# mCaptcha vs PrivateCaptcha

> Two self-hosted [hCaptcha alternatives](https://selfhost.directory/alternative-to/hcaptcha), compared on the numbers selfhost.directory tracks live: score, popularity, release cadence and setup effort.

| | mCaptcha | PrivateCaptcha |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 55/100 ✓ | 43/100 |
| Rank in category | #31 of 78 in Security | #59 of 78 in Security |
| GitHub stars | 2 498 ✓ | 199 |
| Stars, last 30 days | +4 | — |
| Stable releases, 12 months | 0 | 17 ✓ |
| Latest release | — | v1.46.1 · 20 Oct 2026 |
| Setup | Moderate ✓ | Advanced |
| Official Docker image | Yes | Yes |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | Other |
| Main language | Rust | Go |

## Which one should you pick?

mCaptcha scores 55/100 against 43/100 for PrivateCaptcha, so it is the safer default.

PrivateCaptcha ships more often: 17 stable releases in the past year, against 0 for mCaptcha.

If you want the quickest setup, mCaptcha is easier to run; PrivateCaptcha needs more configuration.

mCaptcha is growing faster right now (+4 stars in 30 days).

## Details

- [mCaptcha](https://selfhost.directory/project/mcaptcha) (markdown: https://selfhost.directory/project/mcaptcha.md)
- [PrivateCaptcha](https://selfhost.directory/project/privatecaptcha) (markdown: https://selfhost.directory/project/privatecaptcha.md)

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Source: https://selfhost.directory/compare/mcaptcha-vs-privatecaptcha