--- title: "CAPTCHA block: stop bots from flooding an open survey" description: "Add Yandex SmartCaptcha to a public form as an ordinary block. How the client key and test mode work, and what respondents see on screen." url: https://askyo.ru/en/question-types/captcha-block lang: en last_modified: 2026-09-27 --- 1. [Home](https://askyo.ru/en) 2. [Question types](https://askyo.ru/en/question-types) 3. CAPTCHA block for survey forms Question type # CAPTCHA block for survey forms A CAPTCHA block is a check inside the survey that separates people from bots before the answers are accepted. It is placed like any other question. In Askyo the block uses Yandex SmartCaptcha, so you need a client key from that service to switch it from test mode to live protection. Opens on the Pro plan [Build a survey with this question ](https://app.askyo.ru/build)[Survey templates](https://askyo.ru/en/templates) ## Which forms attract bots Anything public with a text field and no login: contact forms, giveaways, open polls, event sign-ups, job applications on a careers page. Bots fill them with spam links or stuff a vote. A form shared only inside a company chat rarely needs a captcha, and it adds a step for every real person. Put the block right before the last screen. Respondents have already invested in the answers and won’t drop out at the final check the way they might on the first screen. ## Setting it up: key, test mode and language A new block starts in test mode with a public test key, which lets everyone through; that is useful while you build, and useless in production. Get a client key (it starts with «ysc1\_») from Yandex SmartCaptcha, paste it into the block and switch test mode off. An honest caveat for English-language surveys: the SmartCaptcha widget interface is shown in Russian. Most people just tick the box, but if a challenge appears, its instructions will be in Russian. Weigh that before adding the block to a form for an international audience. The check is required by default. If the token expires or the network drops, the block clears it and the respondent passes the check again. It takes no column in results. What you can set - Yandex SmartCaptcha key - test mode, lets everyone through ## Alternatives to a captcha Sometimes a captcha is the wrong fix. If spam comes through one shared link, publish the survey inside your site with the widget instead of posting the raw link on a public forum. If the problem is repeat voting rather than bots, a captcha will not stop a determined person from voting twice. Think about how you distribute the link, or ask for an email and check duplicates in the CSV. And for a survey sent to your own customers or staff, you know who they are already; the captcha only slows them down. ## Templates that already use it - «CAPTCHA» [Client questionnaire](https://askyo.ru/en/templates/anketa-client) [Leads and contacts](https://askyo.ru/en/templates/category/lead) - «CAPTCHA» [B2B lead form](https://askyo.ru/en/templates/lead-b2b) [Leads and contacts](https://askyo.ru/en/templates/category/lead) - «CAPTCHA» [Contact form](https://askyo.ru/en/templates/contact) [Leads and contacts](https://askyo.ru/en/templates/category/lead) - «CAPTCHA» [Event registration](https://askyo.ru/en/templates/event-registration) [Events](https://askyo.ru/en/templates/category/event) Frequently asked questions ## CAPTCHA block for survey forms: common questions Does a CAPTCHA hurt response rates? It adds one step, so there is some cost. Keep it for public forms that bots can reach, and place it at the end of the survey rather than on the first screen. For internal surveys sent to a known list of people, skip it. ## Neighbouring types - [Survey on your website](https://askyo.ru/en/website-survey) - [Online voting](https://askyo.ru/en/voting) - [Consent](https://askyo.ru/en/question-types/consent) - [Email](https://askyo.ru/en/question-types/email) - [Short answer](https://askyo.ru/en/question-types/short-text) - [Cards](https://askyo.ru/en/question-types/card-choice) - [Dropdown](https://askyo.ru/en/question-types/dropdown) - [Long answer](https://askyo.ru/en/question-types/long-text) - [All question types](https://askyo.ru/en/question-types) ## Build a survey with this question Protect a public form from spam with a check placed just before submission. [Build a survey ](https://app.askyo.ru/build)[Survey templates](https://askyo.ru/en/templates)