PowerUpSQL vs SQLi-Hunter: 2026 Comparison
PowerUpSQL is a free penetration testing tool. SQLi-Hunter is a free penetration testing tool. Compare features, ratings, integrations, and community reviews side by side to find the best penetration testing fit for your security stack.
CST VerdictBased on our analysis of available product data, here is our conclusion:
Red teamers and penetration testers who need to move laterally through Active Directory via SQL Server will find PowerUpSQL invaluable; it automates the discovery and exploitation of SQL Server misconfigurations that most manual testing misses. The tool is free and purpose-built for this specific attack chain, which means no licensing friction when you need it across multiple engagements. Skip this if you're looking for a general-purpose post-exploitation framework or something that handles non-SQL attack paths; PowerUpSQL is narrow and intentional about what it does.
Penetration testers and security engineers who need to quickly map SQL injection attack surface during web application assessments should reach for SQLi-Hunter; it wraps SQLMAP's exploitation logic behind an HTTP proxy, cutting the setup friction that slows manual testing workflows. The free pricing and 433 GitHub stars signal active use among practitioners who've standardized it into their CI/CD security gates. Skip this if your mandate is to scan and patch at scale across hundreds of applications; SQLi-Hunter is a point tool for hands-on validation, not an automated vulnerability scanner.
