
mCaptcha
Add proof-of-work verification to websites with mCaptcha, a privacy-focused automated CAPTCHA system.

About mCaptcha
mCaptcha is a proof-of-work based CAPTCHA system for websites. Instead of asking visitors to pick out images or solve puzzles, it issues a small computational task that the browser completes in the background. The project describes this check as silent, meaning visitors generally do not notice it.
It is aimed at site owners who want to block automated abuse without collecting personal data. According to the homepage, mCaptcha does not track or profile users and does not use IP addresses for rate limiting, so visitors behind NAT or shared addresses are treated the same as anyone else. Its APIs are compatible with reCAPTCHA and hCaptcha, so an existing integration can be swapped out.
The core is licensed under the AGPL and client libraries use free software licenses, according to the site. Setup is aimed at developers who can add a client library to their site and configure the service, with "Try mCaptcha" and "Get started" entry points offered on the homepage.
Key features
- Proof-of-work captcha that runs silently with no image puzzles
- Does not track or profile site visitors
- Rate limiting does not use IP addresses, so NAT users are unaffected
- APIs compatible with reCAPTCHA and hCaptcha for drop-in replacement
- Core licensed under AGPL; client libraries use free software licenses
- Privacy-focused: does not track or profile visitors
- Silent check, with no images or puzzles for users to solve
- Works for visitors behind NAT because IP addresses are not used for rate limiting
- Compatible APIs make it a drop-in replacement for reCAPTCHA and hCaptcha
- Pricing is not stated on the homepage
- Visitors' browsers must perform a computational task
mCaptcha at a glance
- Website
- mcaptcha.org
- Category
- Privacy & Security › Security Tools
- Type
- Website
- Pricing
- Not confirmed. Check the site
- Platforms
- Web
- Open source
- Not stated
- Language
- English
- Last checked
- Oct 5, 2026 · Online when checked
- Listed
- Oct 5, 2026
Guides for Security Tools

mCaptcha alternatives
Tools and sites you could use instead, ranked by how closely they match.
Cap offers an open-source, self-hosted CAPTCHA alternative using proof-of-work and instrumentation challenges.
Cap provides a self-hosted, open source alternative to CAPTCHA challenges for websites.
Add a proof-of-work CAPTCHA system to an application using the mCaptcha backend component.
Solve reverse engineering challenges published on challenges.re, a challenge-focused site.
Protect a website from automated bot requests with Anubis, which evaluates incoming HTTP requests.
Manage two-step verification tokens on Android with Aegis Authenticator, a free, open-source app.
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mCaptcha FAQ
What is mCaptcha?
Does mCaptcha track or profile users?
Can mCaptcha replace reCAPTCHA or hCaptcha?
Is mCaptcha free software?
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