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Bot Block – Stop Spam Referrals in Google Analytics

By Ricky Dawn

Analytics & Reporting / Traffic & Visitor Analytics

Bot Block – Stop Spam Referrals in Google Analytics Review - In-Depth Analysis

Block spam referrals showing in Google Analytics and save bandwidth. This plugin stops spam traffic before it reaches your site and reduces bandwidth usage.

Performance Overview

WPS Score

6.63/10

User Rating

4.2/5 (based on 17+ reviews)

Active Installations

600+

Update Frequency

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

Security Score

5 / 10 (Medium Risk) It is calculated using the weighted average of all versions.

What It Does

This plugin has two main functions: to stop spam traffic before it reaches your site and to save bandwidth. Spam bots use bandwidth when they visit your site, and this plugin stops them before they can download anything.

Spam traffic is an increasing problem, with companies like semalt spamming sites to get their websites shown in Google Analytics as referrers. This causes issues for any Analytics user relying on the data collected, as pageviews and visitors are inflated.

This plugin blocks spam bots before your website loads, preventing the traffic from appearing in Google Analytics and saving bandwidth. The spam bots blocked are pulled from a central database of known bots, which is updated as new spam bots are found. You also have the option to add your own referrer URLs to block.

Features include a central database of known spam bots, the ability to add custom referrer domains, options to redirect spam traffic or show a 403 error, detailed statistics on blocked bots, and the ability to block all subdomains of a domain.

Comparing to Alternatives

Bot Block – Stop Spam Referrals in Google Analytics is one option among a few to tackle referral spam in Google Analytics. It has some direct competitors that offer similar functionalities.

Top alternatives

Analytics Spam Blocker ( WPS: 6.7)

Strengths

Effectively blocks a majority of spam referrals, improving analytics accuracy.
Simple two-step setup process.
Free to use with no paid version required.
Positive user feedback highlights its usefulness and ease of use.

Weaknesses

Does not block all spam referrals consistently.
Limited support response for unresolved issues.
Known security vulnerability with no current fix.
No premium features or advanced options available.

User Sentiment Analysis

With a 4.2 out of 5 rating from 17 users, most feedback is positive, praising its effectiveness, though a minority report issues with incomplete spam blocking.

Positive highlights

Very useful plugin, my analytics was getting overrun with spam – toricksshoes
Sweet plugin, thanks – beyondthescene
This Plugin is A Good Idea! Blocks bots spamming analytics – Fairy-Rider
I liked this plugin and I proudly recommend to everyone – Gulshan Kumar

Common complaints

Fails to block certain persistent spam domains like www1.free-share-buttons.top

Weaknesses

Incomplete spam blocking for some referral sources.
Lack of support response for unresolved issues.
Security vulnerability related to stored cross-site scripting.
No updates addressing known security issues.

Who Should Use This?

Best for

Users seeking a straightforward, free solution to reduce referral spam in Google Analytics without needing advanced features.

Not ideal for

Those requiring comprehensive spam blocking, active support, or concerned about security vulnerabilities should consider alternative plugins or solutions.

Pricing & Value

Free version includes

The free version offers basic spam referral blocking functionality sufficient for many users.

Final Verdict

Bot Block – Stop Spam Referrals in Google Analytics is a useful plugin that effectively reduces most spam referrals, improving the accuracy of Google Analytics data. It is easy to set up and well-received by the majority of users for its core functionality and free availability.

However, it has notable limitations including incomplete spam blocking, lack of support responsiveness, and a known security vulnerability with no fix. Users with higher security needs or requiring full spam coverage may want to explore alternatives.