# ExtraHop Packet Forensics vs SIFT: side-by-side comparison (2026)

[ExtraHop Packet Forensics](https://cybersectools.com/tools/extrahop-packet-forensics) is a commercial [digital forensics](https://cybersectools.com/categories/digital-forensics) solution by [ExtraHop](https://cybersectools.com/companies/extrahop). [SIFT](https://cybersectools.com/tools/sift) is a free [digital forensics](https://cybersectools.com/categories/digital-forensics) solution. Features, integrations, deployment and the company behind each one, side by side.

## Side-by-side comparison

| | ExtraHop Packet Forensics | SIFT |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Commercial | Free |
| Category | Digital Forensics | Digital Forensics |
| Verified | No | No |
| Deployment type | Hybrid | Hybrid |
| Company size fit | Mid-Market, Enterprise | SMB, Mid-Market, Enterprise |
| GitHub stars | – | 516 |
| Last commit | – | Feb 2024 |
| Company | ExtraHop | – |
| Headquarters | – | – |

### Use cases and capabilities

| | ExtraHop Packet Forensics | SIFT |
|---|---|---|
| Packet Capture | Yes | – |
| PCAP | Yes | – |
| Network Forensic Analysis | Yes | – |
| Evidence Collection | Yes | – |
| Linux | – | Yes |
| AWS | – | Yes |

### Core features

**ExtraHop Packet Forensics**

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

**SIFT**

No features listed.

## Which one fits you

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

- [SIFT](https://cybersectools.com/tools/sift) fits if you are a small business, you need a free product and you want an open-source product.

## ExtraHop Packet Forensics vs SIFT FAQ

Common questions when comparing ExtraHop Packet Forensics vs SIFT for digital forensics.

### What is the difference between ExtraHop Packet Forensics and SIFT?

**ExtraHop Packet Forensics**: Continuous full packet capture and forensics for network investigations. Built by ExtraHop.

**SIFT**: SIFT is a digital forensics toolkit that provides installation management, task execution, and machine image building capabilities for forensic investigations on Ubuntu systems.

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

### Who makes ExtraHop Packet Forensics and SIFT?

**ExtraHop Packet Forensics** is made by ExtraHop. **SIFT** is open-source with 516 GitHub stars. The vendor behind a product decides its roadmap, support, and longevity, so check each company's profile before you commit.

### Is ExtraHop Packet Forensics a good alternative to SIFT?

Often, yes. ExtraHop Packet Forensics and SIFT are both Digital Forensics products. Key differences: ExtraHop Packet Forensics is Commercial while SIFT is Free, SIFT is open-source. Use the table above to see where features, deployment and company size fit differ.

## Related comparisons

- [ExtraHop Packet Forensics vs Packet Capture (cStor®)](https://cybersectools.com/compare/extrahop-packet-forensics-vs-packet-capture-cstorr)
- [ExtraHop Packet Forensics vs Endace Full Packet Capture](https://cybersectools.com/compare/endace-full-packet-capture-vs-extrahop-packet-forensics)
- [ExtraHop Packet Forensics vs SISA Compromise Assessment](https://cybersectools.com/compare/extrahop-packet-forensics-vs-sisa-compromise-assessment)
- [SIFT vs Packet Capture (cStor®)](https://cybersectools.com/compare/packet-capture-cstorr-vs-sift)
- [SIFT vs Endace Full Packet Capture](https://cybersectools.com/compare/endace-full-packet-capture-vs-sift)
- [SIFT vs SISA Compromise Assessment](https://cybersectools.com/compare/sift-vs-sisa-compromise-assessment)

## Alternatives to each

- [See all ExtraHop Packet Forensics alternatives](https://cybersectools.com/alternatives/extrahop-packet-forensics)
- [See all SIFT alternatives](https://cybersectools.com/alternatives/sift)

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Source: https://cybersectools.com/compare/extrahop-packet-forensics-vs-sift

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

More on ExtraHop Packet Forensics and SIFT: 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