Skip to main content
hCaptcha logo
vs
mCaptcha logo
Try mCaptcha

hCaptcha vs mCaptcha: Which Ensures Better Data Security?

Explore how US-based hCaptcha and EU's mCaptcha stack up on privacy. Discover the best option to safeguard your data today.

Last updated: February 6, 2026โ€ขReviewed by Built in EU Team

Should You Switch to mCaptcha?

What You Gain

Full GDPR compliance and better user data protection.

Privacy advantage
Trade-offs

Potentially fewer features and capabilities than hCaptcha.

hCaptcha has more features
Bottom Line

Switch if privacy is a priority; stay with hCaptcha for features.

At a Glance

Data Location
๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ธUS

US data laws

๐Ÿ‡ช๐Ÿ‡บEU

GDPR protected

Pricing

hCaptcha

Contact

mCaptcha

Contact

Migration
Medium difficulty~2-4 hours

Privacy & Compliance Comparison

Critical data sovereignty factors at a glance

CriteriahCaptchamCaptcha
Server Location
US (AWS), EU (optional)EU
GDPR Compliance
Partial (SCCs)Full
Open Source
E2E Encryption
OptionalAll plans
Data Portability
LimitedFull export

CLOUD Act Notice

hCaptcha is a US company and must comply with CLOUD Act data requests, even for data stored in EU data centers. mCaptcha is not subject to US jurisdiction.

Switching from
hCaptcha logo

hCaptcha

๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ธ

Intuition Machines

VS
Switching to
mCaptcha logo

mCaptcha

๐Ÿ‡ช๐Ÿ‡บ

mCaptcha

US Data Storage

Data subject to US CLOUD Act and may be accessed by US authorities

EU Data Protection

Data protected under GDPR with EU-only data residency

Certifications & Compliance

No certifications listed

Open Source
EU-hosted

Reasons to Switch

  • โœ“mCaptcha servers are located in the EU, enhancing data sovereignty.
  • โœ“Full GDPR compliance ensures user data protection and legal adherence.
  • โœ“Open source nature allows for community audits and transparency.
  • โœ“E2E encryption on all plans protects data during transmission.

Things to Consider

  • !Migration may require significant development resources and time.
  • !mCaptcha's feature set may not match hCaptcha's specific offerings.
  • !Learning curve for staff to adapt to mCaptcha's interface and tools.
Migration difficulty:
Medium
~2-4 hours

Migration Overview

Full guide
Difficulty
Medium
Time Estimate
~2-4 hours

Depends on data size and complexity

Quick Steps

1

Create mCaptcha account and configure settings

2

Export and prepare data from hCaptcha

3

Import data, test integrations, and migrate users

Other alternatives to hCaptcha

Ready to make the switch?

Start using mCaptcha today and take control of your data privacy.