CleanTalk vs Honeypot (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 Honeypot at #2. Honeypot 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.
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
Honeypot leads on 4 of the 5 measures we track.
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 1,436 reviews, against 4.8 from 3,211 reviews.
CleanTalk has more reviews behind its score: 3,211 against 1,436.
Honeypot was updated more recently, on September 3, 2026; CleanTalk on September 2, 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 want the score backed by more reviews.
Honeypot
Pick Honeypot 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 or you want the one shipping releases most recently.
CleanTalk vs Honeypot side by side
| CleanTalk | Honeypot | |
|---|---|---|
| Anti-Spam Plugins ranking | #3 | #2 |
| Rating | 4.8 | 5.0 |
| Reviews | 3,211 | 1,436 |
| Active installs | 200,000+ | 400,000+ |
| Total downloads | 25,198,761 | 5,042,141 |
| Downloads, last 30 days | – | – |
| Last updated | Sep 2, 2026 | Sep 3, 2026 |
| First published | May 18, 2012 | Jun 16, 2020 |
| Tested up to WordPress | 7.1 | 7.1 |
| Requires PHP | 7.2 | – |
| Pricing | Free on WordPress.org | Free on WordPress.org |
30-day download figures appear after both plugins have 30 days of tracking.
CleanTalk 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 nor Honeypot can pay to appear here: the pair exists only because both plugins reached the Anti-Spam Plugins top 10. Full methodology.
CleanTalk vs Honeypot: common questions
Is CleanTalk better than Honeypot?
Honeypot leads on 4 of the 5 measures we track. 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 or Honeypot?
Honeypot ranks higher on WordPress.org: #2 against #3 in Anti-Spam Plugins.
Which is rated higher, CleanTalk or Honeypot?
Honeypot has more users: 400,000+ active installs against 200,000+.
Are CleanTalk and Honeypot free?
Both are free to install from WordPress.org. CleanTalk may also sell a paid version or add-ons. Honeypot may also sell a paid version or add-ons.
Alternatives to CleanTalk and Honeypot
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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CF7 Apps
300,000+ installs · 3.8 from 135 reviews
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Titan Anti-spam & Security
50,000+ installs · 4.5 from 370 reviews
-
Forminator Forms
600,000+ installs · 4.8 from 2,121 reviews
-
SiteGuard
600,000+ installs · 4.3 from 15 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.