Cookies for Comments
by Donncha O Caoimh (a11n) · Security
Also makes 9 other plugins · 21.4K+ installs across the portfolio →
Sets a cookie on a random URL that is then checked when a comment is posted. If the cookie is missing the comment is marked as spam.
50 health vs 64 average across 997 Security plugins
High removal-risk signals
63/100Maintenance and integrity signals that tend to precede a WordPress.org removal. Not an official status, a heads-up to act.
- Long abandoned. No update in 7+ years — the top precursor to removal once a vulnerability is found.
- Compatibility drift. Tested only up to WordPress 5.2.26, well behind 6.8.
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.
Under-optimized
Biggest win: Update recency
To rank higher: Last updated 2643 days ago — ship an update; wp.org decays a listing's search weight after ~180 days.
Get the full rank-higher report →Daily downloads
Since 2022-10-05 · 1,425 days · wp.org + Plugin Pulse archive
30-day downloads
Rolling 30-day volume · peaks are release surges
399
now · peak 720
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
Rating trend
Star average over time · dips mark rough releases
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
No release in a yearHow often this plugin actually ships. A steady rhythm is the maintenance signal a single "last updated" date can't show.
0
releases in the last 12 months
7.2y ago
latest release · v0.5.5
7
tagged releases on record
Recent releases
What its installed base runs
via wordpress.orgShare of active installs on each version of this plugin · 100% 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 “10K+”. Our estimate pins where the real number sits.
Modeled within the band wp.org reports; tightens as we track daily.
Install history · since 2015-06-12 · 1,500 observations
Estimated value
What this plugin might earn a year, and what it might sell for. Modeled from public signals; we don't see anyone's books.
Est. annual revenue
Est. acquisition value
No paid tier is visible, so we don't put a figure on revenue or sale value: that would be guessing. The install base is a real asset to an acquirer, just not one public data lets us price.
Details
Recent reviews
All reviews on wp.org ↗- ★★★★★ Annonnimmo5.8y ago
(REVIEW UPDATED August 2021) Based on my long experience, I think this the simplest, fastest e most effective plugin to avoid spam in WordPress comments. I’m using this plugin on several sites, since years, and it works like a charm. Also on a big website with thousands of daily views (using .htaccess) P.s. It works very well with all versions of WP 5.x This topic was modified 5 years, 8 months ago by Jan Dembowski. This topic was modified 4 years, 11 months ago by Annonnimmo. This topic was modified 4 years, 11 months ago by Annonnimmo. Reason: updated for date
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ Pothi Kalimuthu9.6y ago
If you don’t use any other spam filter plugins, then you can rely on this to stop spam comments for sure!
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ Spitt10.6y ago
There used to be 2 types of anti-spam plugins. The first one will block all comments, and also block shopping carts if you run a site where people need to pay. The second doesn’t work. There is now a 3rd category, and this one not only works, but also will not block shopping carts. This anti-spam works well with Clickbank and WP eMember possibly other carts as well. Thank you so much! The last update stopped the anti-spam from Tips and Tricks HQ with their WP Security plugin, and I was inundated with 100s of spam comments per day. Now, this solution works, and everything is sent to spam, without messing with my shopping cart. Thank you so much. mmoexploiters.com
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ Jason G.11.5y ago
I originally found out about this plugin on Justin Tadlock’s blog. He was all for it so I figured it has to be a good one. I currently have it installed on all of my sites along with the recommended .htaccess rule, and now I do not ever see any spam! Awesome job guys! Thanks for a great plugin!
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ Jon Christopher11.6y ago
Love the premise of this plugin, and the results are respectable & accurate. Can’t ask for more than that! If a project I’m working on supports comments, this is my go-to plugin to reduce spam.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ Hugh Lashbrooke11.8y ago
This plugin is 100% essential for any WordPress site. In fact, it would be great if this was added to core.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ Alexander Gounder11.9y ago
The graph Spam Blocked in Akismet went from 111 comments blocked in April 2014 to barely one if not zero comments a month.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ chamacs12.0y ago
Some of the plugins that I tried before promised cutting the SPAM but failed miserably to do so. I now believe that at my site [Link redacted], this plugin has served me very well.
Read on wp.org ↗
Latest updates
via wp.org changelogRecent releases and news for this plugin
- — Version 0.5.5 Sanitize the cookie key before setting it. Props Matt Cutts and @planetzuda 0.5.5
- — Version 0.5.4 Added a rejection message for when people trip over the cookie protection. Plugin requires WordPress 3.1+ now. 0.5.4
- — Version 0.5.2 Use an image to deliver cookie as well as stylesheet. Don’t load WordPress to set the cookie. Makes pageload much faster! Added “time to post comment” to comment notification emails. Support for SSL sites. If user is log 0.5.2
- — Version 0.5.1 Generate cfc_key all the time if it’s missing, not just on serving the css html Added MU signup form mod_rewrite rules to docs and admin page Added Settings page link to plugins page. Add explanation text to css file. Ad 0.5.1
Behavioral tests
via WP HiveAutomated install-time checks, tested on PHP 7.2.16 · WP 5.3
Growth timeline
Install-tier crossings we have observed, and how long each tier took to outgrow
- 2026-08-27 20K+ → 10K+ down after 458 days in tier
- 2025-05-26 30K+ → 20K+ down after 429 days in tier
- 2024-03-23 40K+ → 30K+ down after 471 days in tier
- 2022-12-08 50K+ → 40K+ down
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).
-
Akismet Anti-spam: Spam Protection 5M+ installs · 4.7★ · 2 shared tags A - T Throws SPAM Away 10K+ installs · 4.3★ · 2 shared tags A
- D Delete Pending Comments 10K+ installs · 4.6★ · 2 shared tags C
-
Simply Disable Comments 7K+ installs · 4.2★ · 2 shared tags A
-
Spam Destroyer 5K+ installs · 4.5★ · 2 shared tags A -
Kama SpamBlock 4K+ installs · 4.5★ · 2 shared tags A
Embed this report card
Drop a live Pulse card for Cookies for Comments into a readme, a review or a deck. It updates itself.
<iframe src="https://plugins.wpmayor.com/embed/cookies-for-comments" width="480" height="300" style="border:0" loading="lazy" title="Cookies for Comments — Plugin Pulse"></iframe> Cookies for Comments: 10K+ active installs, 4.9★ (18 reviews). Plugin Pulse (WP Mayor), as of 2026-08-29. https://plugins.wpmayor.com/plugin/cookies-for-comments