# Packet Capture (cStor®) vs Softrace: side-by-side comparison (2026)

[Packet Capture (cStor®)](https://cybersectools.com/tools/packet-capture-cstorr) is a commercial [digital forensics](https://cybersectools.com/categories/digital-forensics) solution by [cPacket Networks](https://cybersectools.com/companies/cpacket-networks). [Softrace](https://cybersectools.com/tools/softrace) 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

| | Packet Capture (cStor®) | Softrace |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Commercial | Free |
| Category | Digital Forensics | Digital Forensics |
| Verified | No | No |
| Deployment type | Hybrid | On-Premises |
| Company size fit | Mid-Market, Enterprise | Startup, SMB, Mid-Market, Enterprise |
| GitHub stars | – | 2 |
| Last commit | – | Mar 2021 |
| Company | cPacket Networks | – |
| Headquarters | – | – |

### Use cases and capabilities

| | Packet Capture (cStor®) | Softrace |
|---|---|---|
| Packet Capture | Yes | – |
| PCAP | Yes | – |
| Network Forensic Analysis | Yes | – |
| Network Monitoring | Yes | – |
| Network Visibility | Yes | – |
| Packet Analysis | Yes | – |
| Observability | Yes | – |
| File Analysis | – | Yes |
| Open Source | – | Yes |

### Core features

**Packet Capture (cStor®)**

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

**Softrace**

No features listed.

### Integrations

**Packet Capture (cStor®)**

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

**Softrace**

No integrations listed.

## Which one fits you

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

- [Packet Capture (cStor®)](https://cybersectools.com/tools/packet-capture-cstorr) fits if you need both cloud and on-premises options.
- [Softrace](https://cybersectools.com/tools/softrace) 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.

## Packet Capture (cStor®) vs Softrace FAQ

Common questions when comparing Packet Capture (cStor®) vs Softrace for digital forensics.

### What is the difference between Packet Capture (cStor®) and Softrace?

**Packet Capture (cStor®)**: Lossless packet capture & analysis appliance at 10–200 Gbps line rate, built by cPacket Networks.

**Softrace**: A Golang application that stores and queries NIST NSRL Reference Data Set for MD5 and SHA1 hash lookups using Bolt database technology.

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

### Who makes Packet Capture (cStor®) and Softrace?

**Packet Capture (cStor®)** is made by cPacket Networks. **Softrace** is open-source with 2 GitHub stars. The vendor behind a product decides its roadmap, support, and longevity, so check each company's profile before you commit.

### Is Packet Capture (cStor®) a good alternative to Softrace?

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

## Related comparisons

- [Packet Capture (cStor®) vs Endace Full Packet Capture](https://cybersectools.com/compare/endace-full-packet-capture-vs-packet-capture-cstorr)
- [Packet Capture (cStor®) vs ExtraHop Packet Forensics](https://cybersectools.com/compare/extrahop-packet-forensics-vs-packet-capture-cstorr)
- [Packet Capture (cStor®) vs Telesoft TDAC](https://cybersectools.com/compare/packet-capture-cstorr-vs-telesoft-tdac)
- [Softrace vs Endace Full Packet Capture](https://cybersectools.com/compare/endace-full-packet-capture-vs-softrace)
- [Softrace vs ExtraHop Packet Forensics](https://cybersectools.com/compare/extrahop-packet-forensics-vs-softrace)
- [Softrace vs Telesoft TDAC](https://cybersectools.com/compare/softrace-vs-telesoft-tdac)

## Alternatives to each

- [See all Packet Capture (cStor®) alternatives](https://cybersectools.com/alternatives/packet-capture-cstorr)
- [See all Softrace alternatives](https://cybersectools.com/alternatives/softrace)

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Source: https://cybersectools.com/compare/packet-capture-cstorr-vs-softrace

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

More on Packet Capture (cStor®) and Softrace: 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