As a website owner, isn’t it exhilarating to see a growth in incoming traffic? Sure it is! We all have experienced it! However, when your site gains traction, spam is one of the most unpleasant things you must tend to. When your website gets decent traffic, many unwelcome spammers join the party. Most of these spammers are automated spambots.
How bad could this be, you ask?
Well, let’s see. First, if you don’t moderate comments (i.e., if you directly publish all comments without approval), tons of irrelevant content (spam) will fill your posts and pages. This will ultimately reduce your SEO score, thanks to automated spam bots.
You will need a lot of time if you decide to manually moderate each comment, checking them for spam and authenticity. This technique has another disadvantage. Spam comments will keep filling your WordPress database without requiring significant human effort. Spam comments weigh down your database and make it slow.
Of course, we have many solutions for this problem. This article lists the best anti-spam WordPress plugins for you to consider purchasing. You can choose any of them (make sure you go through their features first) and enjoy the pleasures of hassle-free comment moderation.
We’ll begin with the simplest of WordPress spam protection plugins.
Best Anti-Spam WordPress Plugins for Purchase
1. Zero Spam
Registration and comment spam will be no more with the powerful Zero Spam. Zero Spam is an effortless-to-use WordPress anti-spam plugin that offers you protection from spambots. What’s cool about this tool is that little work is necessary to install and activate it and make it work for you. Those two actions are all that is necessary to let Zero Spam do the magic.
If you are ready to eliminate spam, start with the right foot forward and consider purchasing Zero Spam. Zero Spam features include no captcha, no moderation queues, caching plugins support, blocking fishy IP addresses, and comes with optional logging. Moreover, Zero Spam is compatible with numerous plugins, like Contact Form 7, Gravity Forms, and BuddyPress, to name a few.
2. Akismet
Akismet employs a web service powered by cloud servers, which evaluates comments for spam. Developed by Automattic, the company behind WordPress, this is one of the most popular cloud-based and free anti-spam plugins for WordPress. First, you need to connect to the cloud service using an API key obtained by registering for the service.
A couple of comments blocked by Akismet
The plugin uploads all incoming comments to Akismet’s cloud servers, where highly specialized algorithms evaluate the validity of the comments. Some are caught red-handed and shifted to the spam queue. The squeaky-clean ones are directly moderated and published. If Akismet gets stuck, i.e., can’t decide whether a particular plugin is spam, it moves the comment to the moderation queue.
Akismet is free for personal and noncommercial use, with a monthly minimum of 50,000 comment checks. The paid plans start from $5 a month, which is a pretty sweet deal for spam. If you are looking to purchase an anti-spam plugin, Akismet is a great choice. It also seamlessly integrates with the Jetpack and Contact Form 7 plugins.
3. Anti-Spam by CleanTalk—No Captcha, No Comments & Registrations Spam
CleanTalk is a premium cloud-based anti-spam plugin for WordPress, blocking spam comments, spam bot signups, and trackbacks. If you’re looking to purchase a reliable anti-spam plugin, CleanTalk offers robust protection.
The plugin is very similar to Akismet in that the incoming comments are uploaded to CleanTalk’s cloud servers where they undergo multiple validation checks. The comments are then moved to the spam queue or are approved and published depending on the results.
Cloud-based protection options from CleanTalk
The plugin maintains advanced statistics of blocked comments and a spam comment log. It also supports many third-party plugin compatibilities, such as W3 Total Cache, Jetpack, Contact Form 7, WooCommerce, BuddyPress, bbPress, and WP-Members.
It offers a 14-day free trial, after which a commercial license costs $8/year for a single website. This affordable pricing makes it an excellent choice for anyone looking to purchase a powerful anti-spam solution.
4. Anti-Spam Bee
Anti-Spam Bee is a completely free WordPress plugin for personal and commercial uses. Unlike Akismet, Anti-Spam Bee does not require user registration. For those not interested in purchasing an anti-spam plugin, this free option is a great alternative.
Host of options offered by Anti-Spam Bee
It also clears the WordPress database of previously stored spam every few days, preventing it from slowing down. Moreover, the plugin displays spam statistics and emails the daily spam blockage statistics to the moderators. This makes it a solid choice if you’re not looking to purchase but still want effective spam protection.
5. Stop Spammers Security | Block Spam Users, Comments, Forms
If you’re looking to purchase a comprehensive anti-spam solution for your WordPress site, Stop Spammers Security is an excellent choice. This plugin is a powerful server and client-side anti-spam WordPress plugin with over 20 different checks for spam comments. It also prevents login page spam and offers over 12 pages of options for heavy user customization, making it ideal for those who want full control over spam prevention.
