Side by side
OSForensics vs Timesketch
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 AndroidSelf-hostedWindows
Choose OSForensics if you need computer evidence search, activity review, case reporting, and disk imaging in one investigation tool. The free plan offers a starting point; the trial is feature-restricted, and paid licenses range from a monthly subscription to perpetual options.
Visit OSForensics Free plan APILinuxSelf-hosted+1
Timesketch brings search, chart exploration, saved findings, and shared case work into a free, self-hosted tool. Plan for its stated deployment requirements and the documented search limitation on large timelines.
Visit TimesketchThe facts
| OSForensics | Timesketch | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Open source | Not published | Not published |
| Runs on | Android, Self-hosted, Windows | API, Linux, Self-hosted, Web |
| Lowest paid plan | OSForensics Subscription: $945 per user a year | Free or on request |
| Plans published | 7 | 1 |
| Maker | Not published | Not published |
| Website | osforensics.com | timesketch.org |
| On digital forensics software | #8 of 30 | #12 of 30 |
OSForensics: what it does well
- Searches files, documents, and email archives.
- Can attempt recovery of deleted files.
- Creates case files and HTML- or PDF-readable reports.
- Maintains an investigation audit trail.
- Can create and restore disk images.
What to know first
- The trial edition is feature-restricted and limited to one install.
- The subscription stops working when it expires.
- The perpetual license starts at $1680.00 per user per license.
Timesketch: what it does well
- Free and open source
- Supports case collaboration and private sketches
- Imports Plaso, CSV, and JSON data
- Offers a web interface, REST API, and CLI
- Python analyzers can tag events
What to know first
- Docker is the only tested, maintained installation method
- Installation guide calls for Ubuntu 22.04 and 8 GB RAM
- Searches can fail above 150 indices in a timeline
- Index size depends on available disk space
Alternatives to OSForensics Alternatives to Timesketch The whole list