WordPress Ban Registration Domain

Registration spam isn't stopped by a CAPTCHA when the problem is the domain

You open the user list and find dozens of sign-ups from disposable addresses, domains you already know from before, or extensions that have never brought you a real customer. Every junk account clutters your user base, triggers welcome emails that bounce, and in a community ends up filling profiles and messages with ads.

WordPress Ban Registration Domain targets exactly that: it blocks registration based on where the email comes from, not on who fills in the form. A bot can solve a CAPTCHA, but it cannot register with an address whose domain you have banned.

Three ways to ban and a wildcard that ties them together

Everything is configured on a plugin settings page, under the Settings menu in the dashboard. You write one entry per line and can mix three types:

• Full domain: for example example.com.
• Extension: for example .info or .ru, to cut off an entire range of domains at once.
• Specific email address: for one problem user without banning their whole domain.

It also accepts two special characters. The asterisk (*) stands for anything: *one.com matches siteone.com and exampleone.com, and *spam* catches any address or domain containing that word. The question mark (?) replaces a single letter: exa?ple.com matches example.com or exaple.com.

You also write the message the blocked person will see, and you can use a few HTML tags in it, for example to add a contact link if a legitimate user gets caught by a rule.

Where WordPress Ban Registration Domain fits depending on your type of site

A blog or site with open registration

It works with the standard WordPress registration form. It is enough if all you want is to stop receiving sign-ups from a few annoying domains.

A Multisite network

It is compatible with Multisite registration. The block message appears on that sign-up screen.

A community with BuddyPress or Ultimate Member

The plugin works with BuddyPress and Ultimate Member registration, and the banned visitor sees your message on the registration page itself.

A store with WooCommerce

Support was added for WooCommerce registration, useful if you want to close the door to customer accounts from domains that have already caused you problems.

How to build the list without blocking real customers

The danger of a wildcard is excess zeal. A pattern like *spam* is powerful, but it will also catch anyone who has that string in their email for innocent reasons. Start with exact domains you have already seen in your junk registrations and keep broad wildcards for when the pattern is clear.

Banning an entire extension carries the same risk on a larger scale: if you block .ru and have legitimate customers there, they will no longer be able to register. Decide based on your real audience, not out of habit.

It only watches sign-up: it doesn't clean up what you already have

The plugin acts at the moment of sign-up. It blocks new registrations; it does not review or delete accounts already created, so you will have to clean those up by hand. Nor is it a complete antispam tool: it doesn't analyze comments, contact forms or user behavior, and a spammer using a domain that isn't on your list will get through anyway. It is a blacklist barrier, not a system that learns.

Frequently asked questions

Can I block just one email address?

Yes, you can add specific addresses just like domains and extensions, one per line.

What does the blocked person see?

The message you wrote in the settings, on the corresponding registration page.

Does it work with Multisite and BuddyPress?

Yes, with standard WordPress, Multisite, BuddyPress, Ultimate Member and WooCommerce registration.

Does it block all disposable emails?

Only the ones you put on the list, or those covered by your wildcard patterns. It doesn't come with its own list you should consider complete.

No domain list included and no cleanup of existing users

You build the list yourself and maintain it by hand. If the community grows, check new registrations from time to time to add the domains that slip through.