CF7 Apps 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: CF7 Apps at #12 and reCaptcha by BestWebSoft at #5. 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.
CF7 Apps
CF7 Apps – Honeypot, Database, Redirection, Webhook, and Addons for Contact Form 7
Add hCaptcha, Honeypot, and Redirection to Contact Form 7 with CF7 Apps, and generate forms effortlessly with AI. Improve form security, keep it light …
reCaptcha by BestWebSoft
Protect WordPress website forms from spam entries with Google reCAPTCHA.
Who leads on what
They split the 6 measures we track, so the choice comes down to which one you weigh most.
reCaptcha by BestWebSoft ranks higher on WordPress.org: #5 against #12 in CAPTCHA Plugins.
CF7 Apps has more users: 300,000+ active installs against 100,000+.
reCaptcha by BestWebSoft is rated higher: 3.9 out of 5 from 391 reviews, against 3.8 from 135 reviews.
reCaptcha by BestWebSoft has more reviews behind its score: 391 against 135.
CF7 Apps was updated more recently, on September 29, 2026; reCaptcha by BestWebSoft on April 24, 2026.
CF7 Apps was downloaded more in the last 30 days: 199,439 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.
CF7 Apps
Pick CF7 Apps if you want the plugin more sites already run, you want the one shipping releases most recently or you want the one being installed faster right now.
reCaptcha by BestWebSoft
Pick reCaptcha by BestWebSoft if you go by where WordPress.org itself puts them, the review score matters most to you or you want the score backed by more reviews.
CF7 Apps vs reCaptcha by BestWebSoft side by side
| CF7 Apps | reCaptcha by BestWebSoft | |
|---|---|---|
| CAPTCHA Plugins ranking | #12 | #5 |
| Rating | 3.8 | 3.9 |
| Reviews | 135 | 391 |
| Active installs | 300,000+ | 100,000+ |
| Total downloads | 6,742,643 | 6,787,194 |
| Downloads, last 30 days | 199,439 | 12,285 |
| Last updated | Sep 29, 2026 | Apr 24, 2026 |
| First published | Jun 28, 2011 | Feb 7, 2014 |
| Tested up to WordPress | 7.1.3 | 7.0.7 |
| Requires PHP | – | – |
| Pricing | Free on WordPress.org | Free on WordPress.org |
Downloads per day, last 48 days
CF7 Apps 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 CF7 Apps nor reCaptcha by BestWebSoft can pay to appear here: the pair exists only because both plugins reached the CAPTCHA Plugins top 10. Full methodology.
CF7 Apps vs reCaptcha by BestWebSoft: common questions
Is CF7 Apps better than reCaptcha by BestWebSoft?
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. reCaptcha by BestWebSoft ranks higher on WordPress.org: #5 against #12 in CAPTCHA Plugins.
Which has more users, CF7 Apps or reCaptcha by BestWebSoft?
reCaptcha by BestWebSoft ranks higher on WordPress.org: #5 against #12 in CAPTCHA Plugins.
Which is rated higher, CF7 Apps or reCaptcha by BestWebSoft?
CF7 Apps has more users: 300,000+ active installs against 100,000+.
Are CF7 Apps and reCaptcha by BestWebSoft free?
Both are free to install from WordPress.org. CF7 Apps may also sell a paid version or add-ons. reCaptcha by BestWebSoft may also sell a paid version or add-ons.
Alternatives to CF7 Apps and reCaptcha by BestWebSoft
Plugins that score close to both in the same WordPress.org rankings and tags.
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CleanTalk Anti-Spam
200,000+ installs · 4.8 from 3,219 reviews
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Simple CAPTCHA with Cloudflare Turnstile
200,000+ installs · 4.6 from 259 reviews
-
hCaptcha for WP
70,000+ installs · 4.6 from 88 reviews
-
Gravity Forms Zero Spam
100,000+ installs · 4.3 from 24 reviews
-
Titan Anti-spam & Security
50,000+ installs · 4.5 from 370 reviews
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