Side by side
Arkime vs CAINE
Both stand on digital forensics software. Which one you can start free with, which one lets you read the code, and what each costs once you pay.
Free plan Open source APILinuxSelf-hosted+1
Arkime offers session search, packet inspection, and flexible packet retention without license fees. It requires an OpenSearch or Elasticsearch deployment, so teams should account for that dependency and its operation.
Visit Arkime Free plan Open source LinuxSelf-hostedWindows
CAINE offers a free forensic live distribution with read-only device handling and a broad set of investigation utilities. Before disabling Secure Boot, the project advises having the BitLocker recovery key available.
Visit CAINEThe facts
| Arkime | CAINE | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Open source | Yes | Yes |
| Runs on | API, Linux, Self-hosted, Web | Linux, Self-hosted, Windows |
| Lowest paid plan | Free or on request | Free or on request |
| Plans published | 1 | 2 |
| Maker | Not published | Not published |
| Website | arkime.com | caine-live.net |
| On digital forensics software | #1 of 30 | #2 of 30 |
Arkime: what it does well
- Stores full packets in standard PCAP format.
- Supports metadata-only capture with traffic selection rules.
- Exports search results as PCAP or CSV.
- Capture can scale with more machines, CPU, or disk.
- Authentication options include OIDC.
What to know first
- Requires OpenSearch or Elasticsearch for session metadata.
- Phone indicator enrichment is limited to the U.S.
- Anonymous authentication is not recommended.
CAINE: what it does well
- Free ISO image, approximately 4000 MB
- Block devices default to read-only in CAINE 14.0
- Includes Autopsy, FTK Imager, PhotoRec, and TestDisk
- Supports disk, memory, and mobile forensics
- Provides a hash link for ISO integrity checks
What to know first
- Secure Boot may need to be disabled
- Third-party software retains separate licenses
- Windows support is through forensic side tools