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GM Block Bots

By mickmel

Site Administration & Utilities / URL Redirects & 301 Management

GM Block Bots Review - In-Depth Analysis

Blocks unwanted bots from appearing in Google Analytics by returning a 403 Forbidden message.

Performance Overview

WPS Score

6.8/10

User Rating

4.4/5 (based on 16+ reviews)

Active Installations

800+

Update Frequency

Below Average It is calculated using the weighted average of same category plugins.

Security Score

1 / 10 (Very Low Risk) It is calculated using the weighted average of all versions.

What It Does

This plugin effectively blocks unwanted bots such as semalt.com and buttons-for-website.com from showing up in your Google Analytics stats by returning a 403 Forbidden message. It is designed to run automatically in the background without any options panel, making it easy to use.

While this plugin cannot block ghost referrals, you can follow a guide to handle that process in Google Analytics. The plugin will receive updates to add more sites to the block list over time.

For more information about this plugin, visit GreenMellenMedia.com or follow us on Twitter @GreenMellen.

Comparing to Alternatives

GM Block Bots is a specialized plugin designed to block spam and unwanted bots effectively. It has a direct alternative that also targets bot traffic and spam referrals.

Top alternatives

Known Agents – Track AI Bots and Crawlers, Block Scrapers, Analyze LLM Referral Traffic ( WPS: 6.68)

Strengths

Effectively blocks a wide range of spam and crawling bots.
Easy to install and use without technical knowledge.
Does not impact site loading speed.
Regularly updated to keep up with new spam bots.
Free to use with no paid version required.

Weaknesses

Does not address ghost referrers that never visit the site.
No automatic updates or fetching of new spammer lists.
Limited to blocking bots that actually visit the site.
No premium features or advanced customization options.

User Sentiment Analysis

With a strong majority of 5-star reviews and very few low ratings, users generally find GM Block Bots effective and easy to use for reducing spam bot traffic.

Positive highlights

"Glad to have something to fix that stuff." — peachiemama
"Really easy to use... bots disappeared in about 24 hours." — Anna_erishkigal
"Works exactly as advertised and doesn’t load the site." — BlogAid
"One of My Core Plugins... effective against spam bots." — mrtechnique
"Works great, only lacking updates or automatic fetching new spammers." — Jaro

Common complaints

Does not effectively block all spam referrals as reported by some users.

Weaknesses

Lacks automatic updates for new spam bots.
Does not handle ghost referrers that do not visit the site.
No advanced customization or premium support options.

Who Should Use This?

Best for

Website owners looking for a straightforward, free solution to block spam and crawling bots that visit their site, without needing technical expertise.

Not ideal for

Users who need to block ghost referrers or require automatic updates and advanced features may find this plugin insufficient for their needs.

Pricing & Value

Free version includes

The free version includes effective blocking of known spam and crawling bots, easy installation, and regular updates to the bot list.

Final Verdict

GM Block Bots is a reliable and user-friendly plugin that effectively blocks many spam and crawling bots, improving site analytics and reducing unwanted traffic. Its free availability and ease of use make it a valuable tool for most WordPress users concerned about spam bots.

However, it does not address ghost referrers and lacks automatic updates or premium features, which may limit its effectiveness for advanced users. Overall, it is a solid choice for those seeking a simple, no-cost solution to bot blocking.

Other Notable Features

Here are a few other notable features of this free GM Block Bots plugin.

Botnet

Bots

Buttons-for-websites

Darodar

Semalt

Screenshots

FAQ

Upload the GM Block Bots plugin to your ‘/wp-content/plugins/’ directory.
Activate the plugin through the ‘Plugins’ menu in WordPress.
That’s it! No options to configure; semalt and their friends will start being blocked immediately.