Side by side
Caido vs Ghostwriter
Both stand on penetration testing software. Which one you can start free with, which one lets you read the code, and what each costs once you pay.
Free plan APILinuxMac+3
Caido combines proxy-based traffic review with filtering, workflows, and connections to existing LLM providers. Its free Basic plan has stated project, workflow, plugin, and session limits; paid access is listed from $20/user/mo.
Visit Caido Free plan APISelf-hostedWeb
Choose Ghostwriter if your red team or consultancy needs assessment management, evidence capture, and configurable reporting in one collaborative platform. Look elsewhere if you need built-in reporting statistics beyond its current historical-data reporting capabilities.
Visit GhostwriterThe facts
| Caido | Ghostwriter | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Open source | Not published | Not published |
| Runs on | API, Linux, Mac, Self-hosted, Web, Windows | API, Self-hosted, Web |
| Lowest paid plan | Free or on request | Free or on request |
| Plans published | 5 | 1 |
| Maker | Not published | Not published |
| Website | caido.io | github.com |
| On penetration testing software | #4 of 34 | #8 of 34 |
Caido: what it does well
- Proxy handles HTTP and WebSocket traffic.
- HTTPQL filters requests and responses.
- Workflows support ad-hoc automation.
- Users can connect existing LLM providers.
- Basic is free forever.
What to know first
- Basic allows only three plugins.
- Basic allows two projects.
- Basic allows one pipeline session at a time.
- No free trial is listed.
Ghostwriter: what it does well
- Manages clients, projects, assets, findings, and evidence.
- Creates Word reports with Jinja2 templates and XLSX, PPTX, and JSON outputs.
- Includes role-based controls, single sign-on, and multi-factor authentication.
- GraphQL API supports custom workflows and external tool connections.
- Can automatically log Mythic C2 and Cobalt Strike activity.
What to know first
- Deployment requires installing and setting up a Django web app.
- More built-in reporting statistics are planned.
Alternatives to Caido Alternatives to Ghostwriter The whole list