The Better hCaptcha Alternative
Image challenges are not a must: SilentShield checks invisibly in the background by default, sets no cookies and transfers far less data than hCaptcha.
Problems with hCaptcha
- Visible challenge on the free plan: according to the pricing page, passive mode is only available in Pro and Enterprise
- Price of passive mode: Pro costs $139 per month ($99 with annual billing)
- Weight: many times more transferred data than SilentShield (our own measurement)
SilentShield solves this
- Invisible by default: only when the result is unclear does a short arithmetic task appear instead of an image puzzle
- Checks in Germany: ready for GDPR-compliant use
- WCAG 2.1 AA: the widget is tested automatically and by keyboard (as of 09/2026)
- No cookies: the bot check sets none
- Lightweight: a fraction of hCaptcha’s data volume, loaded with defer
- Proof-of-work nonce instead of an image challenge: your server verifies every submission
Visible CAPTCHA vs. invisible protection
SilentShield vs. hCaptcha Comparison
| Feature | SilentShield | hCaptcha |
|---|---|---|
| Visibility to visitors | Invisible by default | Passive mode only in Pro and Enterprise |
| Accessibility | Widget tested against WCAG 2.1 AA | Accessible solution (according to hCaptcha) |
| Free plan | 500 requests/month | Basic: free |
| Paid plan | See pricing | Pro: $139/month ($99 with annual billing) |
| Transferred size (gzip) | 48.9 KB | 742 KB |
hCaptcha details from the official pricing page and FAQ (hcaptcha.com/pricing, docs.hcaptcha.com/faq), checked on Oct 4, 2026. Transferred size: our own measurement of Sep 4, 2026 (SilentShield: Sep 23, 2026). Method and individual values
Switch in three steps
Remove hCaptcha
<!-- Remove this: -->
<script src="https://js.hcaptcha.com/
1/api.js"></script>
<div class="h-captcha"
data-sitekey="..."></div>Add SilentShield
<!-- Add this: -->
<script src="https://api.silentshield.io/client.js?k=YOUR_API_KEY"
crossorigin="anonymous" defer></script>Verify token
// Verify token server-side:
const res = await fetch(
'https://api.silentshield.io/api/v1/captcha/verify-nonce',
{
method: 'POST',
headers: {
'Content-Type': 'application/json',
'X-Api-Key': process.env.SILENTSHIELD_API_KEY,
},
body: JSON.stringify({ nonce: req.body.behavior_nonce }),
}
);
const { ok, verdict } = await res.json();Try the Live Demo
Interact with the form below — watch SilentShield analyze your behavior in real-time.
Behavior Analysis
Start interacting with the form to see the analysis.
Switch from hCaptcha now
Protection that is invisible by default, without image puzzles. Start free – no credit card required.
Everything you need to know about replacing hCaptcha
Is hCaptcha better than reCAPTCHA for privacy?
hCaptcha is an independent alternative without Google. On the free Basic plan, however, it shows a visible challenge; according to the pricing page, passive mode is only available in Pro and Enterprise. SilentShield is invisible by default on every plan, sets no cookies and does not store the IP address in plain text.
Visible challenges and your forms
Every visible challenge is an extra step before submitting – at sign-up and checkout, exactly where visitors least expect it. SilentShield shows no task by default; only when the result is unclear does a short arithmetic task appear.
Switching from hCaptcha to SilentShield
Remove the hCaptcha widget and site key, add the SilentShield script or the WordPress plugin and verify every submission on your server. There is no challenge UI for you to style.