One of the many settings pages of this plugin
In the case of spam detection, users get a second chance to post their comments or log in with a captcha challenge. This plugin supports Google reCaptcha, OpenCaptcha, and SolveMedia Captcha, providing multiple layers of protection. If you’re considering purchasing a plugin that combines flexibility with security, Stop Spammers Security is worth checking out.
6. Anti-spam
If you are overwhelmed with spammy comments, you might want to purchase a straightforward anti-spam plugin. Anti-spam is an excellent example of a simple yet effective solution to block comment spam. What’s great about Anti-spam is that it requires no setup—just download, install, and it’s ready to work.
One of the features of Anti-spam is storing blocked comments in the spam folder, allowing you to manually delete them or approve certain comments if needed. It’s important to note that Anti-spam focuses exclusively on blocking comment spam. If you are looking to purchase a plugin for broader spam and malware protection, you may want to explore other options from this collection.
7. BulletProof Security
If you’re looking to purchase a comprehensive security plugin for your WordPress site, BulletProof Security is an all-in-one website protector that ensures your pages operate flawlessly despite spam, attacks, and other malicious activities. It keeps your online space protected and safe at all times. By pre-installing a plugin like BulletProof Security, you can avoid potential issues as your site traffic increases. It’s always better to be proactive about your site’s security.
BulletProof Security offers a one-click setup wizard, making it easy for all users to benefit from its extensive features. Key features include a malware scanner, login monitoring, backups, and front- and back-end maintenance mode. For those looking to purchase even more advanced features, upgrading to BulletProof Security Pro is an option that provides additional capabilities, although many users find the free version sufficient for their needs.
8. Wordfence Security
If you want to purchase a robust security solution for your WordPress website or blog, Wordfence Security is an excellent choice. Wordfence Security is more than just an anti-spam plugin for WordPress; it is a full-blown security system designed to maintain the smooth operation of your page. With over three million downloads, Wordfence Security has proven its effectiveness in protecting WordPress sites.
Wordfence Security serves as both a firewall and a security scanner. The plugin allows you to monitor all activities through the admin dashboard, including how many threats, spam, and possible attacks it has prevented. For users interested in purchasing enhanced security, upgrading to the Wordfence Security Pro plan offers an even thicker layer of protection, giving you peace of mind against potential security threats.
9. Blackhole for Bad Bots
If you are looking to purchase an effective anti-spam plugin for WordPress, Blackhole for Bad Bots is a great choice. This plugin allows you to create a virtual black hole for spammers and hackers, protecting your site from harmful bots. It works by adding a hidden link to the footer of your page that only bots can see. Once these bad bots try to follow the link, they are thrown into a virtual black hole, preventing them from accessing your site. This method ensures that genuine users and good bots remain unaffected.
The setup process for Blackhole for Bad Bots is swift and straightforward, making it a convenient option for those who want to purchase an easy-to-use anti-spam solution. The plugin is fast and lightweight, ensuring it does not impact your website’s performance and load speed. Additionally, it is regularly updated, continually improving its ability to protect your site from spam.
10. WPBruiser (No Captcha Anti-Spam)
For those who want to purchase a user-friendly anti-spam plugin for WordPress, WPBruiser (formerly GoodBye Captcha) is an excellent choice. This anti-spam and security plugin is based on algorithms that identify spam bots without using any captchas, making it user-friendly for visitors who dislike captcha challenges. The plugin efficiently blocks spam from entering your WordPress site while allowing genuine users to interact freely.
The WPBruiser plugin allows for comprehensive logging and reporting of blocked content, giving you complete control over what happens on your site. The settings tab has options for keeping blocked content for a specified number of days, making it easy to manage and review any potential false positives. If you are considering purchasing an anti-spam plugin with a balance of security and usability, WPBruiser is a solid choice. The plugin integrates seamlessly with the WordPress login and registration pages and is compatible with many third-party plugins.
Conclusion
As a WordPress site owner, choosing the right anti-spam WordPress plugin depends on the characteristics of the traffic you’re receiving. If your site publishes a lot of list-type articles, you may encounter more user suggestions in comments, which some anti-spam plugins might mistakenly flag as spam. Therefore, regularly reviewing your spam queue is recommended to ensure genuine comments are not lost.
If you have moderate traffic with active comments, a local anti-spam solution that uses server-side data, JavaScript, and cookies might suffice. For those running a viral site with high traffic, cloud-based solutions like Akismet or WangGuard could provide more comprehensive protection.
Additionally, maintaining a clean website with regular cleanups of unnecessary files and database entries can improve your site’s performance. For more tips on WordPress performance, check out our guide on how to speed up your WordPress site.
Did we miss your favorite anti-spam WordPress plugin? Let us know, and we’ll add it to our list! Thanks for reading!
