Image CAPTCHA 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 Image CAPTCHA at #558. Over the last 7 days Really Simple CAPTCHA held its place and Image CAPTCHA climbed 1 place. Really Simple CAPTCHA has the largest install base, roughly 3.8× the next: 300K+ active installs against 80K+ for Image CAPTCHA. Downloads this week: Really Simple CAPTCHA 5,734 and Image CAPTCHA 2,926. Ratings: Image CAPTCHA 4.7★ from 49 and Really Simple CAPTCHA 4.2★ from 131 reviews.
| Metric | Image CAPTCHA | Really Simple CAPTCHA |
|---|---|---|
| Popular rank today | #558 ▲ 1 | #187 ▬ |
| Active installs | 80K+ | 300K+ |
| Downloads, last 7 days | 2,926 | 5,734 |
| Rating | 4.7★ (49) | 4.2★ (131) |
| Last updated | Aug 24, 2026 | Aug 23, 2026 |
| Current version | 3.3.29 | 2.5 |
| Best rank on record | #552 | #186 |
| Days in the top 50 | 0 | 0 |
| On WordPress.org since | Jul 2015 | 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, Image CAPTCHA or Really Simple CAPTCHA?
By active installs, Really Simple CAPTCHA: 300K+ sites run it against 80K+ for Image CAPTCHA, according to WordPress.org figures captured on September 15, 2026.
Which ranks higher on WordPress.org, Image CAPTCHA or Really Simple CAPTCHA?
Really Simple CAPTCHA, at #187 on the WordPress.org popular plugins list today, with Image CAPTCHA at #558. The ranking reflects recent installs and moves daily, which is why this page shows the history rather than one snapshot.
Are Image CAPTCHA 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.