head to head · open source
PentestGPT vs SSTImap
PentestGPT has 15,964 GitHub stars, 2,815 forks, 81 open issues and last shipped 3 months ago. SSTImap has 1,704 stars, 201 forks, 13 open issues and last shipped 2 months ago. PentestGPT leads on adoption by 837% (15,964 vs 1,704 stars). PentestGPT is written in Python under MIT; SSTImap is written in Python under GPL-3.0. PentestGPT has attracted 18% as many forks as stars, SSTImap 12%. SSTImap was the more recently maintained of the two, and both are self-hostable with no licence fee. The two share 2 topic tags (penetration-testing, python), 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.
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Side by side
| PentestGPT | SSTImap | |
|---|---|---|
| GitHub stars | ★ 16K | ★ 1.7K |
| License | MIT | GPL-3.0 |
| Written in | Python | Python |
| Last push | 2026-07-14 | 2026-08-25 |
| Forks | ⑂ 2.8K | ⑂ 201 |
| Self-hosting | Yes | Yes |
| Data ownership | Your server | Your server |
pick PentestGPT if
- You weight community size — 16K stars and counting
- You want the MIT license terms
- Your stack matches Python
- You value the larger contributor base for long-term maintenance
pick SSTImap if
- You want the SSTImap feature set and don't need the biggest community
- You prefer the GPL-3.0 license terms
- Your stack matches Python
- You evaluated both and SSTImap fits your workflow better
About PentestGPT
PentestGPT is an MIT licensed Python framework that uses large language models to run automated penetration tests and CTF challenges, aimed at penetration testers, security engineers and CTF players who want an agent to drive the tooling rather than working through it by hand.
read the full PentestGPT overview →
About SSTImap
SSTImap is an open source, GPL 3.0 licensed Python penetration testing tool that automatically detects and exploits server side template injection (SSTI) and code injection vulnerabilities in web applications, built for penetration testers and security professionals who need an interactive interface for detection and exploitation.
read the full SSTImap overview →
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Frequently asked questions
Is PentestGPT or SSTImap more popular?
PentestGPT has 15,964 GitHub stars and SSTImap has 1,704. PentestGPT has the larger community by that measure.
Are PentestGPT and SSTImap free?
Both are open source. PentestGPT is licensed under MIT and SSTImap under GPL-3.0. Neither carries a licence fee.
What is the difference between PentestGPT and SSTImap?
PentestGPT is written in Python and SSTImap in Python. The practical differences are community size, licence terms, language stack and release cadence — all compared in the table above.
Which should I choose, PentestGPT or SSTImap?
Choose PentestGPT if you want the larger community (15,964 stars) or its MIT licence terms. Choose SSTImap if its feature set, stack or GPL-3.0 licence fits better. Both are self-hostable.