# Rapid7 Metasploit vs ysoserial.net: side-by-side comparison (2026)

[Rapid7 Metasploit](https://cybersectools.com/tools/rapid7-metasploit) is a commercial [penetration testing](https://cybersectools.com/categories/pentesting-tools) solution by [Rapid7](https://cybersectools.com/companies/rapid7). [ysoserial.net](https://cybersectools.com/tools/ysoserialnet) is a free [penetration testing](https://cybersectools.com/categories/pentesting-tools) solution. Features, integrations, deployment and the company behind each one, side by side.

## Side-by-side comparison

| | Rapid7 Metasploit | ysoserial.net |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Commercial | Free |
| Category | Penetration Testing | Penetration Testing |
| Verified | No | No |
| Deployment type | Hybrid | On-Premises |
| Company size fit | SMB, Mid-Market, Enterprise | Mid-Market, Enterprise |
| GitHub stars | – | 3,544 |
| Last commit | – | Dec 2024 |
| Company | Rapid7 | – |
| Headquarters | – | – |

### Use cases and capabilities

| | Rapid7 Metasploit | ysoserial.net |
|---|---|---|
| Exploitation Framework | Yes | – |
| Post Exploitation | Yes | – |
| Red Team | Yes | – |
| .NET | – | Yes |
| Payload Generation | – | Yes |

### Core features

**Rapid7 Metasploit**

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

**ysoserial.net**

No features listed.

### Integrations

**Rapid7 Metasploit**

1 integration listed. Sign in on the page to see them.

**ysoserial.net**

No integrations listed.

## Which one fits you

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

- [Rapid7 Metasploit](https://cybersectools.com/tools/rapid7-metasploit) fits if you need both cloud and on-premises options and you are a small business.
- [ysoserial.net](https://cybersectools.com/tools/ysoserialnet) fits if you need to run it on your own servers, you need a free product and you want an open-source product.

## Rapid7 Metasploit vs ysoserial.net FAQ

Common questions when comparing Rapid7 Metasploit vs ysoserial.net for penetration testing.

### What is the difference between Rapid7 Metasploit and ysoserial.net?

**Rapid7 Metasploit**: Penetration testing software for simulating attacks and validating vulnerabilities. Built by Rapid7.

**ysoserial.net**: A payload generator that creates malicious deserialization payloads for testing .NET applications against insecure deserialization vulnerabilities.

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

### Who makes Rapid7 Metasploit and ysoserial.net?

**Rapid7 Metasploit** is made by Rapid7. **ysoserial.net** is open-source with 3,544 GitHub stars. The vendor behind a product decides its roadmap, support, and longevity, so check each company's profile before you commit.

### Is Rapid7 Metasploit a good alternative to ysoserial.net?

Often, yes. Rapid7 Metasploit and ysoserial.net are both Penetration Testing products. Key differences: Rapid7 Metasploit is Commercial while ysoserial.net is Free, ysoserial.net is open-source. Use the table above to see where features, deployment and company size fit differ.

## Related comparisons

- [Rapid7 Metasploit vs Core Security Core Impact](https://cybersectools.com/compare/rapid7-metasploit-vs-core-security-core-impact)
- [Rapid7 Metasploit vs CodeWall AI-Powered Pentesting](https://cybersectools.com/compare/codewall-ai-powered-pentesting-vs-rapid7-metasploit)
- [Rapid7 Metasploit vs SecurityBoat TriNetra Agentic Pentest](https://cybersectools.com/compare/rapid7-metasploit-vs-securityboat-trinetra-agentic-pentest)
- [ysoserial.net vs Core Security Core Impact](https://cybersectools.com/compare/core-security-core-impact-vs-ysoserialnet)
- [ysoserial.net vs CodeWall AI-Powered Pentesting](https://cybersectools.com/compare/codewall-ai-powered-pentesting-vs-ysoserialnet)
- [ysoserial.net vs SecurityBoat TriNetra Agentic Pentest](https://cybersectools.com/compare/securityboat-trinetra-agentic-pentest-vs-ysoserialnet)

## Alternatives to each

- [See all Rapid7 Metasploit alternatives](https://cybersectools.com/alternatives/rapid7-metasploit)
- [See all ysoserial.net alternatives](https://cybersectools.com/alternatives/ysoserialnet)

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Source: https://cybersectools.com/compare/rapid7-metasploit-vs-ysoserialnet

For AI agents: each product above has its own Markdown page (add .md to its URL, for example https://cybersectools.com/tools/rapid7-metasploit.md). Every CybersecTools shortlist is listed at https://cybersectools.com/shortlists.md.

More on Rapid7 Metasploit and ysoserial.net: 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
