A self-hosted, privacy-first CAPTCHA alternative using proof-of-work to protect websites and APIs from spam without tracking.
ALTCHA is a self-hosted, privacy-first security solution that protects websites, APIs, and online services from spam and abuse through an innovative proof-of-work mechanism. It eliminates the need for intrusive methods like cookies or fingerprinting by using background proof-of-work calculations, offering robust protection while respecting user privacy.
Developers and organizations building websites, APIs, or online services that require spam and abuse protection, especially those with strict privacy (e.g., GDPR, HIPAA) and accessibility (e.g., WCAG 2.2 AA) compliance requirements.
Developers choose ALTCHA for its unique combination of being fully self-hosted, privacy-by-design with no tracking or data collection, and its frictionless user experience that avoids visual puzzles. Its hardware-resistant algorithms (Argon2 and Scrypt) provide strong security against bot farms while maintaining a minimal bundle size significantly smaller than alternatives like reCAPTCHA.
GDPR, WCAG 2.2 AA, and EAA compliant, self-hosted CAPTCHA alternative with PoW mechanism.
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Fully GDPR compliant with no cookies, tracking, or data collection, as highlighted in the README's privacy by design feature, ensuring compliance with global regulations.
At 34 kB gzipped, it's significantly smaller than alternatives like reCAPTCHA (300+ kB), reducing page load times and optimizing performance, as shown in the bundle size comparison.
Engineered to exceed WCAG 2.2 AA standards with built-in audio support for code challenges, making it suitable for projects with strict accessibility requirements.
Uses Argon2 and Scrypt memory-bound algorithms to neutralize hardware acceleration and bot farms, providing robust protection against automated attacks.
Does not support Internet Explorer 11 or older browsers, limiting deployment in enterprise environments with outdated technology stacks.
Requires integration with server libraries (e.g., TypeScript, PHP, Go) for challenge generation and verification, adding setup overhead compared to drop-in third-party services.
Proof-of-work calculations can consume CPU resources, potentially affecting performance on low-power devices or in high-traffic scenarios, as noted in the hardware-resistant security feature.
altcha is an open-source alternative to the following products:
Cloudflare Turnstile is a free, privacy-preserving CAPTCHA alternative that helps protect websites from bots and abuse. It uses non-intrusive challenges and does not require user interaction in many cases.
hCaptcha is a privacy-focused CAPTCHA service that replaces traditional CAPTCHAs by asking users to identify objects in images, while also helping to label data for machine learning.
A free service from Google that protects websites from spam and abuse by distinguishing human users from bots using advanced risk analysis.