Cybersecurity · head to head
BeyondTrust vs Metasploit
BeyondTrust
Cybersecurity
Privileged access management, endpoint privilege management and secure remote access
- From
- On request
- Rated
- -
Metasploit
Cybersecurity
The world's most used penetration testing framework
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Only Metasploit has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
- Each has a real cost: BeyondTrust the product lines came from separate origins and still have separate consoles, so buying the suite does not deliver the single pane of glass the bundle implies.; Metasploit the free Framework edition is command line only; the web interface is Pro only
- They diverge on capability: BeyondTrust covers Password Safe, Metasploit covers Exploit database.
- Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which BeyondTrust and Metasploit actually diverge.
| Attribute | BeyondTrust | Metasploit |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | On request | Free |
| Pricing model | quote | freemium |
| Free tier | No | Yes |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS, Linux, Web | Desktop, Cli |
| Founded | Unknown | 2000 |
Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Cybersecurity).
What each one covers
Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.
Only in BeyondTrust
- Password Safe
- Endpoint Privilege Management
- Privileged Remote Access
- Remote Support
- Discovery
- Session recording
Only in Metasploit
- Exploit database
- Payload generation
- Post-exploitation
- Evasion modules
- Auxiliary scanners
- Social engineering
- Credential harvesting
- Session management
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
BeyondTrust
- An organisation removing local administrator rights across thousands of Windows endpoints without swamping the service desknot Metasploit
- A utility required to record every privileged session on operational systems for regulatory auditnot Metasploit
- A firm giving external maintenance vendors access to specific servers without handing over credentialsnot Metasploit
- A helpdesk consolidating remote support and privileged access onto one audited path rather than an unmanaged remote toolnot Metasploit
Metasploit
- Penetration testing and exploit development against known vulnerabilitiesnot BeyondTrust
- Validating whether a reported vulnerability is actually exploitablenot BeyondTrust
- Running phishing and credential attack simulations on the Pro editionnot BeyondTrust
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
BeyondTrust
- The product lines came from separate origins and still have separate consoles, so buying the suite does not deliver the single pane of glass the bundle implies.
- Licensing metrics differ between products, per managed account, per endpoint, per concurrent session, which makes multi-product quotes hard to compare with competitors and hard to forecast as you grow.
- Self-hosted deployments carry real infrastructure and upgrade burden, and organisations without a dedicated PAM administrator find the system drifts out of maintenance.
- Endpoint privilege management requires sustained rule authoring as applications change, so the first-year saving in helpdesk tickets erodes if nobody owns the policy afterwards.
- Discovery finds far more privileged accounts than most organisations expect, which is valuable but converts a licence purchase into a longer remediation programme before the control is real.
Metasploit
- The free Framework edition is command line only; the web interface is Pro only
- Automated exploitation, automated credential attacks and antivirus evading dynamic payloads are restricted to Metasploit Pro
- Reporting, audit wizards, task chains and closed loop vulnerability validation are Pro only
- Rapid7 publishes no price for Metasploit Pro and routes buyers to contact sales
Pricing, plan by plan
BeyondTrust
On request- BeyondTrust Platform$undefined/year
- Password Safe priced by managed asset or account
- Endpoint Privilege Management priced per endpoint
- Remote access products priced per concurrent licence or endpoint
Metasploit
Free- Metasploit Framework (OSS)Free
- Open source
- 1500+ exploits
- Command line
- Metasploit ProFree
- Web interface
- Automated testing
- Phishing campaigns
Which should you pick?
Choose BeyondTrust if
- You need password safe.
- You work on Windows, macOS, Linux, Web.
- You also want endpoint privilege management.
Choose Metasploit if
- You need exploit database.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Desktop, Cli.
- You also want payload generation.
Questions people ask
- Is BeyondTrust or Metasploit better?
- Neither clearly leads. BeyondTrust starts at On request and Metasploit at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, BeyondTrust or Metasploit?
- Metasploit has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for BeyondTrust and Free for Metasploit.
- Does BeyondTrust or Metasploit run on more platforms?
- BeyondTrust runs on Windows, macOS, Linux, Web. Metasploit runs on Desktop, Cli.
- Can I use Metasploit for free?
- Yes. Metasploit has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. BeyondTrust starts at On request.
- What is BeyondTrust best used for?
- BeyondTrust is most often used for an organisation removing local administrator rights across thousands of windows endpoints without swamping the service desk, a utility required to record every privileged session on operational systems for regulatory audit, a firm giving external maintenance vendors access to specific servers without handing over credentials, a helpdesk consolidating remote support and privileged access onto one audited path rather than an unmanaged remote tool. Of those, an organisation removing local administrator rights across thousands of windows endpoints without swamping the service desk and a utility required to record every privileged session on operational systems for regulatory audit are not what Metasploit is typically brought in for.
- What can BeyondTrust do that Metasploit cannot?
- BeyondTrust covers Password Safe, Endpoint Privilege Management, Privileged Remote Access, Remote Support. Metasploit covers Exploit database, Payload generation, Post-exploitation, Evasion modules.
Answered from the vendors’ own pages
BeyondTrust: Is endpoint privilege management sold separately from the vault?
Yes. They are distinct products with distinct licensing metrics, and many customers buy only one.
Metasploit: Is Metasploit Framework free to use?
Yes, Metasploit Framework is available as free open-source software with source code accessible via GitHub. Community support is provided through Slack, GitHub, Twitter, and email.
SourceBeyondTrust: Can it record vendor sessions?
Yes, with credential injection so the third party never learns the password, and full video and keystroke recording for audit.
Metasploit: What is the difference between Metasploit Framework and Metasploit Pro?
Metasploit Framework is the free open-source version. Metasploit Pro is a commercial offering with customer support from Rapid7, though specific pricing and features are not detailed on the download page.
SourceBeyondTrust: Is there a FedRAMP option?
BeyondTrust offers FedRAMP-authorised deployments for United States government buyers, which is often the deciding factor in that sector.
Metasploit: What support is available for the free Framework version?
Community-based support for Metasploit Framework is available through Slack, GitHub, Twitter, and email ([email protected]). Commercial customers using Metasploit Pro receive customer support from Rapid7.
SourceRelated pages
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