# APX Labs Cipher XBOW Validation Benchmark vs Payloads All The Things: side-by-side comparison (2026)

[APX Labs Cipher XBOW Validation Benchmark](https://cybersectools.com/tools/apx-labs-cipher-xbow-validation-benchmark) is a commercial [penetration testing](https://cybersectools.com/categories/pentesting-tools) solution by [APX Labs](https://cybersectools.com/companies/apx-labs). [Payloads All The Things](https://cybersectools.com/tools/payloads-all-the-things) is a free [penetration testing](https://cybersectools.com/categories/pentesting-tools) solution. Features, integrations, deployment and the company behind each one, side by side.

## Side-by-side comparison

| | APX Labs Cipher XBOW Validation Benchmark | Payloads All The Things |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Commercial | Free |
| Category | Penetration Testing | Penetration Testing |
| Verified | No | No |
| Deployment type | Cloud | On-Premises |
| Company size fit | SMB, Mid-Market, Enterprise | SMB, Mid-Market, Enterprise |
| GitHub stars | – | 76,084 |
| Last commit | – | Mar 2026 |
| Company | APX Labs | – |
| Headquarters | – | – |

### Use cases and capabilities

| | APX Labs Cipher XBOW Validation Benchmark | Payloads All The Things |
|---|---|---|
| AI Pentesting | Yes | – |
| Benchmark | Yes | – |
| Black Box Testing | Yes | – |
| Penetration Testing Framework | Yes | – |
| Vulnerability | Yes | – |
| Exploit Development | Yes | – |
| DAST | Yes | – |
| Security Validation | Yes | – |
| Web Security | Yes | – |
| RCE | Yes | – |
| Azure | – | Yes |
| Linux | – | Yes |
| Windows | – | Yes |
| AWS | – | Yes |
| Reverse Shell | – | Yes |
| Subdomain Enumeration | – | Yes |
| Active Directory | – | Yes |
| Payload Generation | – | Yes |

### Core features

**APX Labs Cipher XBOW Validation Benchmark**

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

**Payloads All The Things**

No features listed.

### Integrations

**APX Labs Cipher XBOW Validation Benchmark**

1 integration listed. Sign in on the page to see them.

**Payloads All The Things**

No integrations listed.

## Which one fits you

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

- [APX Labs Cipher XBOW Validation Benchmark](https://cybersectools.com/tools/apx-labs-cipher-xbow-validation-benchmark) fits if you want a cloud product.
- [Payloads All The Things](https://cybersectools.com/tools/payloads-all-the-things) fits if you need to run it on your own servers, you need a free product and you want an open-source product.

## APX Labs Cipher XBOW Validation Benchmark vs Payloads All The Things FAQ

Common questions when comparing APX Labs Cipher XBOW Validation Benchmark vs Payloads All The Things for penetration testing.

### What is the difference between APX Labs Cipher XBOW Validation Benchmark and Payloads All The Things?

**APX Labs Cipher XBOW Validation Benchmark**: Public benchmark of Cipher AI pentesting agent vs. 104 XBOW challenges. Built by APX Labs.

**Payloads All The Things**: A comprehensive repository of payloads and bypass techniques for web application security testing and penetration testing across multiple platforms and attack vectors.

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

### Who makes APX Labs Cipher XBOW Validation Benchmark and Payloads All The Things?

**APX Labs Cipher XBOW Validation Benchmark** is made by APX Labs. **Payloads All The Things** is open-source with 76,084 GitHub stars. The vendor behind a product decides its roadmap, support, and longevity, so check each company's profile before you commit.

### Is APX Labs Cipher XBOW Validation Benchmark a good alternative to Payloads All The Things?

Often, yes. APX Labs Cipher XBOW Validation Benchmark and Payloads All The Things are both Penetration Testing products. Key differences: APX Labs Cipher XBOW Validation Benchmark is Commercial while Payloads All The Things is Free, Payloads All The Things is open-source. Use the table above to see where features, deployment and company size fit differ.

## Related comparisons

- [APX Labs Cipher XBOW Validation Benchmark vs Novee AI Pentesting](https://cybersectools.com/compare/apx-labs-cipher-xbow-validation-benchmark-vs-novee-ai-pentesting)
- [APX Labs Cipher XBOW Validation Benchmark vs APX Labs Arsenal (Cipher & Niro)](https://cybersectools.com/compare/apx-labs-arsenal-cipher-and-niro-vs-apx-labs-cipher-xbow-validation-benchmark)
- [APX Labs Cipher XBOW Validation Benchmark vs Alt Security Autonomous Pentesting Platform](https://cybersectools.com/compare/alt-security-autonomous-pentesting-platform-vs-apx-labs-cipher-xbow-validation-benchmark)
- [Payloads All The Things vs Novee AI Pentesting](https://cybersectools.com/compare/novee-ai-pentesting-vs-payloads-all-the-things)
- [Payloads All The Things vs APX Labs Arsenal (Cipher & Niro)](https://cybersectools.com/compare/apx-labs-arsenal-cipher-and-niro-vs-payloads-all-the-things)
- [Payloads All The Things vs Alt Security Autonomous Pentesting Platform](https://cybersectools.com/compare/alt-security-autonomous-pentesting-platform-vs-payloads-all-the-things)

## Alternatives to each

- [See all APX Labs Cipher XBOW Validation Benchmark alternatives](https://cybersectools.com/alternatives/apx-labs-cipher-xbow-validation-benchmark)
- [See all Payloads All The Things alternatives](https://cybersectools.com/alternatives/payloads-all-the-things)

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Source: https://cybersectools.com/compare/apx-labs-cipher-xbow-validation-benchmark-vs-payloads-all-the-things

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More on APX Labs Cipher XBOW Validation Benchmark and Payloads All The Things: 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
