# AD Tripwires vs Malbait: side-by-side comparison (2026)

[AD Tripwires](https://cybersectools.com/tools/ad-tripwires) is a commercial [honeypots & deception](https://cybersectools.com/categories/honeypots) solution by [Horizon3.ai](https://cybersectools.com/companies/horizon3ai). [Malbait](https://cybersectools.com/tools/malbait) is a free [honeypots & deception](https://cybersectools.com/categories/honeypots) solution. Features, integrations, deployment and the company behind each one, side by side.

## Side-by-side comparison

| | AD Tripwires | Malbait |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Commercial | Free |
| Category | Honeypots & Deception | Honeypots & Deception |
| Verified | No | No |
| Deployment type | On-Premises | On-Premises |
| Company size fit | SMB, Mid-Market, Enterprise | Startup, SMB |
| GitHub stars | – | 9 |
| Last commit | – | Apr 2024 |
| Company | Horizon3.ai | – |
| Headquarters | – | – |

### Use cases and capabilities

| | AD Tripwires | Malbait |
|---|---|---|
| Active Directory | Yes | – |
| Lateral Movement | Yes | – |
| Attack Detection | Yes | – |
| Attack Paths | Yes | – |
| Raspberry Pi | – | Yes |

### Core features

**AD Tripwires**

5 features listed. Sign in on the page to see them.

**Malbait**

No features listed.

## Which one fits you

Based on what each listing shows: deployment, company size, price and open source.

- [AD Tripwires](https://cybersectools.com/tools/ad-tripwires) fits if you are a mid-market company or an enterprise.
- [Malbait](https://cybersectools.com/tools/malbait) fits if you are a startup, you need a free product and you want an open-source product.

## AD Tripwires vs Malbait FAQ

Common questions when comparing AD Tripwires vs Malbait for honeypots & deception.

### What is the difference between AD Tripwires and Malbait?

**AD Tripwires**: Active Directory deception technology for threat detection and response. Built by Horizon3.ai.

**Malbait**: A Perl honeypot program for monitoring hostile traffic and wasting hackers' time.

The table above shows where their features, integrations, deployment and company size fit differ.

### Who makes AD Tripwires and Malbait?

**AD Tripwires** is made by Horizon3.ai. **Malbait** is open-source with 9 GitHub stars. The vendor behind a product decides its roadmap, support, and longevity, so check each company's profile before you commit.

### Is AD Tripwires a good alternative to Malbait?

Often, yes. AD Tripwires and Malbait are both Honeypots & Deception products. Key differences: AD Tripwires is Commercial while Malbait is Free, Malbait is open-source. Use the table above to see where features, deployment and company size fit differ.

## Related comparisons

- [AD Tripwires vs Tropico Security - AI Powered Deception](https://cybersectools.com/compare/ad-tripwires-vs-tropico-security-ai-powered-deception)
- [AD Tripwires vs Acalvio ShadowPlex Advanced Threat Defense](https://cybersectools.com/compare/acalvio-shadowplex-advanced-threat-defense-vs-ad-tripwires)
- [AD Tripwires vs Deception Platform](https://cybersectools.com/compare/ad-tripwires-vs-labyrinth-deception-platform)
- [Malbait vs Tropico Security - AI Powered Deception](https://cybersectools.com/compare/malbait-vs-tropico-security-ai-powered-deception)
- [Malbait vs Acalvio ShadowPlex Advanced Threat Defense](https://cybersectools.com/compare/acalvio-shadowplex-advanced-threat-defense-vs-malbait)
- [Malbait vs Deception Platform](https://cybersectools.com/compare/labyrinth-deception-platform-vs-malbait)

## Alternatives to each

- [See all AD Tripwires alternatives](https://cybersectools.com/alternatives/ad-tripwires)
- [See all Malbait alternatives](https://cybersectools.com/alternatives/malbait)

---

Source: https://cybersectools.com/compare/ad-tripwires-vs-malbait

For AI agents: each product above has its own Markdown page (add .md to its URL, for example https://cybersectools.com/tools/ad-tripwires.md). Every CybersecTools shortlist is listed at https://cybersectools.com/shortlists.md.

More on AD Tripwires and Malbait: funding, momentum, hiring and news, plus the full product and company record, are available through the Mandos MCP Server (paid plans), which connects to AI assistants: https://mandos.io/mcp?utm_source=cybersectools.com&utm_medium=compare-md