Shield: Blocks Bots, Protects Users… vs GM Block Bots (2026)
Detailed side-by-side comparison of two WordPress plugins, based on real-time data from WordPress.org.
Shield: Blocks Bots, Protects Users…
40K+ active installs
Free
Quick Verdict
As of April 2026, Shield: Blocks Bots, Protects Users… has a higher user rating (4.8/5 from 1,032 reviews) and leads in active installations (40K+ vs 900). Both are free WordPress plugins. Shield: Blocks Bots, Protects Users… has accumulated 12M+ total downloads while GM Block Bots has 75K+.
Detailed Comparison
| Metric | Shield: Blocks Bots, Protects Users… | GM Block Bots | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rating | 4.8/5 | ◄ | 4.4/5 |
| Total Reviews | 1,032 | ◄ | 16 |
| Active Installs | 40K+ | ◄ | 900 |
| Total Downloads | 12M+ | ◄ | 75K+ |
| Support Resolution | 100% | N/A | |
| Last Updated | 1 month ago | ◄ | 8 years ago |
| First Released | 2013 | 2015 | |
| Age | 13 years | 11 years | |
| WP Requires | 5.7+ | 3.0+ | |
| PHP Requires | 7.4+ | false+ | |
| Business Model | Free | Free | |
| Latest Version | 21.2.6 | 2.0.2 |
Rating Breakdown
Shield: Blocks Bots, Protects Users…
GM Block Bots
Download Trends
Over the past 30 days, Shield: Blocks Bots, Protects Users… averaged approximately 1,389 daily downloads while GM Block Bots averaged 4.
Recent Reviews
Shield: Blocks Bots, Protects Users… Reviews
I hate this expensive, complex plugin
I’m so tired of visitors being locked out of client sites, clients being locked out. I have no idea how to get real support. It’s sold as a simple, robust security plugin, but it’s by no means simple;
Causes critical error
Installed it two times, and each time it completely blocked access to the WordPress dashboard. Had to use FTP to delete this plugin.
Solid Security Plugin with Some Hidden Pitfalls
I’m a web developer and I like Shield Security. It’s solid and offers strong protection. That said, after following their advice to improve my security grade, I couldn’t edit the WordPress Customiz
GM Block Bots Reviews
Works great
Works great, only lacking updates or automatic fetching new spammers. This topic was modified 8 years, 6 months ago by Jaro. This topic was modified 8 years, 6 months ago by Jaro.
One of My Core Plugins
Until Google solves the spam traffic issue, I’ll be using this plugin on every WordPress website. Does it take care of all of the spam traffic? No. It takes care of the spam bots that visit your site.
Stops those bots butt cold
I LOVE this plugin!!! Works exactly as advertised and doesn’t load the site in doing it. The best part is, it’s kept up to date with the latest spam crawl bots. Now I don’t have to play a never ending
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Frequently Asked Questions
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Plugin data sourced from WordPress.org. Comparison and analysis by PluginSift.