Head-to-head · CAPTCHA Software
Cloudflare Turnstile vs Anubis
Cloudflare Turnstile leads on 0 checks, Anubis on 0, and 4 are even. Who comes out ahead on the 4 yes/no, price and count checks where we have data for both products. The editor score weighs everything else too.
Our verdict
- Highest scoreCloudflare Turnstile · 9.4/10
- Free planboth
- Most featuresCloudflare Turnstile · 2 of 3
Cloudflare Turnstile scores higher on our rubric for captcha software: 9.4 against 8.2 out of 10; our editors rank them #1 and #8.
Cloudflare Turnstile is the better fit for teams wanting a free, low-friction web CAPTCHA. Anubis is the better fit for small teams self-hosting request-level bot challenges.
- Cloudflare Turnstile fits best
Teams wanting a free, low-friction web CAPTCHA
- Anubis fits best
Small teams self-hosting request-level bot challenges
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Side by side
| Feature | Cloudflare Turnstile 9.4/10 Visit ↗ | Anubis 8.2/10 Visit ↗ |
|---|---|---|
| At a glance | ||
| Editor score | 9.4 | 8.2 |
| Ranking | #1 in CAPTCHA Software | #8 in CAPTCHA Software |
| Best for | Teams wanting a free, low-friction web CAPTCHA | Small teams self-hosting request-level bot challenges |
| Pricing model | Free plan + paid | Free |
| Starting price | — | Free plan |
| Free plan | ✓ | ✓ |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Deployment | Cloud | Self-hosted |
| Platforms | Web | Linux, Windows |
| Support | Community, Docs | Tickets, Community |
| Built for | Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise | Solo, Small business |
| Features Cloudflare Turnstile 2/3 · Anubis 0/3 | ||
| Audio challenge | — | Not checked yet |
| Accessibility options | ✓ (best) | Not checked yet |
| Privacy controls | ✓ (best) | Not checked yet |
| Specs | ||
| CAPTCHA modes | Not checked yet | Not checked yet |
| Monthly verifications | Not checked yet | Not checked yet |
| SDK platforms | Both | Not checked yet |
| Our review | ||
| Pros |
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| Cons |
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| Our verdict | Cloudflare Turnstile is a CAPTCHA alternative for websites and applications that need to distinguish human visitors from automated traffic. It fits teams seeking verification that can avoid interrupting visitors, from solo projects through… Read the review → |
Anubis is an open-source reverse proxy utility for website operators who want to protect an upstream service from scraper bots, including AI crawlers. It evaluates incoming requests against configurable policies and can allow, deny, weigh,… Read the review → |
Strengths and trade-offs
Cloudflare Turnstile — where it wins
- Free plan includes up to 20 widgets and unlimited challenges
- Managed mode can require a checkbox based on risk signals
- Siteverify API validates tokens server-side
Where it doesn't
- Free plan support is community-based
- Enterprise pricing is custom
- No audio challenge option
Anubis — where it wins
- Proof-of-work challenges with configurable difficulty and algorithm
- Policies can allow, deny, challenge, or weigh requests
- Reverse proxying, Prometheus-style metrics, and health checks
Where it doesn't
- Requires self-hosting in front of an existing service
- No behavioral analysis or device fingerprinting
- Focused on request challenges rather than a broad managed CAPTCHA service
- Cloudflare Turnstile9.4/10 · Free plan
A free CAPTCHA alternative with adaptive checks, invisible modes and server-side validation.
Visit CloudflareFull verdict → - Anubis8.2/10 · Free plan
A free, open-source reverse proxy for operators who want request-level bot challenges.
Visit AnubisFull verdict →
More comparisons
- Cloudflare Turnstile vs Google reCAPTCHA
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- Cloudflare Turnstile vs Friendly Captcha
- Cloudflare Turnstile vs Baidu Cloud CAPTCHA
- Cloudflare Turnstile vs Tencent Cloud Captcha
- Cloudflare Turnstile vs NetEase Yidun CAPTCHA
- Google reCAPTCHA vs Anubis
- Alibaba Cloud CAPTCHA vs Anubis
All CAPTCHA software comparisons → · Full ranking →
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
Last updated · How we research and update