Akismet Anti-spam: Spam Protection
by Automattic · Security
Also makes 78 other plugins · 18.2M+ installs across the portfolio →
The best anti-spam protection to block spam comments and spam in a contact form. The most trusted antispam solution for WordPress and WooCommerce.
Try it live opens a temporary test site in your browser, which can take about 20 seconds to load. Plugins that rely on outside services or a full server may not work completely there.
Health
A 91/100
no flags
Active installs
5M+
≈5.9M estimated
Momentum
-16%
downloads vs prior 30d
Biggest opportunity: Swap “contact form” and “comments” for “protection” and “spam filter”. “contact form” isn't earning its slot: you're not in the first 24 results for its own search. “protection” sits at #4 untagged, close enough for a declared tag to move it up. “comments” isn't earning its slot: it only gets you to #20. “spam filter” sits at #4 untagged, close enough for a declared tag to move it up. All five slots are taken, so one has to go.
91 health vs 66 average across 1,776 Security plugins
Install conversion
How it's measured →1.2%
of downloads still active
At least 5M of 408.3M lifetime downloads are still running, in line with its category: the median Security plugin keeps 1.4%, across 1,059 plugins.
Downloads count every update, not just first installs, so older and more frequently released plugins read lower. Compare against other Security plugins, not across the directory. wp.org reports active installs as the bottom of a band, so the real rate is this or higher.
This plugin shipped 4 releases in the last 12 months, and every existing install that updated counted as another download. wp.org publishes no split between first installs and updates, so we show the raw rate rather than guess at one.
Details
Recent review vibe
read from the latest 12 reviews to 2026-05-18Reviewers say Akismet blocks spam automatically with barely any setup, though a few flag pricing and unclear free-tier limits.
Directory ranking optimization
How it's scored →How well this listing is tuned to rank in WordPress.org search, on the factors an owner controls. Not popularity, optimization.
Well optimized
Most to gain: Support resolution
Updated 74 days ago
Tested up to WordPress 7.1.4, the current branch or newer
4.7★ over 1,187 reviews, smoothed to 4.68★
5 of 5 tags set · short description in place
0 of 1 support threads resolved in the last 2 months
To rank higher: Mark more forum threads resolved — the resolved ratio feeds the ranking.
Get the full rank-higher report →Search visibility
How it's tracked →Directory searches this plugin turns up in, and which way each one is moving. WordPress.org publishes no history of search positions, so this starts the day we first tracked a keyword and never backfills.
39
Momentum
Losing ground
-0.5
Velocity
places per keyword, 28d
19%
Breadth
of keywords climbing, 28d
+0.6
Acceleration
recent half vs earlier
wp.org is where the directory puts the plugin for that search. On merit is where it would sit if results were ranked on rating, support and updates, without the install boost. The last column is how far the wp.org position moved, from our first reading in the last 90 days to the latest.
| Keyword | wp.org | On merit | wp.org move, 90 days |
|---|---|---|---|
| akismet | #1 | #1 | 0 |
| spam protection | #2 | #2 | 0 |
| spam your tag | #2 | #2 | 0 |
| block spam | #2 | #2 | 0 |
| anti spam your tag | #3 | #4 | down 1 |
| comment spam | #2 | #2 | 0 |
| spam comments | #3 | #3 | 0 |
| block spam comments | #3 | #3 | 0 |
| protection | #4 | #4 | down 1 |
| anti | #4 | #4 | 0 |
| admin protection | #3 | #2 | up 2 |
| comment protection | #3 | #3 | down 1 |
| antispam protection | #3 | #3 | 0 |
| spam in comments | #2 | #2 | up 1 |
| spam filter | #4 | #5 | down 2 |
| no spam | #4 | #4 | down 2 |
| spam users | #4 | #4 | down 1 |
| antispam your tag | #7 | #5 | 0 |
| anti spam security | #5 | #5 | 0 |
| page protection | #3 | #3 | up 3 |
| contact form your tag | Not in the top 24 | ||
142 searches this plugin appeared in over the last 90 days, 20 listed. 98 left out as unrelated or noise (years, numbers, stray words). 1 of its tags isn't in the top 24 for their own search.
