Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

Akismet VS CleanTalk

Compare Akismet VS CleanTalk and see what are their differences

Akismet logo Akismet

Akismet is a spam fighting service that protects millions of WordPress sites from comment and contact form spam.

CleanTalk logo CleanTalk

Spam protection for WordPress, Joomla, Drupal, and any other websites
  • Akismet Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-07-12
  • CleanTalk Landing page
    Landing page //
    2022-03-27

CleanTalk is a SaaS Spam Protection Service for websites. CleanTalk uses protection methods that are invisible to the website visitors. Connecting to the service eliminates any needs of CAPTCHA, questions and answers, and other methods of protection that complicate the exchange of information on your website.

Great opportunities to use additional anti-spam tools for your website, such as SpamFireWall, Personal lists, Encode email, Email validation, etc.

CleanTalk

$ Details
Free Trial $12.0 / Annually
Platforms
Wordpress Drupal PHP

Akismet features and specs

  • Effective Spam Filtering
    Akismet provides robust spam filtering capabilities, effectively identifying and blocking spam comments and emails using advanced algorithms and a continuously updated database.
  • Easy Integration
    Akismet can be easily integrated with various content management systems (CMS) like WordPress, providing seamless spam protection with minimal setup.
  • Automated Operation
    Once set up, Akismet works automatically in the background without requiring constant attention or manual intervention, which saves time and effort for administrators.
  • Regular Updates
    The service benefits from frequent updates and improvements, ensuring that it stays ahead of emerging spam techniques and remains effective.
  • Global Spam Database
    Akismet leverages a global spam database, improving its ability to detect and block spam based on inputs from millions of other users worldwide.

Possible disadvantages of Akismet

  • False Positives
    While effective, Akismet can sometimes incorrectly flag legitimate comments or emails as spam, requiring manual review and correction by the user.
  • Subscription Cost
    For commercial use, Akismet requires a paid subscription, which can be a consideration for smaller sites or individual users with limited budgets.
  • Privacy Concerns
    Since Akismet processes and analyzes comments and contact form submissions, there may be concerns about data privacy and the handling of user information.
  • Dependency on External Service
    Using Akismet means relying on a third-party service, which could be problematic if the service experiences downtime or suffers from other technical issues.
  • Customization Limitations
    Customization options for Akismet might be limited compared to custom or self-developed spam solutions, potentially limiting flexibility for advanced users.

CleanTalk features and specs

  • Effective Spam Protection
    CleanTalk provides robust spam prevention tools that effectively filter out spam bots from websites, ensuring only legitimate traffic is allowed.
  • Wide Platform Support
    The service supports multiple platforms including WordPress, Joomla, Drupal among others, making it versatile for a wide range of website types.
  • Easy Integration
    CleanTalk offers simple integration processes, often just requiring a plugin installation, which is user-friendly for both technical and non-technical users.
  • Real-Time Analysis
    The system offers real-time analysis and alerts, allowing users to respond swiftly to spam threats and maintain security standards.
  • Detailed Statistics
    Users are provided with detailed statistics on spam activity, helping them understand spam patterns and improve site security configurations.

Possible disadvantages of CleanTalk

  • Subscription-Based
    CleanTalk operates on a subscription model which may not fit within the budget of small websites or bloggers seeking free anti-spam options.
  • False Positives
    There might be instances where legitimate comments or submissions are mistakenly identified as spam, requiring manual review.
  • Data Storage
    For privacy-concerned users, the data usage and storage policies of CleanTalk might be a concern, as data passes through their servers.
  • Feature Limitations on Basic Plan
    The basic subscription might not offer all the features needed for advanced users who may require custom settings or additional protection layers.
  • Complexity for New Users
    While integration is generally easy, new users without any technical expertise may find initial configuration slightly challenging.

