Developer Tools · head to head
HCP Terraform vs Metasploit
HCP Terraform
Developer Tools
Infrastructure as code provisioning and management, formerly Terraform Cloud
- 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: HCP Terraform legacy free version deprecated; no current freemium tier; Metasploit the free Framework edition is command line only; the web interface is Pro only
- Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which HCP Terraform and Metasploit actually diverge.
| Attribute | HCP Terraform | Metasploit |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | usage-based | freemium |
| Platforms | Web | Desktop, Cli |
| Category | Developer Tools | 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 HCP Terraform
Nothing recorded that Metasploit does not also cover.
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.
HCP Terraform
- Infrastructure as Code managementnot Metasploit
- Cloud resource provisioningnot Metasploit
Metasploit
- Penetration testing and exploit development against known vulnerabilitiesnot HCP Terraform
- Validating whether a reported vulnerability is actually exploitablenot HCP Terraform
- Running phishing and credential attack simulations on the Pro editionnot HCP Terraform
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
HCP Terraform
- Legacy free version deprecated; no current freemium tier
- New users receive $500 credit but still require usage to continue service
- Terraform Enterprise requires custom pricing
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
HCP Terraform
Free- Essentials$0.1/month
- Per resource pricing
- Remote state storage
- VCS connection
- Standard$0.47/month
- Per resource pricing
- Essentials features plus unlimited modules
- Module deprecation
- Premium$0.99/month
- Per resource pricing
- Standard features plus module revocation
- Waypoint actions
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 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 HCP Terraform or Metasploit better?
- Neither clearly leads. HCP Terraform 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, HCP Terraform or Metasploit?
- HCP Terraform starts at Free and Metasploit at Free.
- Does HCP Terraform or Metasploit run on more platforms?
- HCP Terraform runs on Web. Metasploit runs on Desktop, Cli.
- Can I use HCP Terraform for free?
- Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
- What is HCP Terraform best used for?
- HCP Terraform is most often used for infrastructure as code management, cloud resource provisioning. Of those, infrastructure as code management and cloud resource provisioning are not what Metasploit is typically brought in for.
- What can HCP Terraform do that Metasploit cannot?
- Metasploit covers Exploit database, Payload generation, Post-exploitation, Evasion modules.
Answered from the vendors’ own pages
HCP Terraform: How much does HCP Terraform cost?
HCP Terraform uses per-resource pricing starting at $0.10/month/resource for Essentials, $0.47/month/resource for Standard, and $0.99/month/resource for Premium.
SourceMetasploit: 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.
SourceHCP Terraform: Does HCP Terraform offer a free tier?
No, the legacy free version has been deprecated. However, new users receive $500 credit to try the service.
SourceMetasploit: 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.
SourceHCP Terraform: What does the Standard plan include?
Standard plan at $0.47/month/resource includes unlimited modules, module deprecation, team notifications, no-code provisioning, and Waypoint templates.
SourceMetasploit: 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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- Metasploit vs pnpm
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- Metasploit vs Harness
- Metasploit vs Octopus Deploy
- Metasploit vs Moonrepo
- Metasploit vs Ansible
- Metasploit vs Spacelift
- Metasploit vs Coder
- Metasploit vs Keycloak
- Metasploit vs Nx Cloud
- Metasploit vs Pants Build
- Metasploit vs Swagger UI
- Metasploit vs Yarn
- Metasploit vs 1Password
- Metasploit vs Bitdefender Total Security
- Metasploit vs Norton 360
- Metasploit vs LastPass
- Metasploit vs Burp Suite
- Metasploit vs OWASP ZAP
- Metasploit vs Syft
- Metasploit vs Wireshark
- Metasploit vs HashiCorp Vault
- Metasploit vs Bitwarden
- Metasploit vs Semgrep
- Metasploit vs Passbolt
- Metasploit vs RoboForm
- Metasploit vs Sardine
- Metasploit vs Semperis
- Metasploit vs SentinelOne
- Metasploit vs Shufti Pro
- Metasploit vs SentinelOne Singularity