Hostbox Google reCAPTCHA
by Hostbox · Security
Simple Google reCAPTCHA (v2 and v3) for WordPress, 100% free, no hidden premium, no catches. Supports WooCommerce and Contact Form 7.
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
C 64/100
Stale · Few reviews
Active installs
600+
≈650 estimated
Momentum
—
no download trend yet
Biggest opportunity: “google recaptcha”, “recaptcha” and “spam prevention” aren't earning a slot. You list them, but you're not in the first 24 results for those searches. WordPress.org counts only your first five tags, so free the slot for a search you can win.
64 health vs 66 average across 1,776 Security plugins
Install conversion
How it's measured →14%
of downloads still active
At least 600 of 4.2K 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.
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.
Well optimized
Most to gain: Update recency
Updated 512 days ago, past the ~180 days where wp.org starts discounting
Tested up to WordPress 6.8.12, the current branch or newer
5.0★ over 4 reviews, smoothed to 4.17★ and held back under 25 reviews
5 of 5 tags set · short description in place
To rank higher: Last updated 512 days ago — ship an update; wp.org decays a listing's search weight after ~180 days.
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.
38
Momentum
Losing ground
-0.7
Velocity
places per keyword, 28d
23%
Breadth
of keywords climbing, 28d
-0.2
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| hostbox your tag | #1 | #1 | 0 |
| hidden recaptcha | #12 | #22 | up 1 |
| contact form 7 invisible recaptcha | #22 | #20 | 0 |
| google recaptcha v3 | #23 | #20 | down 4 |
| google recaptcha your tag | Not in the top 24 | ||
| recaptcha your tag | Not in the top 24 | ||
| spam prevention your tag | Not in the top 24 | ||
| spam protection your tag | Not in the top 24 | ||
13 searches this plugin appeared in over the last 90 days, 4 listed. 9 left out as unrelated or noise (years, numbers, stray words). 4 of its tags aren't in the top 24 for their own search.
What to do about it
- “google recaptcha”, “recaptcha” and “spam prevention” aren't earning a slot. You list them, but you're not in the first 24 results for those searches. WordPress.org counts only your first five tags, so free the slot for a search you can win.
Daily downloads
Since 31 Jan 2025 · 639 days · wp.org + Plugin Pulse archive
30-day downloads
Rolling 30-day volume · peak 352 · 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
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
1.4y ago
latest release · v0.0.10 · 6 Jun 2025
10
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 “600+”. Our estimate pins where the real number sits.
Crossed into this band 6 months ago; a band this size takes about a year or more to cross, which places it about 52% of the way through.
Install history since 30 Jan 2025
Recent reviews
All reviews on wp.org ↗- ★★★★★ movahead1.2y ago
When one of your products is working well, people are willing to look at your other products. I think that’s smart and don’t play around to sell their pro version! I highly recommend this plugin.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ hashaamzahid1.4y ago
I’ve used many reCAPTCHA plugins over the years, but Hostbox Google reCAPTCHA really stands out. It offers strong security features and does a great job keeping bots away from my site. What impressed me the most is the wide range of features available for free – something you don’t often see with other plugins. The support team is also fantastic, quick to respond and very helpful with any questions or issues. If you’re looking for a reliable and user-friendly security plugin, this is definitely one of the best. Highly recommended!
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ Besalb Kercuku1.7y ago
I found a solid choice for google recaptcha v3. It’s lightweight, easy to set up in under 2 minutes, and does exactly what it promises—no hidden fees, no hassle. Just a simple, effective way to keep bots away. Worth it!
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ kristinagjokaj1.8y ago
The Google reCAPTCHA Integration for WordPress stands out for its simplicity and effectiveness. Unlike many bloated alternatives, this lightweight plugin delivers exactly what’s needed, robust spam protection without unnecessary features. The seamless integration with both WooCommerce and Contact Form 7 makes it particularly valuable, successfully blocking automated spam submissions across all forms. After implementing various recaptcha solutions, this plugin’s straightforward approach and reliable performance make it the clear choice for WordPress sites requiring spam protection. Thank you @hostbox
Read on wp.org ↗
Behavioral tests
via WP HiveAutomated install-time checks, tested on PHP 8.1.12 · WP 6.8.1
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
4 of 8 pass · checked 28 Oct 2026Can an assistant quote this readme? Eight deterministic checks over the wp.org listing, no model involved.
- ! Says what it does Short description names no action; say what the plugin does for the site.
- ! Has a FAQ No FAQ section.
- ! FAQ asks real questions No FAQ to judge.
- ! Names who it is for Never says who the plugin is for or what they use it for.
- ✓ Names what it works with Mentions WooCommerce, Contact Form 7.
- ✓ Headings and lists 8 headings and 5 lists.
- ✓ Enough to quote 2,559 characters of description.
- ✓ Tags match the text 3 of 5 tags appear in the text; "spam prevention", "spam protection" do not.
Growth timeline
Install-tier crossings we have observed, and how long each tier took to outgrow
- 2026-05-08 700+ → 600+ down after 2 days in tier
- 2026-05-06 600+ → 700+ up after 1 days in tier
- 2026-05-05 700+ → 600+ down after 32 days in tier
- 2026-04-03 600+ → 700+ up after 75 days in tier
- 2026-01-18 500+ → 600+ up after 57 days in tier
- 2025-11-22 400+ → 500+ up after 42 days in tier
- 2025-10-11 300+ → 400+ up after 66 days in tier
- 2025-08-06 200+ → 300+ up after 27 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).
-
Advanced Google reCAPTCHA 200K+ installs · 4.8★ · 2 shared tags A -
Invisible Anti-Spam & CAPTCHA — reCAPTCHA Alternative for All Forms 4K+ installs · 4.7★ · 2 shared tags A -
Contact Form 7 Text CAPTCHA 1K+ installs · 4.0★ · 2 shared tags C -
Hide Google reCAPTCHA Logo 500+ installs · 4.0★ · 2 shared tags D - R reCaptcha for WooCommerce 500+ installs · 4.1★ · 2 shared tags B
-
WP reCaptcha 100+ installs · 3.8★ · 2 shared tags D
Embed this report card
Drop a live Pulse card for Hostbox Google reCAPTCHA into a readme, a review or a deck. It updates itself.
<iframe src="https://plugins.wpmayor.com/embed/hostbox-google-recaptcha" width="480" height="300" style="border:0" loading="lazy" title="Hostbox Google reCAPTCHA — Plugin Pulse"></iframe> Hostbox Google reCAPTCHA: 600+ active installs, 5.0★ (4 reviews). Plugin Pulse (WP Mayor), as of 2026-10-31. https://plugins.wpmayor.com/plugin/hostbox-google-recaptcha
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