OK, so what are the alternatives, what can developers use instead?

It feels ultra sad that "developers" think they need to use reCaptcha? What is this lazyness, it's not even good on top of that at what it does, recaptcha cost less than $1/1000 to solve automatically, it's also slow, crappy, bad UI.

Even competent people got completely brainwashed, crazy.

Developers implement what they are told to implement. People who make those decisions in companies just don't give a damn, they will happily use whatever is easier/cheaper. Usually something from TooBigTech, sponsored by surveillance capitalism.

Create your own. Captchas have long existed on the internet. Start your own Captcha As A Service. If you've not seen the dark net some of their QR checks are inquisitive.

   >? URL: .env.project :: IP: 213.209.159.175
   >? 30326336336 :: viewer key
   >? URL: lab/.env :: IP: 213.209.159.175
   >? 39363064647 :: viewer key
   >? URL: Dr0v :: IP: 185.12.59.118
   >? 76543264647 :: viewer key
   >? URL: data/.env :: IP: 213.209.159.175
   >? 63623731628 :: viewer key
   >? URL: docker/app/.env :: IP: 213.209.159.175
   >? 62653061304 :: viewer key
   >? URL: fedex/.env :: IP: 213.209.159.175
   >? 61663064656 :: viewer key

   [09/May/2026:11:31:32] notice: exiting: exceeded max connections per thread
Above is verbose from my honeypot. Some security camera network has been hacked and is being used for net thrifting in Romania.

The internet is a failure. Congratulations us.