What to do about it
- Swap “contact form” and “comments” for “protection” and “spam filter”. “contact form” isn't earning its slot: you're not in the first 24 results for its own search. “protection” sits at #4 untagged, close enough for a declared tag to move it up. “comments” isn't earning its slot: it only gets you to #20. “spam filter” sits at #4 untagged, close enough for a declared tag to move it up. All five slots are taken, so one has to go.
Daily downloads
Since 5 Oct 2022 · 1,488 days · wp.org + Plugin Pulse archive
30-day downloads
Rolling 30-day volume · peak 12.8M · peaks are release surges
Directory rank vs rivals
wp.org popularity rank over time · higher is better · when a rival's line climbs above yours, they've overtaken you
Health trend
Composite health score, snapshotted daily
Update activity
How busy the existing users are, measured as downloads in the last 30 days for every 1,000 active sites. A spike means a new release everyone's pulling; a long, slow decline means an aging user base that updates less.
Release cadence
Actively maintainedHow often this plugin actually ships. A steady rhythm is the maintenance signal a single "last updated" date can't show.
4
releases in the last 12 months
2mo ago
latest release · v5.7.2 · 18 Aug 2026
93
tagged releases on record
Recent releases
What its installed base runs
via wordpress.orgShare of active installs on each version of this plugin · 54% run the current release. Green is the current release; a big slice on older versions is a user base that has stopped updating.
Estimated active installs
The public count shows “5M+”. Our estimate pins where the real number sits.
Crossed into this band 4 months ago and the previous band took 2.1 years to cross, so the real count is still just under 6M.
Install history since 1 Oct 2021
Recent reviews
All reviews on wp.org ↗- ★★★★★ dandre06mo ago
was getting 50+ spam comments daily, now its like 0. set it up once & forgot abt it cz it just runs itself. API key setup is meh bt overall no complaints.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ homer476mo ago
Honestly didnt expect much bt this thing actually works lol. Spam went down like crazy after install. Set it up once n forgot abt it. Cud use better free limits tho ngl
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ kiah586mo ago
Rly tired of deleting fake comments manually but this fixed it. caught almost everything so far. setup was fast cz it’s straightforward. A few real ones got blocked tho, but still a life saver. thnx
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ sairasage6mo ago
Omg I was getting so many fake comments everyday. Installed this and boom, it just stopped. Literally a lifesaver cz deleting them manually was a nightmare. Highly recommend!
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ devin9846mo ago
Blocks thousands of fake comments daily. It’s a lifesaver cz my site stays clean without any effort. Setup is super easy too. Only 4 stars coz the pricing for biz sites is a bit high, but thx for the peace of mind!
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ timothy2106mo ago
It blocks many spam comments, which is helpful. But a few still pass through, and sometimes real comments look suspicious too. Good plugin, just not perfect.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ quinn206mo ago
It catches many spam comments, so my comment section stays cleaner. But sometimes I still need to check things manually. Good support, just not fully hands-free.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ denver526mo ago
It catches most spam comments for me, which saves time. Setup was simple too. A few things can still slip in, but overall it does the job well.
Read on wp.org ↗
Latest updates
via official blogRecent releases and news for this plugin
- 2026-10-26 Akismet turns 21. Spam isn’t invited. On October 25, Akismet turns 21. We’re celebrating with a few new guests: an official Drupal module, a PHP SDK, and another year of improvements to our WordPress plugin. Spam still isn’t on the list.
