Analytics Spam Blocker Review - In-Depth Analysis
Block referrer spam to keep your website analytics accurate. Manage a blocklist easily and receive weekly updates on new domains.
Performance Overview
User Rating
3.9/5 (based on 14+
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
Installing Analytics Spam Blocker is almost a must-have for any WordPress or ClassicPress website that collects visitor analytics with something like Matomo Analytics, Google Analytics or similar services. Accurate analytics are often a vital tool to track your website's performance or just to see how many visitors you get.
Unfortunately, there are lots of spambots from every shady corner of the internet that bounce off your website and give you false records in your analytics - This is called 'referral spam' or 'referrer spam'.
Analytics Spam Blocker helps prevent this kind of spam from ever reaching your website by blocking them at the server level, leaving your analytics untouched.
With Analytics Spam Blocker, you can easily add new domains that you find and you'll receive weekly updates in the background with new domains as well. Stop those sites from affecting your website analytics today!
Comparing to Alternatives
Analytics Spam Blocker is a useful tool for filtering spam referrals in Google Analytics, with some direct competitors offering similar functionality.
Strengths
- Effectively blocks new spam referrals in Google Analytics.
- Easy to install and use for beginners.
- Better than manually maintaining filter lists in Google Analytics.
- No known security vulnerabilities.
- Free to use without a paid version.
Weaknesses
- Does not remove old spam referrals from reports.
- Lacks advanced customization like adding custom blocked domains.
- Admin interface includes persistent review requests, which some users find intrusive.
- May not handle modern referral spam using look-alike characters perfectly.
User Sentiment Analysis
With a 3.9 average rating from 14 reviews, most users appreciate the plugin's effectiveness, though a minority express frustration with certain features and admin notices.
Positive highlights
- 'Great plugin that helped me ensure my GA stats are real.' — DawneR
- 'Works much better than trying to maintain and update my own filter list.' — Anonymous
- 'Wonderful plugin that resolved a longstanding spam issue.' — primacreatrix
- 'Works fairly well but could improve handling of look-alike characters.' — Anonymous
Common complaints
- Persistent and intrusive admin page notices asking for reviews.
Weaknesses
- Does not clear old spam referrals from analytics data.
- Limited options for users to add custom blocked domains.
- Admin notices negatively impact user experience.
Who Should Use This?
Best for
Bloggers and website owners looking for a straightforward, free solution to block new spam referrals in Google Analytics without complex setup.
Not ideal for
Users who want to remove historical spam data, need advanced customization, or dislike persistent admin notifications.
Pricing & Value
Free version includes
The free version effectively blocks new spam referrals and is easy to install and use, providing good value for users without advanced needs.
Final Verdict
Analytics Spam Blocker offers a solid, no-cost solution for blocking new spam referrals in Google Analytics, with positive user feedback highlighting its ease of use and effectiveness. It stands out for having no known security issues and compares well to similar plugins in its category.
However, it falls short in removing old spam data and lacks customization options, which may limit its appeal for advanced users. The intrusive admin notices also detract from the overall experience. Despite these drawbacks, it remains a valuable tool for those seeking a simple spam blocking plugin without a paid upgrade.
Other Notable Features
Here are a few other notable features of this free
Analytics Spam Blocker plugin.
FAQ
Analytics Spam Blocker adds a list of domains to be blocked to your .htaccess file. This list is regularly updated next to what you add yourself so you’ll be able to filter out the majority of referrer spam very quickly.
Matomo Analytics publishes a list of domains to be blocked. Analytics Spam Blocker downloads this list weekly and adds it to your blocklist.
In a way, you do. But the majority of domains are community managed and published by Matomo Analytics through Github.
Yep, check out my website AJdG Solutions
Contributors and developers
“Analytics Spam Blocker”
is open source software. The following people have
contributed to this plugin.