Akismet videos

Akismet Set Up (Free) - Anti-Spam WordPress Plugin Tutorial

More videos:

  • Tutorial - How to Setup AKISMET ANTI-SPAM Wordpress Plugin Review + Quick Tutorial
  • Review - 2016 Akismet review

CleanTalk videos

cleantalk review 2020

More videos:

  • Review - Prevent Spam on Your Website with CleanTalk
  • Review - CleanTalk – Cloud-Based Anti-Spam Service to Keep Your Site Bot-Free | NewsWatch Review

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Akismet and CleanTalk)
SPAM
78 78%
22% 22
SPAM Protection
50 50%
50% 50
Security
44 44%
56% 56
Commenting Service
100 100%
0% 0

User comments

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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare Akismet and CleanTalk

Akismet Reviews

Spam Detection APIs
It also has a generic API. There are libraries for Dart, JavaScript, PHP, Python, Ruby, Go, etc, as well as plugins for other CMSs. So if you use a different CMS or have your custom app, you can still use Akismet for spam detection.
Source: css-tricks.com
6 Free Alternatives to Akismet Anti-Spam Prevention
Akismet is free only for personal use, individual blogs or for non-profit website, for the rest of the websites such as business and non-profits the monthly subscription plans start at $5/mo. While it is not much an investment, but you can always opt for free alternatives that are just as good. If you’re looking for an alternative to Akismet, this article is for you. I have...
Source: 85ideas.com

CleanTalk Reviews

Spam Detection APIs
CleanTalk has a clear pricing structure and appears to have plenty of customers, which is a plus to me. The website looks a little janky though, which makes me worry a little.
Source: css-tricks.com

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Akismet should be more popular than CleanTalk. It has been mentiond 12 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

Akismet mentions (12)

  • Weekly Indie Log #19
    Stomod now supports a native built-in commenting feature, allowing fully threaded conversations on your blog posts. Plus, it includes support for Akismet spam detection to keep those pesky spammers at bay. - Source: dev.to / 3 months ago
  • Prevent Spam in Statamic Forms
    In this article, I'll show you how to add a spam detection service to your Statamic forms and reject any submissions that are deemed to be spam. I'll be using Akismet for this example, but you can use any spam detection service you'd like. - Source: dev.to / about 1 year ago
  • What happened to blogging for the hell of it?
    Anyone out there using solutions like this and can offer any feedback? https://akismet.com/. - Source: Hacker News / about 1 year ago
  • Detecting and preventing spam users
    Use some service (e.g. Something like Akismet) to predict whether a user is spam or not. Source: over 1 year ago
  • Bots still getting through my contact page with Google Recaptcha
    Django-contact-form uses the akismet dependency, which in turn uses the Wordpress Akismet spam-detection service. See the AkismetContactForm class and its documentation to study its implementation. It is pretty straight forward and mainly requires an API key, which is free for personal use. Source: almost 3 years ago
View more

CleanTalk mentions (6)

  • Fake Requests
    Https://cleantalk.org/ it's $8 a year well worth it. Stop spam form entries on all my client sites. Source: about 3 years ago
  • Spam user registration
    ReCaptcha doesn't work well any more, and AntiSpam Bee seems to be letting more spam through as well lately. I've switched a few clients over to Cleantalk and it's quite solid. Source: about 3 years ago
  • CleanTalk
    CleanTalk is awesome service for Spam protection, AntiSpam, FireWall by CleanTalk. CleanTalk Anti-Spam is a cloud service protection from spam for websites. I used it in my website and it was excellent for that reason I recommend.CleanTalk. Source: about 3 years ago
  • Should I use a captcha plug in to get rid of spam comments?
    CleanTalk is a great plugin that's only about $12 per year, and I've read some people on this sub say that they use it along with Antispam Bee, which is free. It uses Clean Talk's servers to do all the spam detection, so it won't slow down your site. It's what I use, but I haven't published my site yet so I can't give you a personal account of how well it works. With that said, I've seen it ranked highly in a... Source: over 3 years ago
  • reCaptcha - is anything going to work better
    IMHO...I have found CleanTalk to be most effective approach to the issue of antispam. Source: over 3 years ago
View more

What are some alternatives?

When comparing Akismet and CleanTalk, you can also consider the following products

reCAPTCHA - reCAPTCHA is a free security service that protects your websites from spam and abuse.

hCaptcha - Do you use a captcha to keep out bots? hCaptcha is a drop-in replacement for reCAPTCHA that earns website owners money and helps companies get their data labeled.

Amazon AMS - Existing advertiser? Sign in to access your Amazon Advertising account.

OOPSpam Anti-Spam API - The better, new standard to stop spam content.

Mediaocean - Mediaocean offers the infrastructure to automate the advertising workflow.

Antispam Bee - Say Goodbye to comment spam on your WordPress blog or website.