Blackhole for Bad Bots vs Spider Blocker (2026)
Detailed side-by-side comparison of two WordPress plugins, based on real-time data from WordPress.org.
Blackhole for Bad Bots
30K+ active installs
Free
Quick Verdict
As of April 2026, Blackhole for Bad Bots has a higher user rating (4.7/5 from 148 reviews) and leads in active installations (30K+ vs 20K+). Both are free WordPress plugins. Blackhole for Bad Bots has accumulated 887K+ total downloads while Spider Blocker has 612K+.
Detailed Comparison
| Metric | Blackhole for Bad Bots | Spider Blocker | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rating | 4.7/5 | ◄ | 4/5 |
| Total Reviews | 148 | ◄ | 5 |
| Active Installs | 30K+ | ◄ | 20K+ |
| Total Downloads | 887K+ | ◄ | 612K+ |
| Support Resolution | 100% | N/A | |
| Last Updated | 2 weeks ago | ◄ | 1 year ago |
| First Released | 2016 | 2015 | |
| Age | 10 years | 11 years | |
| WP Requires | 4.7+ | 4.0+ | |
| PHP Requires | 5.6.20+ | false+ | |
| Business Model | Free | Free | |
| Latest Version | 3.8.1 | 1.3.7 |
Rating Breakdown
Blackhole for Bad Bots
Spider Blocker
Download Trends
Over the past 30 days, Blackhole for Bad Bots averaged approximately 905 daily downloads while Spider Blocker averaged 26.
Recent Reviews
Blackhole for Bad Bots Reviews
Cloudflare Compatibility
Plug in has many problems with Cloudflare
Does nothing!
n/a This topic was modified 4 months, 2 weeks ago by ron441241. This topic was modified 4 months, 2 weeks ago by ron441241.
Great plugin
Hi. It seems to be doing its job. I am happy with it. Thanks 🙂 [Blackhole for Bad Bots]
Spider Blocker Reviews
Too many concerns
Apparently you need to keep your htaccess readable all the time or the plugin turns off. I cannot find any info if the htaccess still needs the plugin to function after this. This does not make me fee
Perfect!
Does what it promises to do. No more bad bots to my WP blog 🙂
Good first impression
I like that you can add additional bots. It does what it says and keeps the worst offenders of your page out of the box It also didn’t crash my multi site or disable admin or anything (like “Stop bad
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is Blackhole for Bad Bots or Spider Blocker more popular?
Which has better ratings — Blackhole for Bad Bots or Spider Blocker?
Are Blackhole for Bad Bots and Spider Blocker free?
Which plugin has better support — Blackhole for Bad Bots or Spider Blocker?
Which plugin is updated more frequently?
Plugin data sourced from WordPress.org. Comparison and analysis by PluginSift.