Side by side
Canarytokens vs Cowrie
Both stand on honeypot software. Which one you can start free with, which one lets you read the code, and what each costs once you pay.
Free plan AndroidiPhoneSelf-hosted+2
Canarytokens offers a range of decoys and alert options, with both hosted and self-hosted approaches. Check browser support and Windows setup requirements for the token types you plan to use.
Visit Canarytokens
Free plan LinuxSelf-hosted
Cowrie offers SSH and Telnet monitoring with session replay, file capture, and multiple logging integrations. Its self-hosted setup and listed local requirements are worth considering before deployment.
Visit CowrieThe facts
| Canarytokens | Cowrie | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Open source | Not published | Not published |
| Runs on | Android, iPhone, Self-hosted, Web, Windows | Linux, Self-hosted |
| Lowest paid plan | Free or on request | Free or on request |
| Plans published | 1 | 1 |
| Maker | Not published | Not published |
| Website | canarytokens.org | cowrie.org |
| On honeypot software | #1 of 21 | #3 of 21 |
Canarytokens: what it does well
- Hosted token creation requires no software installation.
- Email alerts are available when tokens are triggered.
- Some token types support webhook alerts.
- Documented decoys cover network, cloud, and Windows examples.
- Hosted service is free.
What to know first
- Fake App supports only Safari and Google Chrome.
- Sensitive Command requires admin permission to import its registry file.
- New Slack API Tokens cannot be created.
Cowrie: what it does well
- Free and open source under a BSD license
- Fake filesystem keeps default-mode commands off the real host
- Records timed sessions for later replay
- Captures fetched and uploaded files
- Many output plugins, including Splunk and Elasticsearch
What to know first
- Self-hosted deployment
- Local requirements include Python 3.11+ and python-virtualenv
- LLM backend is experimental
Alternatives to Canarytokens Alternatives to Cowrie The whole list