# crt.guru vs Shodan: side-by-side comparison (2026)

[crt.guru](https://cybersectools.com/tools/crtguru) is a commercial [external attack surface management](https://cybersectools.com/categories/external-asm) solution by [Crt.guru](https://cybersectools.com/companies/crtguru). [Shodan](https://cybersectools.com/tools/shodan) is a free [external attack surface management](https://cybersectools.com/categories/external-asm) solution. Features, integrations, deployment and the company behind each one, side by side.

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

| | crt.guru | Shodan |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Commercial | Free |
| Category | External Attack Surface Management | External Attack Surface Management |
| Verified | No | No |
| Deployment type | Cloud | Cloud |
| Company size fit | Startup, SMB, Mid-Market, Enterprise | SMB, Mid-Market, Enterprise |
| Company | Crt.guru | – |
| Headquarters | – | – |

### Use cases and capabilities

| | crt.guru | Shodan |
|---|---|---|
| TLS | Yes | – |
| SSL | Yes | – |
| PCI DSS | Yes | – |
| NIST | Yes | – |
| Security Scanning | Yes | – |
| Alerting | Yes | – |
| Security Compliance Training | Yes | – |
| Security Reporting | Yes | – |
| Vulnerability | Yes | – |
| REST API | Yes | – |
| Network Monitoring | – | Yes |

### Core features

**crt.guru**

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

**Shodan**

No features listed.

### Integrations

**crt.guru**

4 integrations listed. Sign in on the page to see them.

**Shodan**

No integrations listed.

## Which one fits you

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

- [crt.guru](https://cybersectools.com/tools/crtguru) fits if you are a startup.
- [Shodan](https://cybersectools.com/tools/shodan) fits if you need a free product.

## crt.guru vs Shodan FAQ

Common questions when comparing crt.guru vs Shodan for external attack surface management.

### What is the difference between crt.guru and Shodan?

**crt.guru**: External TLS cert monitoring with expiry alerts, vuln scanning & compliance reports. Built by Crt.guru.

**Shodan**: A search engine for the Internet of Things (IoT) that discovers and monitors devices connected to the internet.

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

### Is crt.guru a good alternative to Shodan?

Often, yes. crt.guru and Shodan are both External Attack Surface Management products. Key differences: crt.guru is Commercial while Shodan is Free. Use the table above to see where features, deployment and company size fit differ.

## Related comparisons

- [crt.guru vs Attack Surface Scan](https://cybersectools.com/compare/attack-surface-scan-vs-crtguru)
- [crt.guru vs Assetnote Exposure Engine](https://cybersectools.com/compare/assetnote-exposure-engine-vs-crtguru)
- [crt.guru vs SurfaceDiff](https://cybersectools.com/compare/crtguru-vs-surfacediff)
- [Shodan vs Attack Surface Scan](https://cybersectools.com/compare/attack-surface-scan-vs-shodan)
- [Shodan vs Assetnote Exposure Engine](https://cybersectools.com/compare/assetnote-exposure-engine-vs-shodan)
- [Shodan vs SurfaceDiff](https://cybersectools.com/compare/shodan-vs-surfacediff)

## Alternatives to each

- [See all crt.guru alternatives](https://cybersectools.com/alternatives/crtguru)
- [See all Shodan alternatives](https://cybersectools.com/alternatives/shodan)

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Source: https://cybersectools.com/compare/crtguru-vs-shodan

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

More on crt.guru and Shodan: 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