BlackSwan | Block External Request
v2.9.3by BlackSwanDev · updated 6 months ago
Block unwanted external HTTP requests in WordPress. Blacklist/whitelist management, resource blocking, and one-click pause.
- Rank
- #22,759
- No change yet
- Active installs (est.)
- ≈ 41
- 40+ reported · High
- Total downloads
- 2.1K
- 2,141 all-time
- Rating
- 5.0/5
- 1 reviews
- Support resolved
- –
- 0 of 0 threads, last 2 months
BlackSwan at a glance
BlackSwan is a WordPress plugin by BlackSwanDev with 40+ active installs, the #22,759 most popular plugin on WordPress.org. On a typical day it’s downloaded about 4 times, about the same as the month before. It’s rated 5.0 out of 5 from 1 review. Version 2.9.3 came out on Apr 13, 2026 and is tested up to WordPress 6.8.12. It leads the 3 plugins tagged “external requests”. It was first released in 2022.
Chart time range
Applies to every chart below. History from Oct 10, 2026, 31 days.
Downloads over time
Download stats81 downloads · the last 30 days
View as table
| Date | BlackSwan |
|---|---|
| Nov 2, 2026 | 5 |
| Nov 1, 2026 | 5 |
| Oct 31, 2026 | 4 |
| Oct 30, 2026 | 4 |
| Oct 29, 2026 | 2 |
| Oct 28, 2026 | 5 |
| Oct 27, 2026 | 7 |
| Oct 26, 2026 | 7 |
| Oct 25, 2026 | 2 |
| Oct 24, 2026 | 2 |
| Oct 23, 2026 | 2 |
| Oct 22, 2026 | 1 |
| Oct 21, 2026 | 4 |
| Oct 20, 2026 | 0 |
| Oct 19, 2026 | 6 |
| Oct 18, 2026 | 4 |
| Oct 17, 2026 | 3 |
| Oct 16, 2026 | 1 |
| Oct 15, 2026 | 3 |
| Oct 14, 2026 | 5 |
| Oct 13, 2026 | 2 |
| Oct 12, 2026 | 0 |
| Oct 11, 2026 | 3 |
| Oct 10, 2026 | 4 |
Unusual spikes are usually updates, not new installs.
Estimated installs
≈ 41 · 0.0% in the last 30 days
View as table
| Date | Estimated installs |
|---|---|
| Nov 9, 2026 | 41 |
| Nov 8, 2026 | 40 |
| Nov 7, 2026 | 40 |
| Nov 5, 2026 | 41 |
| Nov 4, 2026 | 42 |
| Nov 3, 2026 | 42 |
| Nov 2, 2026 | 42 |
| Nov 1, 2026 | 41 |
| Oct 31, 2026 | 42 |
| Oct 30, 2026 | 41 |
| Oct 29, 2026 | 41 |
| Oct 28, 2026 | 42 |
| Oct 27, 2026 | 41 |
Rank over time
#22,759 · up 133 in the last 30 days
View as table
| Date | Daily snapshot |
|---|---|
| Nov 9, 2026 | #22,759 |
| Nov 6, 2026 | #23,161 |
| Nov 5, 2026 | #22,921 |
| Nov 4, 2026 | #22,900 |
| Nov 3, 2026 | #22,831 |
| Nov 2, 2026 | #22,844 |
| Nov 1, 2026 | #22,914 |
| Oct 31, 2026 | #22,860 |
| Oct 30, 2026 | #22,901 |
| Oct 29, 2026 | #22,918 |
| Oct 27, 2026 | #22,892 |
Growth %
Average 0.00% a day in the last 30 days
View as table
| Date | Growth |
|---|---|
| Nov 9, 2026 | +2.50% |
| Nov 8, 2026 | 0.00% |
| Nov 7, 2026 | -1.22% |
| Nov 5, 2026 | -2.38% |
| Nov 4, 2026 | 0.00% |
| Nov 3, 2026 | 0.00% |
| Nov 2, 2026 | +2.44% |
| Nov 1, 2026 | -2.38% |
| Oct 31, 2026 | +2.44% |
| Oct 30, 2026 | 0.00% |
| Oct 29, 2026 | -2.38% |
| Oct 28, 2026 | +2.44% |
Active installs band
40+ on WordPress.org
View as table
| Date | Daily snapshot |
|---|---|
| Nov 9, 2026 | 40+ |
| Nov 8, 2026 | 40+ |
| Nov 7, 2026 | 40+ |
| Nov 6, 2026 | 30+ |
| Nov 5, 2026 | 40+ |
| Nov 4, 2026 | 40+ |
| Nov 3, 2026 | 40+ |
| Nov 2, 2026 | 40+ |
| Nov 1, 2026 | 40+ |
| Oct 31, 2026 | 40+ |
| Oct 30, 2026 | 40+ |
| Oct 29, 2026 | 40+ |
| Oct 28, 2026 | 40+ |
| Oct 27, 2026 | 40+ |
Search rankings
Where it appears in WordPress.org search for the searches you track, checked every day.
