Akismet
5M+ active installs · Rated 4.7/5 · Updated August 18, 2026
A plugin that checks comments and contact form submissions against Akismet's shared spam database and filters out the junk automatically. Each comment keeps a status history, hidden links are revealed, and the worst spam can be discarded outright. It suits blogs and WooCommerce sites with busy comment sections. The plugin needs an Akismet API key, which is free for personal blogs, while businesses need a paid subscription.
Pros
- Checks comments and contact form submissions against a shared spam database
- Works with Contact Form 7 and Gravity Forms
- Stats through a dashboard widget and REST endpoints
Cons
- Needs an Akismet API key from akismet.com
- Commercial sites must buy a paid plan
- Submitted content is sent to Akismet for checking
Topics: Anti-spam plugins , Form plugins
Mentioned in
- Best Anti-spam WordPress Plugins (Free and Paid)
- 20+ Must Have WordPress Plugins – Essential Plugins for Professional WordPress Websites
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