CleanTalk Anti-Spam vs reCaptcha by BestWebSoft (October 2026)
Updated October 22, 2026 · Data from WordPress.org, refreshed daily · How this works
Both rank in the WordPress.org CAPTCHA Plugins top 10: CleanTalk Anti-Spam at #3 and reCaptcha by BestWebSoft at #5. CleanTalk Anti-Spam leads on all 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!
reCaptcha by BestWebSoft
Protect WordPress website forms from spam entries with Google reCAPTCHA.
Who leads on what
CleanTalk Anti-Spam leads on all 6 measures we track.
CleanTalk Anti-Spam ranks higher on WordPress.org: #3 against #5 in CAPTCHA Plugins.
CleanTalk Anti-Spam has more users: 200,000+ active installs against 100,000+.
CleanTalk Anti-Spam is rated higher: 4.8 out of 5 from 3,219 reviews, against 3.9 from 391 reviews.
CleanTalk Anti-Spam has more reviews behind its score: 3,219 against 391.
CleanTalk Anti-Spam was updated more recently, on October 21, 2026; reCaptcha by BestWebSoft on April 24, 2026.
CleanTalk Anti-Spam was downloaded more in the last 30 days: 429,496 times against 12,285.
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, you want the plugin more sites already run, 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.
reCaptcha by BestWebSoft
reCaptcha by BestWebSoft 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 Anti-Spam vs reCaptcha by BestWebSoft side by side
| CleanTalk Anti-Spam | reCaptcha by BestWebSoft | |
|---|---|---|
| CAPTCHA Plugins ranking | #3 | #5 |
| Rating | 4.8 | 3.9 |
| Reviews | 3,219 | 391 |
| Active installs | 200,000+ | 100,000+ |
| Total downloads | 25,787,134 | 6,787,194 |
| Downloads, last 30 days | 429,496 | 12,285 |
| Last updated | Oct 21, 2026 | Apr 24, 2026 |
| First published | May 18, 2012 | Feb 7, 2014 |
| Tested up to WordPress | 7.1.3 | 7.0.7 |
| Requires PHP | 7.2 | – |
| Pricing | Free on WordPress.org | Free on WordPress.org |
Downloads per day, last 48 days
CleanTalk Anti-Spam ratings
reCaptcha by BestWebSoft 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 reCaptcha by BestWebSoft can pay to appear here: the pair exists only because both plugins reached the CAPTCHA Plugins top 10. Full methodology.
CleanTalk Anti-Spam vs reCaptcha by BestWebSoft: common questions
Is CleanTalk Anti-Spam better than reCaptcha by BestWebSoft?
CleanTalk Anti-Spam leads on all 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 #5 in CAPTCHA Plugins.
Which has more users, CleanTalk Anti-Spam or reCaptcha by BestWebSoft?
CleanTalk Anti-Spam ranks higher on WordPress.org: #3 against #5 in CAPTCHA Plugins.
Which is rated higher, CleanTalk Anti-Spam or reCaptcha by BestWebSoft?
CleanTalk Anti-Spam has more users: 200,000+ active installs against 100,000+.
Are CleanTalk Anti-Spam and reCaptcha by BestWebSoft free?
Both are free to install from WordPress.org. CleanTalk Anti-Spam may also sell a paid version or add-ons. reCaptcha by BestWebSoft may also sell a paid version or add-ons.
Alternatives to CleanTalk Anti-Spam and reCaptcha by BestWebSoft
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.