diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 35b50df..4cae692 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ Backend for movie-web
   - [ ] provider metrics
  - [ ] ratelimits (stored in redis)
  - [X] switch to pnpm
- - [ ] catpcha support
+ - [X] catpcha support
  - [ ] global namespacing (accounts are stored on a namespace)
  - [ ] cleanup jobs
   - [ ] cleanup expired sessions
diff --git a/src/config/schema.ts b/src/config/schema.ts
index 69a8052..6e32446 100644
--- a/src/config/schema.ts
+++ b/src/config/schema.ts
@@ -48,4 +48,13 @@ export const configSchema = z.object({
     name: z.string().min(1),
     description: z.string().min(1).optional(),
   }),
+  captcha: z
+    .object({
+      // enabled captchas on register
+      enabled: z.coerce.boolean().default(false),
+
+      // captcha secret
+      secret: z.string().min(1).optional(),
+    })
+    .default({}),
 });
diff --git a/src/routes/auth/manage.ts b/src/routes/auth/manage.ts
index 6b7fff5..7032219 100644
--- a/src/routes/auth/manage.ts
+++ b/src/routes/auth/manage.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 import { formatSession } from '@/db/models/Session';
 import { User, formatUser } from '@/db/models/User';
+import { assertCaptcha } from '@/services/captcha';
 import { handle } from '@/services/handler';
 import { makeRouter } from '@/services/router';
 import { makeSession, makeSessionToken } from '@/services/session';
@@ -13,6 +14,7 @@ const registerSchema = z.object({
     colorB: z.string(),
     icon: z.string(),
   }),
+  captchaToken: z.string().optional(),
 });
 
 export const manageAuthRouter = makeRouter((app) => {
@@ -20,6 +22,8 @@ export const manageAuthRouter = makeRouter((app) => {
     '/auth/register',
     { schema: { body: registerSchema } },
     handle(async ({ em, body, req }) => {
+      await assertCaptcha(body.captchaToken);
+
       const user = new User();
       user.name = body.name;
       user.profile = body.profile;
diff --git a/src/routes/meta.ts b/src/routes/meta.ts
index c55603f..8f89a00 100644
--- a/src/routes/meta.ts
+++ b/src/routes/meta.ts
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ export const metaRouter = makeRouter((app) => {
       return {
         name: conf.meta.name,
         description: conf.meta.description,
+        hasCaptcha: conf.captcha.enabled,
       };
     }),
   );
diff --git a/src/services/captcha.ts b/src/services/captcha.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e6cf4ad
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/services/captcha.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,28 @@
+import { conf } from '@/config';
+import { StatusError } from '@/services/error';
+
+export async function isValidCaptcha(token: string): Promise<boolean> {
+  if (!conf.captcha.secret)
+    throw new Error('isValidCaptcha() is called but no secret set');
+  const res = await fetch('https://www.google.com/recaptcha/api/siteverify', {
+    method: 'POST',
+    body: JSON.stringify({
+      secret: conf.captcha.secret,
+      response: token,
+    }),
+    headers: {
+      'content-type': 'application/json',
+    },
+  });
+  const json = await res.json();
+  return !!json.success;
+}
+
+export async function assertCaptcha(token?: string) {
+  // early return if captchas arent enabled
+  if (!conf.captcha.enabled) return;
+  if (!token) throw new StatusError('captcha token is required', 400);
+
+  const isValid = await isValidCaptcha(token);
+  if (!isValid) throw new StatusError('captcha token is invalid', 400);
+}