Advanced Google reCAPTCHA vs Really Simple CAPTCHA
Two WordPress plugins head to head: ranking, active installs, downloads and ratings, from our daily tracking of the WordPress.org directory.
These aren’t all alternatives to each other — they do different jobs — so this page compares popularity only, not features.
At a glance
Really Simple CAPTCHA leads the WordPress.org popular list today at #187, ahead of Advanced Google reCAPTCHA at #213. Over the last 7 days Really Simple CAPTCHA held its place and Advanced Google reCAPTCHA slipped 1 place. Really Simple CAPTCHA has the largest install base, roughly 1.5× the next: 300K+ active installs against 200K+ for Advanced Google reCAPTCHA. Downloads this week: Advanced Google reCAPTCHA 7,493 and Really Simple CAPTCHA 6,180. Ratings: Advanced Google reCAPTCHA 4.8★ from 430 and Really Simple CAPTCHA 4.2★ from 131 reviews.
| Metric | Advanced Google reCAPTCHA | Really Simple CAPTCHA |
|---|---|---|
| Popular rank today | #213 ▼ 1 | #187 ▬ |
| Active installs | 200K+ | 300K+ |
| Downloads, last 7 days | 7,493 | 6,180 |
| Rating | 4.8★ (430) | 4.2★ (131) |
| Last updated | Aug 15, 2026 | Aug 23, 2026 |
| Current version | 5.40 | 2.5 |
| Best rank on record | #212 | #186 |
| Days in the top 50 | 0 | 0 |
| On WordPress.org since | Mar 2021 | Mar 2009 |
Highlighted cells mark the strongest figure in each row. Rank and installs are from the latest WordPress.org capture; downloads are the last seven captured days.
Ranking history Lower is better
Active installs
Downloads per day
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Frequently asked questions
Which is more popular, Advanced Google reCAPTCHA or Really Simple CAPTCHA?
By active installs, Really Simple CAPTCHA: 300K+ sites run it against 200K+ for Advanced Google reCAPTCHA, according to WordPress.org figures captured on September 12, 2026.
Which ranks higher on WordPress.org, Advanced Google reCAPTCHA or Really Simple CAPTCHA?
Really Simple CAPTCHA, at #187 on the WordPress.org popular plugins list today, with Advanced Google reCAPTCHA at #213. The ranking reflects recent installs and moves daily, which is why this page shows the history rather than one snapshot.
Are Advanced Google reCAPTCHA or Really Simple CAPTCHA alternatives to each other?
Not all of them. Some of these plugins do different jobs and many sites run more than one. This page compares their popularity, not their features.
Where do these numbers come from?
WordPress.org publishes each plugin’s active install count and its position on the popular list. This site records both every day, along with per-day downloads and ratings, so the charts above show how the plugins have moved over time rather than a single day.