de4dot vs ScratchABit: Side-by-Side Comparison (2026)
Features, pricing, ratings, and pros & cons — compared head-to-head.
de4dot is a free digital forensics and incident response tool. ScratchABit is a free digital forensics and incident response tool. Compare features, ratings, integrations, and community reviews side by side to find the best digital forensics and incident response fit for your security stack.
CST VerdictBased on our analysis of available product data, here is our conclusion:
Threat analysts and incident responders investigating .NET malware will find de4dot indispensable for unpacking obfuscated assemblies that commercial tools struggle with, especially samples using less common obfuscators like ConfuserEx or .NET Reactor. The tool's 7,364 GitHub stars reflect active community maintenance and real-world deployment across malware analysis workflows. Skip this if your team primarily handles unobfuscated .NET samples or relies on automated sandboxing; de4dot demands manual analysis skill and won't replace behavioral detection.
Incident responders and malware analysts working with unknown binaries will find ScratchABit's incremental disassembly and data flow visualization invaluable for reverse engineering without committing to massive static analysis overhead. The free, open-source model (412 GitHub stars) means your team can deploy it immediately across Windows, Linux, and macOS without licensing friction. Skip this if you need automated threat hunting or integration with your SIEM; ScratchABit is a focused analyst workbench, not a platform.
