Title: BotShield CAPTCHA for Contact Form 7
Author: R.Sabbir
Published: <strong>نوامبر 22, 2025</strong>
Last modified: ژانویه 19, 2026

---

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# BotShield CAPTCHA for Contact Form 7

 By [R.Sabbir](https://profiles.wordpress.org/sabbir37/)

[Download](https://downloads.wordpress.org/plugin/botshield-captcha.2.0.0.zip)

 * [Details](https://azb.wordpress.org/plugins/botshield-captcha/#description)
 * [Reviews](https://azb.wordpress.org/plugins/botshield-captcha/#reviews)
 *  [Installation](https://azb.wordpress.org/plugins/botshield-captcha/#installation)
 * [Development](https://azb.wordpress.org/plugins/botshield-captcha/#developers)

 [Support](https://wordpress.org/support/plugin/botshield-captcha/)

## Description

Stop contact form spam instantly with **BotShield CAPTCHA for Contact Form 7**. 
This all-in-one spam protection plugin integrates **Google reCAPTCHA (v2 Checkbox&
v3 Invisible)**, **Cloudflare Turnstile** (Privacy-Focused), and lightweight **Built-
in Arithmetic/Image Challenges** to block bots while letting real users pass.

Whether you need strict security or a friction-free user experience, BotShield gives
you complete control over your specific form protection needs. No more spam submissions,
fake leads, or automated bot attacks.

Protect Your Store with **Enterprise-grade CAPTCHA & Security**. [SecureGate CAPTCHA](https://woocommerce.com/products/securegate-captcha/)
provides full-site protection, blocking bots, spam, and fraud using Cloudflare Turnstile,
Google reCAPTCHA, hCaptcha, and Geo-Blocking — keeping your store fast, secure, 
and bot-free.

#### Key Features & Benefits

 * **Multi-Provider Support**: Choose between Google reCAPTCHA, Cloudflare Turnstile,
   or Self-hosted challenges.
 * **Google reCAPTCHA Integration**: Supports both **v2 (“I’m not a robot”)** and**
   v3 (Invisible)** keys.
 * **Cloudflare Turnstile**: The modern, privacy-friendly alternative that stops
   bots without annoying puzzles.
 * **Lightweight Built-in Protection**: Use simple Math or Image CAPTCHAs without
   needing any external API keys.
 * **Seamless Contact Form 7 Integration**: Adds a dedicated “BotShield” tag generator
   button directly to the CF7 editor.
 * **Mobile Optimized**: Fully responsive challenges that work perfectly on smartphones
   and tablets.
 * **GDPR Compliant Options**: Turnstile and Built-in modes offer excellent privacy
   compliance.
 * **Accessibility Ready**: WCAG 2.1 compliant designs for screen reader support.

#### Flexible Protection Options

**1. Google reCAPTCHA (The Industry Standard)**
 * **v2 Checkbox**: The classic “
I’m not a robot” checkbox users trust. * **v3 Invisible**: valid users are verified
in the background with zero interaction.

**2. Cloudflare Turnstile (Privacy-First)**
 * Verify visitors without solving complex
puzzles. Smart, fast, and respectful of user privacy.

**3. Built-in Challenges (No Keys Required)**
 * **Arithmetic**: Simple math questions(
e.g., 7 + 2 = ?) effective against basic bots. * **Alphanumeric**: Distorted text
images for traditional verification. * _Zero external dependency, 100% self-hosted._

#### Perfect For

 * Contact forms
 * Registration forms
 * Quote request forms
 * Newsletter signups
 * Any Contact Form 7 form needing spam protection

#### Requirements

 * WordPress 5.0 or higher
 * Contact Form 7 plugin (must be active)
 * PHP 7.4 or higher
 * GD PHP extension for image CAPTCHAs

### Privacy Policy

BotShield CAPTCHA does not:
 * Collect any personal data * Store user information*
Transmit data to external servers * Use cookies or tracking * Share information 
with third parties

All CAPTCHA processing happens locally on your WordPress server. The plugin is fully
GDPR compliant.

### Support & Documentation

 * Support Forum: https://wordpress.org/support/plugin/botshield-captcha/
 * Developer Website: https://www.rsabbir.com/

### Contributing

Contributions are welcome! Contact the developer or visit the GitHub repository 
to contribute to this plugin’s development.

