Packet Capture (cStor®) is a commercial digital forensics solution by cPacket Networks. Plaso is a free digital forensics solution. Features, integrations, deployment and the company behind each one, side by side.
Lossless packet capture & analysis appliance at 10–200 Gbps line rate.
A Python-based engine for automatic creation of timelines in digital forensic analysis
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Based on what each listing shows: deployment, company size, price and open source.
Packet Capture (cStor®) fits if you need both cloud and on-premises options.
Plaso fits if you need to run it on your own servers, you are a startup or a small business, you need a free product and you want an open-source product.
Common questions when comparing Packet Capture (cStor®) vs Plaso for digital forensics.
Packet Capture (cStor®): Lossless packet capture & analysis appliance at 10–200 Gbps line rate, built by cPacket Networks.
Plaso: A Python-based engine for automatic creation of timelines in digital forensic analysis.
The table above shows where their features, integrations, deployment and company size fit differ.
Packet Capture (cStor®) is made by cPacket Networks. Plaso is open-source with 2,032 GitHub stars. The vendor behind a product decides its roadmap, support, and longevity, so check each company's profile before you commit.
Often, yes. Packet Capture (cStor®) and Plaso are both Digital Forensics products. Key differences: Packet Capture (cStor®) is Commercial while Plaso is Free, Plaso is open-source. Use the table above to see where features, deployment and company size fit differ.
No Digital Forensics shortlist yet. This is the closest one.
Updated 2026-11-02
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