See where BlackSwan ranks in search
Track this plugin to check its position for the searches you choose, daily, with an alert when it moves.
Change log
From our daily snapshot of WordPress.org- Tested up to 6.8.11 → 6.8.12
Versions in use
Share of active installs on each published version, from WordPress.org.
- v2.9100%
Rating trend
5.0★★★★★1 reviews · steady in the last 30 days
Requirements & info
Version history- Version
- 2.9.3
- Requires WordPress
- 5.0
- Tested up to
- 6.8.12
- Requires PHP
- 5.4
- First released
- Oct 27, 2022
- Last updated
- Apr 13, 2026
- Releases, last 12 months
- …
Questions about BlackSwan
How many websites use BlackSwan?
BlackSwan is active on 40+ WordPress sites, as WordPress.org reports it. WordPress.org rounds the number down, so the real count is somewhat higher. That makes it the #22,759 most popular plugin on WordPress.org.
How many times has BlackSwan been downloaded?
2,141 times in total since 2022. On a typical day it’s downloaded about 4 times. See download stats
When was BlackSwan last updated?
Version 2.9.3 came out on Apr 13, 2026 (6 months ago).
Is BlackSwan compatible with the latest WordPress?
BlackSwan’s readme says it’s tested up to WordPress 6.8.12, while the current version is 7.1. That doesn’t mean it breaks, but its author hasn’t confirmed it works with the latest releases.
Is BlackSwan still maintained?
Its last release was 6 months ago. No support threads were opened in the last two months.
What rating does BlackSwan have?
5.0 out of 5 from 1 review on WordPress.org.
What are the best alternatives to BlackSwan?
The plugins most like BlackSwan, by the tags they share, are Gravity Forms Email Blacklist (10K+).
Latest reviews
Analyze reviewsReview stats
5.0
★★★★★
1 reviews
- 5 stars: 1 reviews, 100%
- 4 stars: 0 reviews, 0%
- 3 stars: 0 reviews, 0%
- 2 stars: 0 reviews, 0%
- 1 stars: 0 reviews, 0%
- Positive
- 100%4–5★
- Mixed
- 0%3★
- Critical
- 0%1–2★
Compare with competitors
Add up to 1 competitor. No account needed.
| Metric | |
|---|---|
| Estimated installs | ≈ 41 |
| Reported installs | 40+ |
| Rating | 5.0 |
| Reviews | 1 |
| Total downloads | 2.1K |
| Author | BlackSwanDev |
| First released | Oct 27, 2022 |
| Version | 2.9.3 |
| Requires WP | 5.0 |
| Requires PHP | 5.4 |
| Last updated | Apr 13, 2026 |
Alternatives to BlackSwan
Popular plugins with the same tags, the most in common first.
Side by side:BlackSwan vs Gravity Forms Email Blacklist