head to head · open source
pentest-ai vs xalgorix
pentest-ai has 1,802 GitHub stars, 329 forks, 2 open issues and last shipped 2 days ago. xalgorix has 1,298 stars, 250 forks, 2 open issues and last shipped yesterday. pentest-ai leads on adoption by 39% (1,802 vs 1,298 stars). pentest-ai is written in Python under MIT; xalgorix is written in Go under Apache-2.0. pentest-ai has attracted 18% as many forks as stars, xalgorix 19%. xalgorix was the more recently maintained of the two, and both are self-hostable with no licence fee. The two share 4 topic tags (ai-security, bug-bounty, cybersecurity, ethical-hacking), so they are genuine substitutes rather than adjacent tools.
Two open source projects, one decision. Both are free and self-hostable — the differences are community size, license terms, language stack and release pace.
← all 20902 open source comparisons
Side by side
| pentest-ai | xalgorix | |
|---|---|---|
| GitHub stars | ★ 1.8K | ★ 1.3K |
| License | MIT | Apache-2.0 |
| Written in | Python | Go |
| Last push | 2026-11-03 | 2026-11-04 |
| Forks | ⑂ 329 | ⑂ 250 |
| Self-hosting | Yes | Yes |
| Data ownership | Your server | Your server |
pick pentest-ai if
- You weight community size — 1.8K stars and counting
- You want the MIT license terms
- Your stack matches Python
- You value the larger contributor base for long-term maintenance
pick xalgorix if
- You want the xalgorix feature set and don't need the biggest community
- You prefer the Apache-2.0 license terms
- Your stack matches Go
- You evaluated both and xalgorix fits your workflow better
About pentest-ai
Website · Quick start · Verification · Documentation · Issues Pentest AI connects an AI client or model to a penetration testing workflow. It investigates applications, records findings, and uses machine oracles to check whether an exploit can be reproduced . Verified findings carry evidence you can replay. Use it through MCP , from the CLI , or in CI . The model helps drive the investigation; an oracle determines whether a finding earns a verified verdict. Test only systems you own or have explicit authorization to assess. Read the acceptable use policy and terms before running an engagement. Quick start…
read the full pentest-ai overview →
About xalgorix
Xalgorix — Open source AI pentester that proves vulnerabilities Most scanners detect. Xalgorix proves. An autonomous LLM agent works a full pentest methodology, then an independent verifier re exploits every finding before it's reported — so you get proof, not a pile of maybes to triage. Self hosted, private, and bring your own LLM. Built in Go + TypeScript. 🚀 Quick Start · 💡 Why Xalgorix · ✨ Features · 🎯 Use Cases · ☁️ Hosted Cloud · 📖 Docs 📸 Screenshots 🖥️ Self hosted dashboard — runs locally on 127.0.0.1:9137 ☁️ Hosted cloud dashboard — the fully managed version at www.xalgorix.com 🤝 Sponsors Thanks to…
read the full xalgorix overview →
More in AI & Machine Learning
Related comparisons
More AI Security & Privacy projects
Compare either of these against the rest of the AI Security & Privacy field.
Frequently asked questions
Is pentest-ai or xalgorix more popular?
pentest-ai has 1,802 GitHub stars and xalgorix has 1,298. pentest-ai has the larger community by that measure.
Are pentest-ai and xalgorix free?
Both are open source. pentest-ai is licensed under MIT and xalgorix under Apache-2.0. Neither carries a licence fee.
What is the difference between pentest-ai and xalgorix?
pentest-ai is written in Python and xalgorix in Go. The practical differences are community size, licence terms, language stack and release cadence — all compared in the table above.
Which should I choose, pentest-ai or xalgorix?
Choose pentest-ai if you want the larger community (1,802 stars) or its MIT licence terms. Choose xalgorix if its feature set, stack or Apache-2.0 licence fits better. Both are self-hostable.