Don't Optimize for Speed - Load reCAPTCHA v3 on Every Page (Here's Why)

Let’s talk about something that’s been causing some confusion in the web dev community – the proper way to implement reCAPTCHA v3 on your website.

You might have heard that for optimal performance, you should only load reCAPTCHA v3 on specific pages where it’s needed, like contact forms or sign-up pages. That seems to make sense, right? Load those heavy scripts only where you absolutely need them to keep your site nice and snappy.

Well, here’s the surprising truth: Google actually recommends loading reCAPTCHA v3 on every single page of your website. Yup, even pages without forms!

According to Google’s docs, reCAPTCHA works best when it has the full context of how users interact with your entire site – both the legitimate behavior and the sketchy stuff. By loading it on every page (even in the background for analytics), reCAPTCHA can get a complete picture and better assess whether an interaction is human or bot.

Now, I know what you’re thinking – “But won’t that totally kill my site’s performance?!” And you’d be right to worry. Loading those big reCAPTCHA scripts on every page could definitely put a dent in your loading times. It’s worth mentioning that it’s getting easier and easier for bots and bad guys to get around reCAPTCHA these days.

That’s where a solution like OOPSpam comes in. Unlike reCAPTCHA, which loads resources on the front-end, OOPSpam does all its magic behind the scenes, on the server-side. That means zero impact on your website’s performance! You get effective spam protection without any of the bloat.

So, while it might seem counterintuitive, loading reCAPTCHA v3 on every page is actually Google’s recommended approach for getting the most accurate interaction scoring and site protection. But to avoid any performance hits (or privacy concerns), a server-side solution like OOPSpam can help.

Just some food for thought as you’re optimizing your website’s security and performance.