# Metasploit

Metasploit is a Penetration Testing product. It runs on-premises. Pricing is free.

A penetration testing framework for identifying and exploiting vulnerabilities.

Checked October 2026.

## What is Metasploit?

Rapid7 Metasploit is an open-source penetration testing framework maintained collaboratively by Rapid7 and the open-source community. It is available in two editions: Metasploit Framework (free, open-source) and Metasploit Pro (commercial, with additional features and support).

Primary Functions:
- Provides a library of exploit modules targeting known vulnerabilities across a wide range of software, operating systems, and services
- Enables security teams to verify whether vulnerabilities are exploitable in their environments
- Supports post-exploitation capabilities including payload delivery, privilege escalation, and lateral movement
- Facilitates security assessments and penetration testing engagements from reconnaissance through exploitation

Key Capabilities:
- Exploit development and execution against target systems
- Payload generation (including Meterpreter shells) for post-exploitation activity
- Auxiliary modules for scanning, enumeration, and fingerprinting
- Evasion primitives for bypassing security controls (notably in Metasploit Pro 5.1 for HTTP Meterpreter payloads)
- Module-based architecture allowing community contributions of new exploits and auxiliary tools
- JSON-RPC API for programmatic interaction and automation
- Service hierarchy tracking (Metasploit Pro)
- Integration with Rapid7's InsightVM for vulnerability management workflows
- Active community development via GitHub with regular module additions

Metasploit Framework is distributed as open-source software under a BSD-style license. Metasploit Pro is a commercial product offered by Rapid7 with enterprise features, a web-based UI, and dedicated support. The framework is widely used by penetration testers, red teams, and security researchers for authorized security testing.

## Where it fits in your security program (NIST CSF 2.0)

- [Identify](https://cybersectools.com/guides/building-identify-program-small-team): helps you know your assets and your risks.

## Quick facts

- Category: [Offensive Security](https://cybersectools.com/categories/offensive-security-testing) · [Penetration Testing](https://cybersectools.com/categories/pentesting-tools)
- Deployment: On-Premises
- Company size fit: Startup, SMB, Mid-Market, Enterprise
- Pricing model: Free
- Features: 10 listed
- Integrations: 3 listed
- Website: metasploit.com

The full feature and integration lists are on the page for signed-in visitors.

## Metasploit FAQ

### What is Metasploit?

Metasploit is a product in the Penetration Testing category.

### What is the pricing for Metasploit?

Metasploit is free. Download and setup instructions are at https://www.metasploit.com/.

### What are alternatives to Metasploit?

Alternatives to Metasploit listed on CybersecTools:

1. [Managed Autonomous Pentesting (MAP)](https://cybersectools.com/tools/hackurity-art-stack) - Managed continuous autonomous pentesting using payload-less exploitation and attack paths (Commercial)
2. [XBOW Captcha Bypass Tool](https://cybersectools.com/tools/xbow-captcha-bypass-tool) - AI-powered automated penetration testing platform for vulnerability discovery (Commercial)
3. [Burp Suite Professional](https://cybersectools.com/tools/burp-suite-professional) - A web application security testing platform that combines manual and automated testing tools for conducting comprehensive security assessments and penetration testing. (Commercial)
4. [FireCompass AI-powered Pen Testing](https://cybersectools.com/tools/firecompass-ai-powered-pen-testing) - AI-powered automated pen testing & continuous red teaming platform (Commercial)
5. [ImmuniWeb® On-Demand](https://cybersectools.com/tools/immuniwebr-on-demand) - ImmuniWeb® On-Demand is a web application penetration testing platform that combines AI-powered automation with manual security testing to provide comprehensive vulnerability assessments and compliance reporting. (Commercial)

Compare all Metasploit alternatives at [https://cybersectools.com/alternatives/metasploit](https://cybersectools.com/alternatives/metasploit)

### What deployment and organization size does Metasploit fit?

Metasploit is available as on-premises software. It is listed for startups, small businesses, mid-market companies and enterprises. It is free.

## Compare Metasploit with similar solutions

- [Metasploit vs Managed Autonomous Pentesting (MAP)](https://cybersectools.com/compare/hackurity-art-stack-vs-metasploit)
- [Metasploit vs XBOW Captcha Bypass Tool](https://cybersectools.com/compare/metasploit-vs-xbow-captcha-bypass-tool)
- [Metasploit vs Burp Suite Professional](https://cybersectools.com/compare/burp-suite-professional-vs-metasploit)

All alternatives to Metasploit: [/alternatives/metasploit](https://cybersectools.com/alternatives/metasploit)

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Source: https://cybersectools.com/tools/metasploit

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More on Metasploit: 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=product-md