Covenant vs Havoc: 2026 Comparison
Covenant is a free offensive security tool. Havoc is a free offensive security tool. Compare features, ratings, integrations, and community reviews side by side to find the best offensive security fit for your security stack.
CST VerdictBased on our analysis of available product data, here is our conclusion:
Red teamers and security engineers running internal assessments will find Covenant's .NET-native C2 architecture invaluable for simulating attacks that bypass standard logging and detection; the 4,641 GitHub stars reflect active community maintenance and real-world deployment at scale. Its collaborative operator interface and task-based workflow beat Metasploit for team-based engagements, especially when you need parallel execution across multiple targets. Not for buyers seeking a fully managed platform or cross-platform flexibility; Covenant's .NET focus and steeper learning curve make it a specialist tool, not a replacement for commercial red team frameworks.
Red teams and penetration testers building custom C2 infrastructure will find Havoc's malleable profiles and team collaboration features faster to operationalize than Cobalt Strike, especially at zero cost. The 8,200-plus GitHub stars reflect active community contribution to payload obfuscation and evasion techniques that actually work against modern defenses. Skip this if your priority is managed C2 services or Windows-only operations; Havoc's strength is flexibility for operators who want to own their implant behavior, not outsource it.
