Gravity Forms Spam Blocker Plugin
Tired of spam clogging up your contact and lead forms? For one of our recent WordPress development projects, we built a custom Gravity Forms Spam Blocker Plugin that dramatically reduces spam submissions by checking user IPs and email addresses against a dynamically managed list. Built for site administrators who want a smarter, more customizable way to control spam—without relying solely on third-party CAPTCHA services.
Project Highlights
- Platform: WordPress
- Technologies Used: PHP, Gravity Forms Hooks/API, ACF (Advanced Custom Fields)
- Purpose: Prevent unwanted form submissions from known bad IPs and email addresses.
Key Features
- Custom Spam Filtering Logic: Utilizes the
gform_entry_is_spamhook to intercept submissions before they’re saved. - Block by IP Address: Includes support for individual IPs and entire CIDR ranges.
- Block by Email: Matches full email addresses or fragments (e.g., domain names or patterns).
- Admin-Controlled Lists: Blocked IPs and emails are stored in ACF options fields, making it easy for non-technical users to update.
- Fail-Safe Logic: If a form doesn’t have spam filtering enabled, the plugin exits cleanly without causing errors.
Why This Matters
For clients dealing with spam from specific geographies or known patterns, traditional CAPTCHA and honeypot methods weren’t enough. This plugin provided:
- Better control
- Faster spam resolution
- No impact on legitimate user experience
It’s a great example of how a lightweight plugin can make a huge difference in site usability and data quality.
Results
- 90%+ reduction in spam submissions
- Easier spam management via WordPress admin
- No reliance on Google reCAPTCHA
Need Something Similar?
If you’re struggling with spam in your own forms, we can build a tailored solution for you. Reach out to discuss how we can reduce noise and improve lead quality on your website.
