# PrivateCaptcha

> Self-hosted, privacy-first CAPTCHA service using Proof-of-Work to block bots without user friction, GDPR-compliant, made in EU.

- **Category:** Security
- **Licence:** Other
- **Latest version:** v1.46.1
- **Open source:** source_available
- **Languages:** Go, HTML
- **Platforms:** Docker Compose
- **Tags:** Privacy, Gdpr, Security, Captcha, Proof-of-Work, Rate Limiting, Self Hosted, Spam Protection, Anti bot, Ddos protection, Invisible captcha, Captcha Alternative, Protection, Anti Abuse, Scraping Protection, Form Protection

## Description

An independent CAPTCHA service built on Proof-of-Work cryptographic challenges that run silently in the background, replacing traditional puzzle-based CAPTCHAs. The self-hosted version deploys via Docker Compose with PostgreSQL and ClickHouse, exposing a lightweight widget (roughly 7% the size of reCAPTCHA) that supports invisible operation, light/dark themes, and over ten languages. Core capabilities include adaptive difficulty that scales exponentially to deter bots, custom rules for targeting specific traffic patterns, a form proxy to shield webhooks, audit trails, a platform API for automation, and detailed usage analytics. The community edition is free for non-commercial use under the PolyForm Noncommercial License; commercial deployments require a paid license. Ready-made integrations cover WordPress, Magento 2, TYPO3, React, Vue, Python, Go, PHP, Java, .NET, Ruby, JavaScript, and OpenAPI.

## Links

- [Homepage](https://github.com/PrivateCaptcha/PrivateCaptcha)
- [Website](https://privatecaptcha.com)
- [Docker](ghcr.io/privatecaptcha/privatecaptcha)
- [Documentation](https://docs.privatecaptcha.com)
- [GitHub (main)](https://github.com/PrivateCaptcha/PrivateCaptcha)
- [Status page](https://status.privatecaptcha.com)
- [Integrations](https://privatecaptcha.com/integrations)
- [Self-hosting guide](https://privatecaptcha.com/self-hosting/)

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Source: https://selfhost.directory/project/privatecaptcha