Spider Blocker vs WP .htaccess Editor
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
WP .htaccess Editor leads the WordPress.org popular list today at #857, ahead of Spider Blocker at #1,390. Over the last 7 days WP .htaccess Editor climbed 3 places and Spider Blocker slipped 4 places. WP .htaccess Editor has the largest install base, roughly 2× the next: 40K+ active installs against 20K+ for Spider Blocker. Downloads this week: Spider Blocker 2,169 and WP .htaccess Editor 1,487. Ratings: Spider Blocker 4★ from 5 and WP .htaccess Editor 5★ from 102 reviews.
| Metric | Spider Blocker | WP .htaccess Editor |
|---|---|---|
| Popular rank today | #1,390 ▼ 4 | #857 ▲ 3 |
| Active installs | 20K+ | 40K+ |
| Downloads, last 7 days | 2,169 | 1,487 |
| Rating | 4★ (5) | 5★ (102) |
| Last updated | May 7, 2024 | Aug 16, 2026 |
| Current version | 1.3.7 | 1.73 |
| Best rank on record | #1,249 | #848 |
| Days in the top 50 | 0 | 0 |
| On WordPress.org since | Oct 2015 | Mar 2011 |
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
More comparisons
Frequently asked questions
Which is more popular, Spider Blocker or WP .htaccess Editor?
By active installs, WP .htaccess Editor: 40K+ sites run it against 20K+ for Spider Blocker, according to WordPress.org figures captured on October 30, 2026.
Which ranks higher on WordPress.org, Spider Blocker or WP .htaccess Editor?
WP .htaccess Editor, at #857 on the WordPress.org popular plugins list today, with Spider Blocker at #1,390. The ranking reflects recent installs and moves daily, which is why this page shows the history rather than one snapshot.
Are Spider Blocker or WP .htaccess Editor 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.