Best hotlink plugins for WordPress
The most popular hotlink plugins for WordPress in November 2026, in WordPress.org’s own popular order, which follows active installs. Cache Images leads with 1K+ active installs, ahead of Hotlink File Prevention (600+) and Hotlink Protection (200+). All 8 plugins tagged “hotlink” are below, with figures from WordPress.org that update every day.
Installs aren’t everything: a recent release, a “Tested up to” that matches the current WordPress, and support threads that get resolved show a plugin is looked after. Open any plugin for its downloads, rank history and alternatives.
Research this niche or see all plugins.
Top 7 hotlink plugins
- 1.
Cache ImagesThe most installed hotlink plugin, with 1K+ active installs. Rated 4.0 from 6 reviews, last updated 3 years ago. Tested only up to WordPress 6.4.14.
- 2.
Hotlink File Prevention600+ active installs. Rated 4.9 from 7 reviews, last updated 2 years ago. Tested only up to WordPress 6.5.14.
- 3.
Hotlink Protection200+ active installs. Rated 1.0 from 5 reviews, last updated 8 years ago. Tested only up to WordPress 4.9.35.
- 4.
Configurable Hotlink Protection20+ active installs. Only 4 reviews so far, last updated 15 years ago. Tested only up to WordPress 3.2.1.
- 5.
Disable Unsplash CDN10+ active installs. No reviews yet, last updated 4 years ago. Tested only up to WordPress 5.9.20.
- 6.
Sazx Hotlink Blocker10+ active installs. Only 1 review so far, last updated 4 years ago. Tested only up to WordPress 5.8.19.
- 7.
Imgsoft Localize External ImagesFewer than 10 active installs. No reviews yet, updated 6 days ago.
All 8 plugins tagged “hotlink”
Cache Images
Down in the last 7 days:54#6,267by Matt Mullenweg3 years ago
Goes through your posts and gives you the option to cache all hotlinked images from a domain locally in your upload folder
- Installs
- 1K+
- Rating
- 4.0(6)
- Downloads
- 11/day
Hotlink File Prevention
Down in the last 7 days:8#8,338by swinggraphics2 years ago
Simple hotlink protection for individual files in the media library.
- Installs
- 600+
- Rating
- 4.9(7)
- Downloads
- 11/day
Hotlink Protection
Down in the last 7 days:87#11,827by zuda8 years ago
The WordPress Automatic Image Hotlink Protection plugin is a single step script designed to stop others from stealing your images.
- Installs
- 200+
- Rating
- 1.0(5)
- Downloads
- 0/day
Configurable Hotlink Protection
Up in the last 7 days:64#25,295by deltafactory15 years ago
Save bandwidth by easily blocking links to video, audio, and other files from unapproved 3rd-party sites. Requires mod_rewrite.
- Installs
- 20+
- Rating
- 1.0(4)
- Downloads
- 0/day
Disable Unsplash CDN
#31,454by EverPress4 years ago
Disables images getting served from the Unsplash CDN on the frontend.
- Installs
- 10+
- Rating
- –
- Downloads
- 0/day
Sazx Hotlink Blocker
#47,150by Tinsae Belay5 years ago
Blocks every hotlinks to your uploaded assests.
- Installs
- 10+
- Rating
- 5.0(1)
- Downloads
- 0/day
Imgsoft Localize External Images
#65,452by imgsoft6 days ago
Move hotlinked images into your Media Library and turn links to images into images. With backups, rollback, problem links and exclusions.
- Installs
- <10
- Rating
- –
- Downloads
- 31/day