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Free Plugin by Friendly Captcha v1.17.3

Friendly Captcha for WordPress

Friendly Captcha is a privacy-first anti-bot solution that protects WordPress website forms from spam and abuse.

Friendly Captcha for WordPress

The facts

Rating
3.9★ from 18
Active installs
10k+
Price
Free
Last updated
13 Aug 2026
Added
Dec 2009
Requires WP
5.0
Tested up to
WP 6.8.8
Requires PHP
7.3
Downloads
295,451

Our analysis

AI-assisted

Friendly Captcha for WordPress is a plugin designed to protect website forms from spam and abuse without using traditional CAPTCHA images. It employs a proof-of-work method where users' devices solve a unique crypto puzzle, typically completing it before form submission.

This solution aims to enhance user privacy by not storing personal data, avoiding cookies, and ensuring accessibility for all users. It is suitable for anyone looking to reduce spam on their WordPress site while maintaining a user-friendly experience.

Best for: This plugin is best for WordPress site owners who want to protect forms from spam while prioritising user privacy.

What it does well

  • Privacy-first anti-bot solution
  • No personal data storage
  • No cookies used
  • Accessible for all users
  • Decentralized data processing

Where it falls short

  • Limited information on additional features
  • No specific details on compatibility with all themes/plugins

Verdict

Friendly Captcha offers a unique approach to spam prevention that respects user privacy. It may suit those looking for an alternative to traditional CAPTCHA methods.

From the developer

Friendly Captcha's own description of Friendly Captcha for WordPress, lightly tidied.

Friendly Captcha is a privacy-first anti-bot solution that protects WordPress website forms from spam and abuse.

Do you use a captcha like reCAPTCHA to keep out bots? Friendly Captcha is a powerful anti-spam service that blocks spam-bots without annoying captcha images and protects user privacy.

How Friendly Captcha Works

Friendly Captcha is a tool for preventing spam on your website. Other CAPTCHAs are a burden on your users, Friendly Captcha respects your users.

Friendly Captcha is a proof-of-work based anti-bot solution in which the user’s device does all the work. We generate a unique crypto puzzle for each visitor.

Solving it will usually take only a few seconds. As soon as the user starts filling the form it starts getting solved. By the time the user is ready to submit, the puzzle is probably already solved.

Friendly Captcha prevents spam and doesn’t punish real users in doing so.

Privacy Notices

No personal information

Our anti-bot service does not store personal data from your end users. See our Privacy Policy for End Users to learn more.

No cookies

Our end user solution does not use cookies. This protects your end users from being tracked and followed from site to site.

No discrimination

Normal CAPTCHA tasks are not easy for all humans. Our solution works without labeling tasks and is thus accessible to everyone.

Decentralized data processing

By default, requests are processed in the point-of-presence closest to where it is accessed by the end user. See our Privacy Policy for End Users to learn more.

Read the full description on the official page →

Tagged as

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