- 2026-10-06 Upgrade to the official Akismet Drupal module If your Drupal site still runs the community Akismet module (drupal/akismet), the official Akismet module (drupal/akismet_antispam) can upgrade it in place. You swap the Composer package, run database
- 2026-10-02 Akismet now supports Drupal 12 Version 1.1.0 of the official Akismet Drupal module is out, and it supports Drupal 12. On Drupal 10.3, 11 and 12, the module checks comments, user registrations and contact forms as soon as it's insta
- 2026-07-15 A small integration detail with a big impact GiveWP is the most popular fundraising and donation tool on WordPress, powering over $500 million in donations. It integrates with Akismet to ensure that spammy or potentially fraudulent submissions g
- 2026-06-15 Introducing the official Akismet PHP SDK
- 2026-06-01 Introducing the official Akismet Drupal module For two decades, Akismet has kept spam out of WordPress. Now there's an official Akismet module for Drupal. It checks comments, contact forms, Webform submissions and user registrations, and it works
Security history
via Wordfence IntelligenceAll 2 disclosed vulnerabilities are patched in the current version (5.7.2). Sites still on an older version should update.
- 2015-10-13 CVE-2015-9357 Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation Affects < 3.1.5 Patched in 3.1.5
- 2007-05-14 CVE-2007-2714 Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation Affects <= 2.0.1 Patched in 2.0.2
Vulnerability records provided by Wordfence Intelligence. Copyright 2012-2026 Defiant Inc. License and terms.
CVE records: Copyright 1999-2026 The MITRE Corporation. CVE terms of use.
Behavioral tests
via WP HiveAutomated install-time checks, tested on PHP 8.1.12 · WP 7.0.1
Languages
via translate.wordpress.orgTranslated into 127 languages, 29 at 90% or more
Plus 103 more locales with partial translations.
AI assistants
How it's measured →Whether ChatGPT and Claude name this plugin when asked the category question, and whether the readme gives them something to quote.
Not measured yet for this plugin’s topics. Its tracked searches are not among the measured topics. See the topics measured so far.
Readme readiness
5 of 8 pass · checked 25 Oct 2026Can an assistant quote this readme? Eight deterministic checks over the wp.org listing, no model involved.
- ✓ Says what it does "The best anti-spam protection to block spam comments and spam in a contact form. The most trusted antispam..."
- ! Has a FAQ No FAQ section.
- ! FAQ asks real questions No FAQ to judge.
- ✓ Names who it is for Names its audience or use cases ("use it", "for businesses").
- ✓ Names what it works with Mentions WooCommerce.
- ! Headings and lists 0 headings and 1 list; assistants quote headed sections and bullet lists, not paragraphs.
- ✓ Enough to quote 1,103 characters of description.
- ✓ Tags match the text All 5 tags appear in the text.
Growth timeline
Install-tier crossings we have observed, and how long each tier took to outgrow
- 2026-07-18 6M+ → 5M+ down after 754 days in tier
- 2024-06-24 7M+ → 6M+ down after 32 days in tier
- 2024-05-23 5M+ → 7M+ up after 2443 days in tier
- 2017-09-14 3M+ → 5M+ up after 197 days in tier
- 2017-03-01 1M+ → 3M+ up
Competes with
The plugins that solve the same job, ranked by shared tags then reach, closest match first. The letter on the right is each plugin's health grade (A best, F worst).
-
Anti-Spam, Spam FireWall by CleanTalk 200K+ installs · 4.8★ · 4 shared tags A -
Spam Destroyer 5K+ installs · 4.5★ · 4 shared tags B -
Antispam Bee 700K+ installs · 4.8★ · 3 shared tags A -
Spam Protection | Maspik 30K+ installs · 4.6★ · 3 shared tags A -
Friendly Captcha for WordPress 10K+ installs · 3.9★ · 3 shared tags B -
ActiveLayer Anti-Spam: Spam Protection for Forms & Comments 10K+ installs · 4.4★ · 3 shared tags A
Embed this report card
Drop a live Pulse card for Akismet Anti-spam: Spam Protection into a readme, a review or a deck. It updates itself.
<iframe src="https://plugins.wpmayor.com/embed/akismet" width="480" height="300" style="border:0" loading="lazy" title="Akismet Anti-spam: Spam Protection — Plugin Pulse"></iframe> Akismet Anti-spam: Spam Protection: 5M+ active installs, 4.7★ (1,187 reviews). Plugin Pulse (WP Mayor), as of 2026-10-31. https://plugins.wpmayor.com/plugin/akismet
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