Email Encoder – Protect Email Addresses and Phone Numbers
by Online Optimisation · Security
Also makes 2 other plugins · 97K+ installs across the portfolio →
Protect email addresses and phone numbers on your site and hide them from spambots. Easy to use & flexible.
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
90K+
≈99K estimated
Momentum
-2%
downloads vs prior 30d
Biggest opportunity: Swap “hide” and “anti spam” for “copy protect” and “anti copy”. “hide” isn't earning its slot: you're not in the first 24 results for its own search. “copy protect” sits at #8 untagged, close enough for a declared tag to move it up. “anti spam” isn't earning its slot: it only gets you to #24. “anti copy” sits at #13 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 1,775 Security plugins
Install conversion
How it's measured →3.9%
of downloads still active
At least 90K of 2.3M lifetime downloads are still running, above 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 25 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
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.
Excellent listing optimization
Most to gain: Support resolution
Updated 40 days ago
Tested up to WordPress 7.0.8, the current branch or newer
4.9★ over 94 reviews, smoothed to 4.62★
5 of 5 tags set · short description in place
2 of 3 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.
43
Momentum
Holding steady
+0.1
Velocity
places per keyword, 28d
29%
Breadth
of keywords climbing, 28d
-0.1
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| addresses | #1 | #1 | 0 |
| phone | #1 | #1 | up 2 |
| phone numbers | #1 | #1 | 0 |
| encode your tag | #1 | #1 | up 1 |
| encoder | #1 | #1 | up 1 |
| email protection | #1 | #1 | up 1 |
| mailto | #1 | #1 | 0 |
| spambots | #2 | #2 | 0 |
| phone and email | #1 | #1 | 0 |
| numbers | #3 | #2 | 0 |
| encrypt your tag | #3 | #3 | down 1 |
| spambot | #2 | #2 | 0 |
| #4 | #5 | up 6 | |
| email validation | #3 | #3 | up 1 |
| temporary email | #4 | #4 | down 1 |
| protect your tag | #7 | #6 | up 3 |
| add numbers | #3 | #2 | 0 |
| is email | #3 | #3 | up 1 |
| email tools | #4 | #4 | down 1 |
| email spam | #4 | #4 | 0 |
| hide your tag | Not in the top 24 | ||
305 searches this plugin appeared in over the last 90 days, 20 listed. 267 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 “hide” and “anti spam” for “copy protect” and “anti copy”. “hide” isn't earning its slot: you're not in the first 24 results for its own search. “copy protect” sits at #8 untagged, close enough for a declared tag to move it up. “anti spam” isn't earning its slot: it only gets you to #24. “anti copy” sits at #13 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 270.6K · 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
Rating trend
Star average over time · dips mark rough releases
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.
25
releases in the last 12 months
1mo ago
latest release · v2.5.5 · 21 Sep 2026
86
tagged releases on record
Recent releases
What its installed base runs
via wordpress.orgShare of active installs on each version of this plugin · 64% 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 “90K+”. Our estimate pins where the real number sits.
Crossed into this band 2.7 years ago; the previous band took 14 months to cross, which places it about 90% of the way through.
Install history since 7 Sep 2020
Recent reviews
All reviews on wp.org ↗- ★★★★★ GuitarPix4mo ago
Exactly what I’d wanted out of it.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ RiccLazz5mo ago
best plugin for email encryption. would love to see an option to disable encryption based on css classes or IDs. would be an upgrade to this fantastic plugin.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ 720florian8mo ago
Good free plugin. I hope it will soon be able to automatically recognize phone numbers
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ paulr258mo ago
I’m actually impressed that it’s still free.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ niveksa10mo ago
Excellent plugin and support. Highly recommended.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ fletchadam12mo ago
Encodes email addresses, phone numbers, ahrefs. Great!
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ sankari1.0y ago
Thanks for the quick fix and your friendly and attentive support!
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ neotek91.2y ago
Works great but needs an update. Thank you. Receiving this in the error log. Notice: Function _load_textdomain_just_in_time was called <strong>incorrectly</strong>. Translation loading for the <code>email-encoder-bundle</code> domain was triggered too early. This is usually an indicator for some code in the plugin or theme running too early. Translations should be loaded at the <code>init</code> action or later. Please see <a href=”/”>Debugging in WordPress</a> for more information. (This message was added in version 6.7.0.) in /home/holistic/public_html/wp-includes/functions.php on line 6121 Happy to send a donation via PayPal. Cheers.
Read on wp.org ↗
Latest updates
via wp.org changelogRecent releases and news for this plugin
- — Version 2.5.2 Fix: On iPhone/iPad, an email link set to open in a new tab (or opened via “Open Link in New Tab”) could show a Safari “cannot run the script” error — email links are now real links that open the mail app cleanly in ever 2.5.2
- — Version 2.5.1 Fix: On large pages, a plain email inside another plugin’s inline script data (for example the Helpie FAQ list) could be encoded there and break that script, spilling raw content into the space below the footer — inline 2.5.1
- — Version 2.5.0 Feature: Redesigned settings page — branded header with logo and version, modern layout, friendlier form controls Feature: Reorganised settings into clearer tabs, including a dedicated Exclusions tab and a tidied-up Tool 2.5.0
- — Version 2.4.8 Fix: Emails inside dropdown options now display correctly in Firefox (and consistently across all browsers) Fix: Rich-text and styled markup inside mailto links (Divi 4 Text modules, Divi 5 Link blocks, etc.) is now pres 2.4.8
- — Version 2.4.7 Security: Escaped data-enc-email attribute output to close XSS bypass reported by WPScan (CVE-2026-2840 follow-up) 2.4.7
- — Version 2.4.6 Fix: Resolved _load_textdomain_just_in_time warning on WordPress 6.7+ Feature: Added “Copy Support Info” button to admin sidebar for easier support diagnostics Tweak: Improved settings loading performance with two-phase 2.4.6
Security history
via Wordfence IntelligenceAll 10 disclosed vulnerabilities are patched in the current version (2.5.5). Sites still on an older version should update.
