# altdns vs Palo Alto Networks Cortex Xpanse: side-by-side comparison (2026) [altdns](https://cybersectools.com/tools/altdns) is a free [external attack surface management](https://cybersectools.com/categories/external-asm) solution. [Palo Alto Networks Cortex Xpanse](https://cybersectools.com/tools/palo-alto-networks-cortex-xpanse) is a commercial [external attack surface management](https://cybersectools.com/categories/external-asm) solution by [Palo Alto Networks](https://cybersectools.com/companies/palo-alto-networks). Features, integrations, deployment and the company behind each one, side by side. ## Our take What our shortlists say about the one we picked. ### [Palo Alto Networks Cortex Xpanse](https://cybersectools.com/tools/palo-alto-networks-cortex-xpanse) Best for: Large companies wanting automated fixes for exposures It earns a place because it goes past listing exposures, since automated playbooks close them without a ticket, which suits a large company with a sprawling footprint. It fits mid-market and enterprise teams. Agree up front which fixes the playbooks may run on their own, because automatic changes to live assets need an owner. From [Best Attack Surface Management Solutions for Business](https://cybersectools.com/shortlists/best-attack-surface-solutions), Fall 2026. Reviewed by [Nika (Nikoloz) Kokhreidze](https://cybersectools.com/about). Need the answer fast? [Best Attack Surface Management Solutions for Business](https://cybersectools.com/shortlists/best-attack-surface-solutions) picks Palo Alto Networks Cortex Xpanse, Microsoft Defender EASM, Mandiant Attack Surface Management and 4 more. ## Side-by-side comparison | | altdns | Palo Alto Networks Cortex Xpanse | |---|---|---| | Pricing model | Free | Commercial | | Category | External Attack Surface Management | External Attack Surface Management | | Verified | No | No | | Deployment type | On-Premises | Cloud | | Company size fit | Startup, SMB, Mid-Market, Enterprise | Mid-Market, Enterprise | | GitHub stars | 2,439 | – | | Last commit | Jan 2025 | – | | Company | – | Palo Alto Networks | | Headquarters | – | – | ### Use cases and capabilities | | altdns | Palo Alto Networks Cortex Xpanse | |---|---|---| | Reconnaissance | Yes | Yes | ### Core features **altdns** No features listed. **Palo Alto Networks Cortex Xpanse** 10 features listed. Sign in on the page to see them. ### Integrations **altdns** No integrations listed. **Palo Alto Networks Cortex Xpanse** 12 integrations listed. Sign in on the page to see them. ## Which one fits you Based on what each listing shows: deployment, company size, price and open source. - [altdns](https://cybersectools.com/tools/altdns) fits if you need to run it on your own servers, you are a startup or a small business, you need a free product and you want an open-source product. - [Palo Alto Networks Cortex Xpanse](https://cybersectools.com/tools/palo-alto-networks-cortex-xpanse) fits if you want a cloud product. ## altdns vs Palo Alto Networks Cortex Xpanse FAQ Common questions when comparing altdns vs Palo Alto Networks Cortex Xpanse for external attack surface management. ### What is the difference between altdns and Palo Alto Networks Cortex Xpanse? **altdns**: A tool for generating permutations, alterations and mutations of subdomains and resolving them. **Palo Alto Networks Cortex Xpanse**: Active attack surface mgmt solution for discovering & remediating unknown risks. Built by Palo Alto Networks. The table above shows where their features, integrations, deployment and company size fit differ. ### Who makes altdns and Palo Alto Networks Cortex Xpanse? **altdns** is open-source with 2,439 GitHub stars. **Palo Alto Networks Cortex Xpanse** is made by Palo Alto Networks. The vendor behind a product decides its roadmap, support, and longevity, so check each company's profile before you commit. ### Is altdns a good alternative to Palo Alto Networks Cortex Xpanse? Often, yes. altdns and Palo Alto Networks Cortex Xpanse are both External Attack Surface Management products, and both cover Reconnaissance. Key differences: altdns is Free while Palo Alto Networks Cortex Xpanse is Commercial, altdns is open-source. Use the table above to see where features, deployment and company size fit differ. ## Related comparisons - [altdns vs DDactic Attack Surface Discovery](https://cybersectools.com/compare/altdns-vs-ddactic-attack-surface-discovery) - [altdns vs Censys Attack Surface Management](https://cybersectools.com/compare/altdns-vs-censys-attack-surface-management) - [altdns vs Matos Automated Attack Surface Management](https://cybersectools.com/compare/altdns-vs-cloudmatos-automated-attack-surface-management) - [Palo Alto Networks Cortex Xpanse vs DDactic Attack Surface Discovery](https://cybersectools.com/compare/ddactic-attack-surface-discovery-vs-palo-alto-networks-cortex-xpanse) - [Palo Alto Networks Cortex Xpanse vs Censys Attack Surface Management](https://cybersectools.com/compare/censys-attack-surface-management-vs-palo-alto-networks-cortex-xpanse) - [Palo Alto Networks Cortex Xpanse vs Matos Automated Attack Surface Management](https://cybersectools.com/compare/cloudmatos-automated-attack-surface-management-vs-palo-alto-networks-cortex-xpanse) ## Alternatives to each - [See all altdns alternatives](https://cybersectools.com/alternatives/altdns) - [See all Palo Alto Networks Cortex Xpanse alternatives](https://cybersectools.com/alternatives/palo-alto-networks-cortex-xpanse) --- Source: https://cybersectools.com/compare/altdns-vs-palo-alto-networks-cortex-xpanse For AI agents: each product above has its own Markdown page (add .md to its URL, for example https://cybersectools.com/tools/altdns.md). Every CybersecTools shortlist is listed at https://cybersectools.com/shortlists.md. More on altdns and Palo Alto Networks Cortex Xpanse: 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