Fight against spam with Akismet

Askimet. Aksimet. A… what are you saying? Its name is not easy to pronounce, and sometimes confusing.

But with no slip of the tongue, you should be able to get by without any trouble, trying to articulate this word.

Try it: Akismet. Well done, well done. In this article, we’ll talk about this specimen.

It’s capable of leaving unwanted visitors (spam) on your WordPress site’s doorstep.

To understand how it works and learn how to configure it correctly, read this article.

Originally published in November 2014, this article was last updated in October 2026.

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What is Akismet?

Akismet Anti-spam is an anti-spam plugin included with every new WordPress installation, and free for personal use. It automatically checks all comments and messages from contact forms, then filters out those that look like spam.
With 5M+ active installations, it is the most popular anti-spam plugin in the official directory.

Developed and maintained by Automattic, Akismet is a very popular service, existing since 2005.

According to its description from the official WordPress plugin directory, it works by checking “your comments and contact form submissions against our global database of spam to prevent your site from publishing malicious content.”

Regularly updated, Akismet has also been integrated into other content management systems (CMS) like Drupal and Joomla, as well as famous WordPress plugins like Gravity Forms, Jetpack and Contact Form 7.

And for the record, it’s one of the two plugins present by default on every WordPress installation, along with its “brother” Hello Dolly.

Download the Akismet plugin:

Created by Matt Mullenweg, one of the founders of WordPress, Hello Dolly has no technical use. This “decorative” plugin only displays random lyrics of Hello Dolly, a Louis Armstrong song, in the top right corner of each page of your administration.

Why use Akismet?

Akismet’s purpose is to keep you from being overwhelmed by spam comments. You know, those famous comments that have nothing to do with the content you posted.

I’m thinking of intrusive messages that promote pre-approved mortgages, cheap little blue pills, or NSFW-adult sites.

I’m guessing you don’t want any of that to show up in your comments, right?

Then Akismet will be your ally in the fight against that pesky spam scourge. And it won’t go amiss, believe me.

At the time of writing this update (October 2026), Akismet’s official website reported more than 573 billion pieces of spam blocked, over 100 million websites protected and a spam detection accuracy of 99.99%.

Yes, you read that right: 573 billion. Enough to make even the most seasoned of us dizzy.

I don’t know about you, but I think of spam as a mosquito. Without a radical and effective solution (squashing it properly, for example), it’s impossible to get rid of it.

So this problem must be tackled head on. By letting spam comments through, you can affect the security of your site, but also the SEO, because of the malicious links that these spam comments may contain.

How to install and configure Akismet?

Akismet is a very easy to use plugin, which will then work automatically once activated.

Only a few steps are needed to start getting rid of spam. I’ll detail them for you right away.

Step 1: Activate the Akismet plugin

On your WordPress Dashboard, go to the Plugins menu. You already know that Akismet is installed by default.

Now it’s your turn: simply click the “Activate” link below its name.

Once the plugin is activated, you land directly on the Akismet settings page, which offers you two options:

Here are some details about these options. If you have never created an Akismet account, choose option number 1 (the “Get started” button).

If you already have an Akismet account, you can log in with an API key.

For the purposes of this tutorial, I’m assuming you’re not already using the anti-spam plugin, so I can walk you through the process.

An API Key is a code passed by computer programs calling an API, or Application Programming Interface, that identifies the calling program, its developer, or the user’s site or server.
In other words, it is a piece of computer code that identifies you to the Akismet server as someone authorized to use the service provided.
Think of it as a gatekeeper service. And, don’t worry: your key is unique and completely secure.

Step 2: Choose your Akismet service package

After clicking the green “Get started” button, a new tab opens on the plans page of the Akismet website:

Here, Akismet offers you several possibilities:

If you use your site for commercial purposes, you should normally subscribe to one of the paid plans.

In its documentation, Akismet explains that free keys do not support commercial activities. Examples include ad code (Google AdSense, for example), affiliate links, live chat, promoting a business or service, using a domain recognized as commercial, accepting donations or running an online store.

If you are in this situation, you normally have to pay. Akismet also warns that failure to comply with these terms results in immediate suspension of the service, without notice.

For this tutorial, I’m choosing the Personal plan, which is more than enough for a personal blog. Click “Get Personal”: by default, the slider suggests a yearly amount (€36, i.e. around $40, at the time of this update).

To use it for free, simply drag the slider to €0/year (you can of course pay whatever you want if you’d like to support the service).

Three checkboxes then appear, asking you to confirm that your site has no commercial use:

Check them, then finish by clicking the “Continue with personal subscription” button.

In order to verify the authenticity of your email, you must validate your account by entering a 6-digit code sent to your mailbox.

Be careful, mine ended up in the spam folder!

Step 3: Activate your API key

In order to make the plugin work, you must now activate the famous API key. You should have received it in your email box, too

Copy it and go back to your WordPress dashboard, in the Settings > Akismet Anti-spam menu. Then click the “Manually enter an API key” link.

Enter your key in the “API key” field, then finish by clicking “Connect with API key”.

This API key can be used on several WordPress sites of your choice. You don’t necessarily need to create an Akismet account for each new site you build.

Step 4: Make Basic Settings

Congratulations! As Akismet indicates, your site is now protected from spam.

To complete the configuration, four settings are available:

Remember to click “Save changes”, and you’re good to go.

From now on, you’ll be rid of comment spam. They will no longer show up on your WordPress site.

However, some comments may slip through the cracks. You will have to go into the comments, and delete them manually.

To avoid spam, Akismet is a valuable companion. But also consider making some basic adjustments to your site. First, approve your comments manually. To do this, check the “Comment must be manually approved” box in the Settings > Discussion menu of your WordPress dashboard.

And while you’re at it, also check the “Comment author must fill out name and email” box.

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How to check your anti-spam statistics?

Little by little, your new shield will do its work on a daily basis. To get an idea of the work done by the plugin, you can go to two different places.

The “At a Glance” widget on your WordPress dashboard will give you an initial indication of the number of spam comments blocked:

For a more detailed overview, you also have the option to view the statistics collected by the plugin, through the Settings > Akismet Anti-Spam menu.

At the top of the page, a chart shows the number of spam items blocked over the last six months, along with the all-time total and the filtering accuracy. The “View detailed stats” link gives access to more complete statistics.

What are the alternatives to Akismet?

While Akismet is the flagship anti-spam plugin in the official WordPress directory, it is not the only one on the market.

If it doesn’t suit you for X or Y reasons, here are some competitors that could satisfy you:

Our final opinion on Akismet

Akismet is a must-have plugin to fight against spam comments.

Don’t deprive yourself of it, in order to keep your site running smoothly, while avoiding wasting a lot of time (try to moderate each comment one by one, you’ll understand).

Easy to set up and configure, this plugin is suitable for all types of users, from beginners to advanced users.

Depending on your needs, you can also turn to one of its paid offers, more or less rich in features.

For a personal site or blog, the Personal plan (free if you wish) will be enough. For a professional site, however, you will need a paid plan.

Do you have Akismet installed on your site? Do you think it’s the best line of defense against spam comments?

Share your feedback in the comments below.

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About the author

Thibaut | WPMarmite

Content manager and independent copywriter, I help my clients to develop their online presence. Freelance since 2011 and former sports journalist, I am passionate about webmarketing, WordPress and SEO on the professional side. On a personal level, I love series, reading and sports. I'm a huge football fan.