- Patched High · 7.2 Email Encoder – Protect Email Addresses and Phone Numbers < 2.4.7 - Unauthenticated Stored Cross-Site Scripting ↗2026-06-11 CVE-2026-5776 Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation Affects < 2.4.7 Patched in 2.4.7
- Patched Medium · 4.4 Email Encoder – Protect Email Addresses and Phone Numbers < 2.3.4 - Authenticated (Administrator+) Stored Cross-Site Scripting ↗2026-04-21 CVE-2024-7083 Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation Affects < 2.3.4 Patched in 2.3.4
- Patched Medium · 6.4 Email Encoder – Protect Email Addresses and Phone Numbers <= 2.4.4 - Authenticated (Contributor+) Stored Cross-Site Scripting via eeb_mailto Shortcode ↗2026-04-15 CVE-2026-2840 Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation Affects <= 2.4.4 Patched in 2.4.5
- Patched Medium · 4.4 Email Encoder – Protect Email Addresses and Phone Numbers <= 2.2.1 - Authenticated (Admin+) Stored Cross-Site Scripting ↗2024-07-08 CVE-2024-4483 Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation Affects <= 2.2.1 Patched in 2.2.2
- Patched Medium · 6.4 Email Encoder – Protect Email Addresses and Phone Numbers <= 2.2.0 - Authenticated (Contributor+) Stored Cross-Site Scripting via Shortcode ↗2024-02-13 CVE-2024-1282 Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation Affects <= 2.2.0 Patched in 2.2.1
- Patched Medium · 6.4 Email Encoder – Protect Email Addresses and Phone Numbers <= 2.1.9 - Authenticated (Contributor+) Stored Cross-Site Scripting ↗2024-01-09 CVE-2023-7070 Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation Affects <= 2.1.9 Patched in 2.1.10
- Patched Medium · 6.4 Email Encoder Bundle <= 2.1.8 - Authenticated (Contributor+) Stored Cross-Site Scripting via shortcode ↗2023-11-15 CVE-2023-47821 Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation Affects <= 2.1.8 Patched in 2.1.9
- Patched Medium · 6.4 Email Encoder <= 2.1.8 - Authenticated (Contributor+) Stored Cross-Site Scripting via Shortcode ↗2023-08-29 CVE-2023-4599 Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation Affects <= 2.1.8 Patched in 2.1.9
- 2021-08-02 CVE-2021-24599 Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation Affects <= 2.1.1 Patched in 2.1.2
- 2015-08-10 Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation Affects < 1.4.2 Patched in 1.4.2
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 48 languages, 8 at 90% or more
Plus 24 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
7 of 8 pass · checked 26 Oct 2026Can an assistant quote this readme? Eight deterministic checks over the wp.org listing, no model involved.
- ✓ Says what it does "Protect email addresses and phone numbers on your site and hide them from spambots. Easy to use & flexible."
- ✓ Has a FAQ 6 questions in the FAQ.
- ✓ FAQ asks real questions 6 of 6 read like questions a user would type.
- ! Names who it is for Never says who the plugin is for or what they use it for.
- ✓ Names what it works with Mentions Divi, Jetpack.
- ✓ Headings and lists 7 headings and 4 lists.
- ✓ Enough to quote 2,357 characters of description.
- ✓ Tags match the text 3 of 5 tags appear in the text; "anti-spam", "encrypt" do not.
Growth timeline
Install-tier crossings we have observed, and how long each tier took to outgrow
- 2024-02-29 80K+ → 90K+ up after 407 days in tier
- 2023-01-18 70K+ → 80K+ up after 3 days in tier
- 2023-01-15 80K+ → 70K+ down after 1 days in tier
- 2023-01-14 70K+ → 80K+ up after 1 days in tier
- 2023-01-13 80K+ → 70K+ down after 1 days in tier
- 2023-01-12 70K+ → 80K+ up after 6 days in tier
- 2023-01-06 80K+ → 70K+ down after 2 days in tier
- 2023-01-04 70K+ → 80K+ up after 3 days in tier
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).
- W wL Email Encrypter 80+ installs · 3.6★ · 3 shared tags
-
Email Address Obfuscation 2K+ installs · 4.2★ · 2 shared tags A -
PDF Password Protect 200+ installs · 4.0★ · 2 shared tags B -
Akismet Anti-spam: Spam Protection 5M+ installs · 4.7★ · 1 shared tag A -
Antispam Bee 700K+ installs · 4.8★ · 1 shared tag A -
WP Armour – Honeypot Anti Spam 400K+ installs · 5.0★ · 1 shared tag A
Embed this report card
Drop a live Pulse card for Email Encoder – Protect Email Addresses and Phone Numbers into a readme, a review or a deck. It updates itself.
<iframe src="https://plugins.wpmayor.com/embed/email-encoder-bundle" width="480" height="300" style="border:0" loading="lazy" title="Email Encoder – Protect Email Addresses and Phone Numbers — Plugin Pulse"></iframe> Email Encoder – Protect Email Addresses and Phone Numbers: 90K+ active installs, 4.9★ (94 reviews). Plugin Pulse (WP Mayor), as of 2026-10-31. https://plugins.wpmayor.com/plugin/email-encoder-bundle
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