Shield: Blocks Bots, Protects Users… vs Spider Blocker (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 20K+). Both are free WordPress plugins. Shield: Blocks Bots, Protects Users… has accumulated 12M+ total downloads while Spider Blocker has 612K+.
Detailed Comparison
| Metric | Shield: Blocks Bots, Protects Users… | Spider Blocker | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rating | 4.8/5 | ◄ | 4/5 |
| Total Reviews | 1,032 | ◄ | 5 |
| Active Installs | 40K+ | ◄ | 20K+ |
| Total Downloads | 12M+ | ◄ | 612K+ |
| Support Resolution | 100% | N/A | |
| Last Updated | 1 month ago | ◄ | 1 year ago |
| First Released | 2013 | 2015 | |
| Age | 13 years | 11 years | |
| WP Requires | 5.7+ | 4.0+ | |
| PHP Requires | 7.4+ | false+ | |
| Business Model | Free | Free | |
| Latest Version | 21.2.6 | 1.3.7 |
Rating Breakdown
Shield: Blocks Bots, Protects Users…
Spider Blocker
Download Trends
Over the past 30 days, Shield: Blocks Bots, Protects Users… averaged approximately 1,389 daily downloads while Spider Blocker averaged 26.
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
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 Shield: Blocks Bots, Protects Users… or Spider Blocker more popular?
Which has better ratings — Shield: Blocks Bots, Protects Users… or Spider Blocker?
Are Shield: Blocks Bots, Protects Users… and Spider Blocker free?
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Plugin data sourced from WordPress.org. Comparison and analysis by PluginSift.