Core Security Cobalt Strike vs Mythic: Side-by-Side Comparison (2026)
Features, pricing, ratings, and pros & cons — compared head-to-head.
Core Security Cobalt Strike is a commercial offensive security tool by Core Security. Mythic 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 NIST CSF 2.0 coverage, core features, integrations, company size fit, here is our conclusion:
Mid-market and enterprise red teams running structured adversary emulation programs should pick Core Security Cobalt Strike for its Malleable C2 profiles, which let you authentically simulate APT tradecraft without building custom infrastructure from scratch. The Arsenal Kit's Sleep Mask and reflective loader customizations give you the payload flexibility needed to stay ahead of defensive signatures in mature environments. Skip this if your team lacks the operator experience to tune these features; Cobalt Strike demands thoughtful configuration, not point-and-click execution.
Red teams and penetration testers who need a free, collaborative framework for running multi-stage attack simulations will find Mythic's agent-based architecture and built-in post-exploitation modules significantly faster to orchestrate than building custom scripts. The 4,358 GitHub stars and active open-source community signal sustained development and real operational use. Skip this if your team needs commercial support, a polished UI, or integration with existing SIEM tooling; Mythic demands hands-on operator skill and lives best in environments where customization matters more than convenience.
