head to head · open source
thc-hydra vs ssh-mitm
thc-hydra has 12,333 GitHub stars, 2,676 forks, 50 open issues and last shipped 2 months ago. ssh-mitm has 1,472 stars, 157 forks, 2 open issues and last shipped 18 days ago. thc-hydra leads on adoption by 738% (12,333 vs 1,472 stars). thc-hydra is written in C under AGPL-3.0; ssh-mitm is written in Python under GPL-3.0. thc-hydra has attracted 22% as many forks as stars, ssh-mitm 11%. ssh-mitm was the more recently maintained of the two, and both are self-hostable with no licence fee. The two share 1 topic tag (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.
← all 20902 open source comparisons
Side by side
| thc-hydra | ssh-mitm | |
|---|---|---|
| GitHub stars | ★ 12K | ★ 1.5K |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | GPL-3.0 |
| Written in | C | Python |
| Last push | 2026-07-30 | 2026-09-13 |
| Forks | ⑂ 2.7K | ⑂ 157 |
| 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 ssh-mitm if
- You want the ssh-mitm 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 ssh-mitm 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 ssh-mitm
SSH MITM is a Python based interactive SSH interception proxy for authorized security auditors, penetration testers, and researchers who need visibility and control over SSH sessions.
read the full ssh-mitm overview →
More in Security & Privacy
Related comparisons
More Threat Detection & Response projects
Compare either of these against the rest of the Threat Detection & Response field.
Frequently asked questions
Is thc-hydra or ssh-mitm more popular?
thc-hydra has 12,333 GitHub stars and ssh-mitm has 1,472. thc-hydra has the larger community by that measure.
Are thc-hydra and ssh-mitm free?
Both are open source. thc-hydra is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and ssh-mitm under GPL-3.0. Neither carries a licence fee.
What is the difference between thc-hydra and ssh-mitm?
thc-hydra is written in C and ssh-mitm 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 ssh-mitm?
Choose thc-hydra if you want the larger community (12,333 stars) or its AGPL-3.0 licence terms. Choose ssh-mitm if its feature set, stack or GPL-3.0 licence fits better. Both are self-hostable.