### Credits

 * Developed by R. Sabbir (https://www.rsabbir.com/)
 * Tested with Contact Form 7 6.1.4 and later

### Technical Specifications

#### Server Requirements

 * WordPress 5.0 or higher
 * PHP 7.4 or higher
 * Contact Form 7 plugin (active)
 * GD PHP extension (for image CAPTCHAs)

#### Browser Support

 * Chrome (latest versions)
 * Firefox (latest versions)
 * Safari (latest versions)
 * Microsoft Edge (latest versions)
 * Mobile browsers (iOS Safari, Chrome Mobile)

#### Security Features

 * Token-based validation system
 * HMAC-SHA256 signature verification
 * Automatic token expiration (5 minutes)
 * XSS protection
 * CSRF token protection
 * No session storage required

#### Performance

 * Code: ~50KB total size
 * Assets: Minified and optimized
 * Loading: Conditional asset loading on relevant pages
 * HTTP Requests: Zero external requests
 * Caching: Compatible with all major WordPress cache plugins

## Screenshots

 * [[
 * Contact Form 7 tag generator interface for easy CAPTCHA shortcode creation
 * [[
 * General Settings – CAPTCHA Type selection
 * [[
 * Integration Settings – Provider Configuration
 * [[
 * Cloudflare Turnstile CAPTCHA on contact form
 * [[
 * Google reCAPTCHA on contact form
 * [[
 * Arithmetic CAPTCHA displaying a math challenge on the contact form
 * [[
 * Alphanumeric image CAPTCHA showing distorted text characters for security

## Installation

#### Step 1: Install & Activate

 1. Go to your WordPress Dashboard > **Plugins** > **Add New**.
 2. Search for **“BotShield CAPTCHA”**.
 3. Click **Install Now** and then **Activate**.

#### Step 2: Configure Provider (Global Settings)

 1. Navigate to **Contact > BotShield CAPTCHA**.
 2. **Select your Default CAPTCHA Type**:
 3.  * _Google reCAPTCHA_
     * _Cloudflare Turnstile_
     * _Arithmetic / Alphanumeric (Built-in)_
 4. **For reCAPTCHA/Turnstile Users**:
 5.  * Switch to the **“Integration Settings”** tab.
     * Enter your **Site Key** and **Secret Key** (links provided in the admin panel
       to get these for free).
     * Click **Save Settings**.

#### Step 3: Add to Your Form

 1. Go to **Contact > Contact Forms** and edit your desired form.
 2. Click the **“BotShield”** button in the CF7 tag generator toolbar (usually above
    the message body text area).
 3. **Select Interaction Type**: A popup will appear. You can use your “Global Default”
    or override it with a specific type (e.g., force “Turnstile” on this specific form).
 4. Click **Insert Tag**.
 5. **CRITICAL**: Ensure the generated shortcode (e.g., `[captcha* captcha-answer]`)
    is placed **ABOVE** your `[submit]` button.
 6. Save the form.

#### Step 4: Verify

Visit your page with the contact form. You should now see the CAPTCHA of choice 
protecting your submission!

## FAQ

### Do I need API keys?

 * **For Built-in CAPTCHAs**: No, these work out of the box.
 * **For Google reCAPTCHA**: Yes, you need a free Site Key and Secret Key from the
   [Google reCAPTCHA Admin Console](https://www.google.com/recaptcha/admin).
 * **For Cloudflare Turnstile**: Yes, you need a free Site Key and Secret Key from
   the [Cloudflare Dashboard](https://dash.cloudflare.com/).

### Which CAPTCHA should I choose?

 * **reCAPTCHA v3** or **Cloudflare Turnstile** are best for user experience (invisible/
   frictionless).
 * **reCAPTCHA v2** is best if you want users to explicitly proving they are human.
 * **Built-in** is best for strict privacy requirements or local-only environments.

### Is BotShield CAPTCHA GDPR compliant?

Yes.
 * **Built-in Challenges**: 100% compliant, no data leaves your server. * **
Cloudflare Turnstile**: Privacy-focused and generally considered GDPR compliant.***
Google reCAPTCHA**: Subject to Google’s privacy policy and terms.

### Does this plugin slow down my site?

No. Assets (CSS/JS) are conditionally loaded only on pages where a Contact Form 
7 form is present. We prioritize performance and lightweight code.

### Can I use multiple CAPTCHAs per page?

Yes! Each Contact Form 7 form can have its own independent CAPTCHA configuration.

### does it work on mobile devices?

Absolutely! The CAPTCHA is fully responsive and works perfectly on all devices including
smartphones and tablets.

### Is it accessible for people with disabilities?

Yes! The plugin includes proper ARIA labels, keyboard navigation, and screen reader
compatibility following WCAG 2.1 guidelines.

### Can I customize the appearance?

Yes! Choose from three built-in themes (Default, Minimal, Modern) or add custom 
CSS for further customization.

### What is the BotShield CAPTCHA shortcode?

The required shortcode is `[captcha* captcha-answer]`. This tag ensures that the
user completes the CAPTCHA before submitting the form.

