head to head · open source
thc-hydra vs Nettacker
thc-hydra has 12,289 GitHub stars, 2,668 forks, 50 open issues and last shipped 2 months ago. Nettacker has 5,605 stars, 1,184 forks, 249 open issues and last shipped 4 days ago. thc-hydra leads on adoption by 119% (12,289 vs 5,605 stars). thc-hydra is written in C under AGPL-3.0; Nettacker is written in Python under Apache-2.0. thc-hydra has attracted 22% as many forks as stars, Nettacker 21%. Nettacker was the more recently maintained of the two, and both are self-hostable with no licence fee. The two share 3 topic tags (bruteforce, network-security, penetration-testing), 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
| thc-hydra | Nettacker | |
|---|---|---|
| GitHub stars | ★ 12K | ★ 5.6K |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | Apache-2.0 |
| Written in | C | Python |
| Last push | 2026-07-30 | 2026-09-18 |
| Forks | ⑂ 2.7K | ⑂ 1.2K |
| Self-hosting | Yes | Yes |
| Data ownership | Your server | Your server |
pick thc-hydra if
- You weight community size — 12K stars and counting
- You want the AGPL-3.0 license terms
- Your stack matches C
- You value the larger contributor base for long-term maintenance
pick Nettacker if
- You want the Nettacker feature set and don't need the biggest community
- You prefer the Apache-2.0 license terms
- Your stack matches Python
- You evaluated both and Nettacker fits your workflow better
About thc-hydra
Hydra is an AGPL 3.0 licensed, C based login cracker that attacks dozens of network protocols in parallel, built for security researchers and penetration testing consultants who need to demonstrate how easily a remote system can be reached with weak credentials.
read the full thc-hydra overview →
About Nettacker
OWASP Nettacker is an open source, Python based automated penetration testing and information gathering framework for cyber security professionals and ethical hackers who need to run reconnaissance, vulnerability assessment, and network security audits efficiently.
read the full Nettacker overview →
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Frequently asked questions
Is thc-hydra or Nettacker more popular?
thc-hydra has 12,289 GitHub stars and Nettacker has 5,605. thc-hydra has the larger community by that measure.
Are thc-hydra and Nettacker free?
Both are open source. thc-hydra is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and Nettacker under Apache-2.0. Neither carries a licence fee.
What is the difference between thc-hydra and Nettacker?
thc-hydra is written in C and Nettacker 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, thc-hydra or Nettacker?
Choose thc-hydra if you want the larger community (12,289 stars) or its AGPL-3.0 licence terms. Choose Nettacker if its feature set, stack or Apache-2.0 licence fits better. Both are self-hostable.