Government · head to head
DemandStar vs Metasploit
DemandStar
Government
Bid distribution network that is free for government agencies and charges the suppliers instead
- From
- Free
- Free plan
- Yes
Metasploit
Cybersecurity
The world's most used penetration testing framework
- From
- Free
- Free plan
- Yes
The short version
- Each has a real cost: DemandStar coverage is opt-in by agency, so a supplier paying for a state tier receives only participating agencies and must still monitor other portals for the rest.; Metasploit the free Framework edition is command line only; the web interface is Pro only
- They diverge on capability: DemandStar covers Free for agencies, Metasploit covers Exploit database.
- Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which DemandStar and Metasploit actually diverge.
| Attribute | DemandStar | Metasploit |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Free for agencies, per year by geographic coverage for suppliers | freemium |
| Platforms | Web | Desktop, Cli |
| Category | Government | Cybersecurity |
| Founded | Unknown | 2000 |
Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated).
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 DemandStar
- Free for agencies
- Commodity code matching
- eBidding
- Plan holder lists
- Supplier registration
- Geographic subscription tiers
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.
DemandStar
- A city purchasing officer who wants wider bid distribution without running a procurement to buy softwarenot Metasploit
- A contractor who works in three adjacent counties and wants notifications only for that footprintnot Metasploit
- An agency needing sealed electronic bid submission to replace paper deliveries to the clerknot Metasploit
- A supplier testing whether public sector work is viable before committing to a national subscriptionnot Metasploit
Metasploit
- Penetration testing and exploit development against known vulnerabilitiesnot DemandStar
- Validating whether a reported vulnerability is actually exploitablenot DemandStar
- Running phishing and credential attack simulations on the Pro editionnot DemandStar
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
DemandStar
- Coverage is opt-in by agency, so a supplier paying for a state tier receives only participating agencies and must still monitor other portals for the rest.
- The free supplier tier charges around 5 US dollars per bid document download, which turns an apparently free plan into a metered one as soon as you actually pursue opportunities.
- State pricing ranges from roughly 100 to 1,499 US dollars with the variation driven by agency density, so suppliers cannot predict cost from geography alone.
- Because agencies pay nothing, they have little leverage over the roadmap and features are driven by what makes supplier subscriptions sell.
- The brand is being folded into Euna OpenBid following the Euna Solutions consolidation, so suppliers and agencies should expect the name and portal to change.
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
DemandStar
Free- Government agencyFree
- Post unlimited solicitations
- Access the supplier network
- eBidding and plan holder lists
- Supplier freeFree
- Bid notifications for one agency of your choice
- Bid document downloads charged around 5 USD each
- Supplier profile and registration
- Supplier county$60/year
- All participating agencies within one county
- Unlimited bid document access for that county
- Approximate rate, varies by county
- Supplier state$100/year
- All participating agencies within one state
- Priced from around 100 to 1,499 USD depending on agency density
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 DemandStar if
- You need free for agencies.
- You want to start without paying.
- You also want commodity code matching.
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 DemandStar or Metasploit better?
- Neither clearly leads. DemandStar starts at Free and Metasploit at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, DemandStar or Metasploit?
- DemandStar starts at Free and Metasploit at Free.
- Does DemandStar or Metasploit run on more platforms?
- DemandStar runs on Web. Metasploit runs on Desktop, Cli.
- Can I use DemandStar for free?
- Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
- What is DemandStar best used for?
- DemandStar is most often used for a city purchasing officer who wants wider bid distribution without running a procurement to buy software, a contractor who works in three adjacent counties and wants notifications only for that footprint, an agency needing sealed electronic bid submission to replace paper deliveries to the clerk, a supplier testing whether public sector work is viable before committing to a national subscription. Of those, a city purchasing officer who wants wider bid distribution without running a procurement to buy software and a contractor who works in three adjacent counties and wants notifications only for that footprint are not what Metasploit is typically brought in for.
- What can DemandStar do that Metasploit cannot?
- DemandStar covers Free for agencies, Commodity code matching, eBidding, Plan holder lists. Metasploit covers Exploit database, Payload generation, Post-exploitation, Evasion modules.
Answered from the vendors’ own pages
DemandStar: Is DemandStar free for governments?
Yes, entirely. Agencies post solicitations and access the supplier network at no cost; suppliers fund the platform.
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.
SourceDemandStar: What do suppliers pay?
Free for one agency with roughly 5 USD per document download, about 60 USD a year per county, 100 to 1,499 per state, and 2,699 for national coverage.
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.
SourceDemandStar: Who owns DemandStar?
Euna Solutions, the public sector portfolio formerly known as GTY Technology, which also absorbed Bonfire and Ion Wave.
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.
SourceDemandStar: Does it cover every agency?
No. Only agencies that have opted in, which is the main limitation for suppliers buying wide coverage.
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- Metasploit vs LastPass
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- Metasploit vs Syft
- Metasploit vs Wireshark
- Metasploit vs HashiCorp Vault
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- Metasploit vs Semgrep
- Metasploit vs Passbolt
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