### Can I use the shortcode for Google reCAPTCHA or Turnstile?

Yes! The same `[captcha* captcha-answer]` shortcode works for all types. The plugin
automatically renders the correct challenge (reCAPTCHA, Turnstile, or Built-in) 
based on your settings.

### How do I make the shortcode optional?

To make the CAPTCHA optional (not recommended), use the tag without the asterisk:`[
captcha captcha-answer]`.

## Reviews

![](https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/036d38840badae9e687c0acb8990bf2592217f17c45209f57023f1205e56e882?
s=60&d=retro&r=g)

### 󠀁[quality code not added](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/quality-code-not-added/)󠁿

 [SHIMANTA DAS](https://profiles.wordpress.org/microcodes/) ژانویه 4, 2026 2 replies

shows warning here after installation. Warning: Undefined array key “answer” in 
C:\xampp\htdocs\mc2\wp-content\plugins\botshield-captcha\includes\class-botshield-
captcha-field.php on line 298 Warning: Undefined array key “hash” in C:\xampp\htdocs\
mc2\wp-content\plugins\botshield-captcha\includes\class-botshield-captcha-field.
php on line 299

 [ Read all 1 review ](https://wordpress.org/support/plugin/botshield-captcha/reviews/)

## Contributors & Developers

“BotShield CAPTCHA for Contact Form 7” is open source software. The following people
have contributed to this plugin.

Contributors

 *   [ R.Sabbir ](https://profiles.wordpress.org/sabbir37/)

[Translate “BotShield CAPTCHA for Contact Form 7” into your language.](https://translate.wordpress.org/projects/wp-plugins/botshield-captcha)

### Interested in development?

[Browse the code](https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/browser/botshield-captcha/),
check out the [SVN repository](https://plugins.svn.wordpress.org/botshield-captcha/),
or subscribe to the [development log](https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/log/botshield-captcha/)
by [RSS](https://plugins.trac.wordpress.org/log/botshield-captcha/?limit=100&mode=stop_on_copy&format=rss).

## Changelog

#### 2.0.0 – January 20, 2026

 * **New**: Added support for Google reCAPTCHA (v2 Checkbox & v3 Invisible).
 * **New**: Added support for Cloudflare Turnstile (Privacy-focused).
 * **New**: Completely redesigned Admin Dashboard with modern tabbed interface.
 * **Improved**: General UI/UX polish for better administrative experience.

#### 1.0.1 – December 8, 2025

 * **Improved**: Enhanced plugin security and validation protocols.
 * **Improved**: General stability improvements and other minor fixes.

#### 1.0.0 – November 21, 2025

 * Initial plugin release.
 * Arithmetic CAPTCHA with math problems.
 * Alphanumeric image CAPTCHA with distorted text.
 * Three difficulty levels (Easy, Medium, Hard).
 * No API keys required for built-in types.

## Meta

 *  Version **2.0.0**
 *  Last updated **2 آی‌لار ago**
 *  Active installations **20+**
 *  WordPress version ** 5.0 or higher **
 *  Tested up to **6.9.4**
 *  PHP version ** 7.4 or higher **
 *  Language
 * [English (US)](https://wordpress.org/plugins/botshield-captcha/)
 * Tags
 * [captcha](https://azb.wordpress.org/plugins/tags/captcha/)[contact form 7](https://azb.wordpress.org/plugins/tags/contact-form-7/)
   [recaptcha](https://azb.wordpress.org/plugins/tags/recaptcha/)[spam protection](https://azb.wordpress.org/plugins/tags/spam-protection/)
   [turnstile](https://azb.wordpress.org/plugins/tags/turnstile/)
 *  [Advanced View](https://azb.wordpress.org/plugins/botshield-captcha/advanced/)

## Ratings

 5 out of 5 stars.

 *  [  1 5-star review     ](https://wordpress.org/support/plugin/botshield-captcha/reviews/?filter=5)
 *  [  0 4-star reviews     ](https://wordpress.org/support/plugin/botshield-captcha/reviews/?filter=4)
 *  [  0 3-star reviews     ](https://wordpress.org/support/plugin/botshield-captcha/reviews/?filter=3)
 *  [  0 2-star reviews     ](https://wordpress.org/support/plugin/botshield-captcha/reviews/?filter=2)
 *  [  0 1-star reviews     ](https://wordpress.org/support/plugin/botshield-captcha/reviews/?filter=1)

[Add my review](https://wordpress.org/support/plugin/botshield-captcha/reviews/#new-post)

[See all reviews](https://wordpress.org/support/plugin/botshield-captcha/reviews/)

## Contributors

 *   [ R.Sabbir ](https://profiles.wordpress.org/sabbir37/)

## Support

Got something to say? Need help?

 [View support forum](https://wordpress.org/support/plugin/botshield-captcha/)