CleanTalk Anti-Spam vs Really Simple CAPTCHA (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 Really Simple CAPTCHA at #1. CleanTalk Anti-Spam leads on 4 of the 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!
Really Simple CAPTCHA
Really Simple CAPTCHA is a CAPTCHA module intended to be called from other plugins. It is originally created for my Contact Form 7 plugin.
Who leads on what
CleanTalk Anti-Spam leads on 4 of the 6 measures we track.
Really Simple CAPTCHA ranks higher on WordPress.org: #1 against #3 in CAPTCHA Plugins.
Really Simple CAPTCHA has more users: 300,000+ active installs against 200,000+.
CleanTalk Anti-Spam is rated higher: 4.8 out of 5 from 3,219 reviews, against 4.2 from 131 reviews.
CleanTalk Anti-Spam has more reviews behind its score: 3,219 against 131.
CleanTalk Anti-Spam was updated more recently, on October 21, 2026; Really Simple CAPTCHA on August 23, 2026.
CleanTalk Anti-Spam was downloaded more in the last 30 days: 429,496 times against 25,534.
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 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.
Really Simple CAPTCHA
Pick Really Simple CAPTCHA if you go by where WordPress.org itself puts them or you want the plugin more sites already run.
CleanTalk Anti-Spam vs Really Simple CAPTCHA side by side
| CleanTalk Anti-Spam | Really Simple CAPTCHA | |
|---|---|---|
| CAPTCHA Plugins ranking | #3 | #1 |
| Rating | 4.8 | 4.2 |
| Reviews | 3,219 | 131 |
| Active installs | 200,000+ | 300,000+ |
| Total downloads | 25,787,134 | 9,466,165 |
| Downloads, last 30 days | 429,496 | 25,534 |
| Last updated | Oct 21, 2026 | Aug 23, 2026 |
| First published | May 18, 2012 | Mar 10, 2009 |
| Tested up to WordPress | 7.1.3 | 7.1.3 |
| Requires PHP | 7.2 | 8.3 |
| Pricing | Free on WordPress.org | Free on WordPress.org |
Downloads per day, last 48 days
CleanTalk Anti-Spam ratings
Really Simple CAPTCHA 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 Really Simple CAPTCHA can pay to appear here: the pair exists only because both plugins reached the CAPTCHA Plugins top 10. Full methodology.
CleanTalk Anti-Spam vs Really Simple CAPTCHA: common questions
Is CleanTalk Anti-Spam better than Really Simple CAPTCHA?
CleanTalk Anti-Spam leads on 4 of the 6 measures we track. Neither is better at everything, and the answer depends on which measure you weigh. Really Simple CAPTCHA ranks higher on WordPress.org: #1 against #3 in CAPTCHA Plugins.
Which has more users, CleanTalk Anti-Spam or Really Simple CAPTCHA?
Really Simple CAPTCHA ranks higher on WordPress.org: #1 against #3 in CAPTCHA Plugins.
Which is rated higher, CleanTalk Anti-Spam or Really Simple CAPTCHA?
Really Simple CAPTCHA has more users: 300,000+ active installs against 200,000+.
Are CleanTalk Anti-Spam and Really Simple CAPTCHA free?
Both are free to install from WordPress.org. CleanTalk Anti-Spam may also sell a paid version or add-ons. Really Simple CAPTCHA may also sell a paid version or add-ons.
Alternatives to CleanTalk Anti-Spam and Really Simple CAPTCHA
Plugins that score close to both in the same WordPress.org rankings and tags.
-
Simple CAPTCHA with Cloudflare Turnstile
200,000+ installs · 4.6 from 259 reviews
-
SiteGuard
500,000+ installs · 4.3 from 15 reviews
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reCaptcha by BestWebSoft
100,000+ installs · 3.9 from 391 reviews
-
CF7 Apps
300,000+ installs · 3.8 from 135 reviews
-
Forminator Forms
600,000+ installs · 4.8 from 2,139 reviews
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