CleanTalk vs HookAndHook (September 2026)
Updated September 7, 2026 · Data from WordPress.org, refreshed daily · How this works
Both rank in the WordPress.org CAPTCHA Plugins top 10: CleanTalk at #3 and HookAndHook at #7. 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.
HookAndHook
Image CAPTCHA for Contact Form 7 and WPForms by HookAndHook (DSGVO/GDPR)
Adds an Image CAPTCHA to Contact Form 7 and WPForms, GDPR ready, perfect WPForms or Contact Form 7 Spam Protection Image CAPTCHA, adds a honeypot
Who leads on what
CleanTalk leads on 4 of the 5 measures we track.
CleanTalk ranks higher on WordPress.org: #3 against #7 in CAPTCHA Plugins.
CleanTalk has more users: 200,000+ active installs against 80,000+.
Not enough reviews to compare ratings fairly: CleanTalk has 3,211, HookAndHook has 49. We compare ratings only above 50 reviews each.
CleanTalk has more reviews behind its score: 3,211 against 49.
CleanTalk was updated more recently, on September 2, 2026; HookAndHook on August 24, 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, you want the plugin more sites already run, you want the score backed by more reviews or you want the one shipping releases most recently.
HookAndHook
HookAndHook does not lead on any measure we track, so pick it only for something these numbers cannot show, such as a feature you need.
CleanTalk vs HookAndHook side by side
| CleanTalk | HookAndHook | |
|---|---|---|
| CAPTCHA Plugins ranking | #3 | #7 |
| Rating | 4.8 | 4.7 |
| Reviews | 3,211 | 49 |
| Active installs | 200,000+ | 80,000+ |
| Total downloads | 25,198,761 | 1,575,179 |
| Downloads, last 30 days | – | – |
| Last updated | Sep 2, 2026 | Aug 24, 2026 |
| First published | May 18, 2012 | Jul 21, 2015 |
| Tested up to WordPress | 7.1 | 7.1 |
| Requires PHP | 7.2 | 7.0 |
| Pricing | Free on WordPress.org | Free on WordPress.org |
30-day download figures appear after both plugins have 30 days of tracking.
CleanTalk ratings
HookAndHook 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 HookAndHook can pay to appear here: the pair exists only because both plugins reached the CAPTCHA Plugins top 10. Full methodology.
CleanTalk vs HookAndHook: common questions
Is CleanTalk better than HookAndHook?
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 #7 in CAPTCHA Plugins.
Which has more users, CleanTalk or HookAndHook?
CleanTalk ranks higher on WordPress.org: #3 against #7 in CAPTCHA Plugins.
Which is rated higher, CleanTalk or HookAndHook?
CleanTalk has more users: 200,000+ active installs against 80,000+.
Are CleanTalk and HookAndHook free?
Both are free to install from WordPress.org. CleanTalk may also sell a paid version or add-ons. HookAndHook may also sell a paid version or add-ons.
Alternatives to CleanTalk and HookAndHook
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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SilentShield
10,000+ installs · 4.7 from 21 reviews
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SiteGuard
600,000+ installs · 4.3 from 15 reviews
-
reCaptcha by BestWebSoft
100,000+ installs · 3.9 from 391 reviews
-
hCaptcha for WP
70,000+ installs · 4.6 from 86 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.