CleanTalk Anti-Spam vs Honeypot (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 Honeypot at #2. They split the 6 measures we track, so the choice comes down to which one you weigh most. 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!
Honeypot
WP Armour – Honeypot Anti Spam
Fastest growing Anti Spam plugin. No API calls, subscriptions, captcha or puzzle. Full GDPR complaint. For comments, contact form, login, registration
Who leads on what
They split the 6 measures we track, so the choice comes down to which one you weigh most.
Honeypot ranks higher on WordPress.org: #2 against #3 in Anti-Spam Plugins.
Honeypot has more users: 400,000+ active installs against 200,000+.
Honeypot is rated higher: 5.0 out of 5 from 1,463 reviews, against 4.8 from 3,219 reviews.
CleanTalk Anti-Spam has more reviews behind its score: 3,219 against 1,463.
CleanTalk Anti-Spam was updated more recently, on October 21, 2026; Honeypot on September 3, 2026.
CleanTalk Anti-Spam was downloaded more in the last 30 days: 429,496 times against 36,148.
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 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.
Honeypot
Pick Honeypot if you go by where WordPress.org itself puts them, you want the plugin more sites already run or the review score matters most to you.
CleanTalk Anti-Spam vs Honeypot side by side
| CleanTalk Anti-Spam | Honeypot | |
|---|---|---|
| Anti-Spam Plugins ranking | #3 | #2 |
| Rating | 4.8 | 5.0 |
| Reviews | 3,219 | 1,463 |
| Active installs | 200,000+ | 400,000+ |
| Total downloads | 25,787,134 | 5,094,349 |
| Downloads, last 30 days | 429,496 | 36,148 |
| Last updated | Oct 21, 2026 | Sep 3, 2026 |
| First published | May 18, 2012 | Jun 16, 2020 |
| 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
Honeypot 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 Honeypot 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 Honeypot: common questions
Is CleanTalk Anti-Spam better than Honeypot?
They split the 6 measures we track, so the choice comes down to which one you weigh most. Neither is better at everything, and the answer depends on which measure you weigh. Honeypot ranks higher on WordPress.org: #2 against #3 in Anti-Spam Plugins.
Which has more users, CleanTalk Anti-Spam or Honeypot?
Honeypot ranks higher on WordPress.org: #2 against #3 in Anti-Spam Plugins.
Which is rated higher, CleanTalk Anti-Spam or Honeypot?
Honeypot has more users: 400,000+ active installs against 200,000+.
Are CleanTalk Anti-Spam and Honeypot free?
Both are free to install from WordPress.org. CleanTalk Anti-Spam may also sell a paid version or add-ons. Honeypot may also sell a paid version or add-ons.
Alternatives to CleanTalk Anti-Spam and Honeypot
Plugins that score close to both in the same WordPress.org rankings and tags.
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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
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