head to head · open source
thc-hydra vs SSTImap
thc-hydra has 12,373 GitHub stars, 2,682 forks, 50 open issues and last shipped 3 months ago. SSTImap has 1,704 stars, 201 forks, 13 open issues and last shipped 2 months ago. thc-hydra leads on adoption by 626% (12,373 vs 1,704 stars). thc-hydra is written in C under AGPL-3.0; SSTImap is written in Python under GPL-3.0. thc-hydra has attracted 22% 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 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.
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Side by side
| thc-hydra | SSTImap | |
|---|---|---|
| GitHub stars | ★ 12K | ★ 1.7K |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | GPL-3.0 |
| Written in | C | Python |
| Last push | 2026-07-30 | 2026-08-25 |
| Forks | ⑂ 2.7K | ⑂ 201 |
| 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 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 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 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 thc-hydra or SSTImap more popular?
thc-hydra has 12,373 GitHub stars and SSTImap has 1,704. thc-hydra has the larger community by that measure.
Are thc-hydra and SSTImap free?
Both are open source. thc-hydra is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and SSTImap under GPL-3.0. Neither carries a licence fee.
What is the difference between thc-hydra and SSTImap?
thc-hydra is written in C 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, thc-hydra or SSTImap?
Choose thc-hydra if you want the larger community (12,373 stars) or its AGPL-3.0 licence terms. Choose SSTImap if its feature set, stack or GPL-3.0 licence fits better. Both are self-hostable.