3 and CF7 Apps at #5. CleanTalk leads on 4 of the 5 measures we track. Every number below comes straight from WordPress.org and is refreshed every day.
CleanTalk
Spam protection, Honeypot, Anti-Spam by CleanTalk
Top-rated antispam for contact forms, comments, WooCommerce, eCommerce, and login. No CAPTCHAs, no friction, just background anti spam protection.
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 leads on 4 of the 5 measures we track.
CleanTalk ranks higher on WordPress.org: #3 against #5 in Anti-Spam Plugins.
CF7 Apps has more users: 300,000+ active installs against 200,000+.
CleanTalk is rated higher: 4.8 out of 5 from 3,211 reviews, against 3.8 from 135 reviews.
CleanTalk has more reviews behind its score: 3,211 against 135.
CleanTalk was updated more recently, on September 2, 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.
CleanTalk
Pick CleanTalk 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 or you want the one shipping releases most recently.
CF7 Apps
Pick CF7 Apps if you want the plugin more sites already run.
CleanTalk vs CF7 Apps side by side
| CleanTalk | CF7 Apps | |
|---|---|---|
| Anti-Spam Plugins ranking | #3 | #5 |
| Rating | 4.8 | 3.8 |
| Reviews | 3,211 | 135 |
| Active installs | 200,000+ | 300,000+ |
| Total downloads | 25,198,761 | 6,521,250 |
| Downloads, last 30 days | – | – |
| Last updated | Sep 2, 2026 | Aug 6, 2026 |
| First published | May 18, 2012 | Jun 28, 2011 |
| Tested up to WordPress | 7.1 | 7.0.4 |
| Requires PHP | 7.2 | 7.4 |
| Pricing | Free on WordPress.org | Free on WordPress.org |
30-day download figures appear after both plugins have 30 days of tracking.
CleanTalk 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 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 vs CF7 Apps: common questions
Is CleanTalk better than CF7 Apps?
CleanTalk leads on 4 of the 5 measures we track. Neither is better at everything, and the answer depends on which measure you weigh. CleanTalk ranks higher on WordPress.org: #3 against #5 in Anti-Spam Plugins.
Which has more users, CleanTalk or CF7 Apps?
CleanTalk ranks higher on WordPress.org: #3 against #5 in Anti-Spam Plugins.
Which is rated higher, CleanTalk or CF7 Apps?
CF7 Apps has more users: 300,000+ active installs against 200,000+.
Are CleanTalk and CF7 Apps free?
Both are free to install from WordPress.org. CleanTalk may also sell a paid version or add-ons. CF7 Apps may also sell a paid version or add-ons.
Alternatives to CleanTalk 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 · 4.7 from 255 reviews
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Titan Anti-spam & Security
50,000+ installs · 4.5 from 370 reviews
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SilentShield
10,000+ installs · 4.7 from 21 reviews
-
hCaptcha for WP
70,000+ installs · 4.6 from 86 reviews
-
Forminator Forms
600,000+ installs · 4.8 from 2,121 reviews
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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.