Cybersecurity · head to head
Metasploit vs Orange
Metasploit
Cybersecurity
The world's most used penetration testing framework
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Each has a real cost: Metasploit the free Framework edition is command line only; the web interface is Pro only; Orange orange is licensed under the GNU General Public License version 3, so distributing modified or derived software requires releasing the source under the GPL
- They diverge on capability: Metasploit covers Exploit database, Orange covers Visual programming.
- Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Metasploit and Orange actually diverge.
| Attribute | Metasploit | Orange |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | freemium | open-source |
| Platforms | Desktop, Cli | Linux, Mac, Windows |
| Category | Cybersecurity | Machine Learning |
| Founded | 2000 | 1996 |
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 Metasploit
- Exploit database
- Payload generation
- Post-exploitation
- Evasion modules
- Auxiliary scanners
- Social engineering
- Credential harvesting
- Session management
Only in Orange
- Visual programming
- Data visualization
- Machine learning
- Text mining
- Bioinformatics
- Python
- scikit-learn
- PyQt
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Metasploit
- Penetration testing and exploit development against known vulnerabilitiesnot Orange
- Validating whether a reported vulnerability is actually exploitablenot Orange
- Running phishing and credential attack simulations on the Pro editionnot Orange
Orange
- Visual programming for data mining and machine learning workflowsnot Metasploit
- Teaching data science without writing codenot Metasploit
- Exploratory data visualisation and clustering on tabular datanot Metasploit
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
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
Orange
- Orange is licensed under the GNU General Public License version 3, so distributing modified or derived software requires releasing the source under the GPL
- The widgets and canvas are built on Qt, which is itself distributed under GPL 3.0
- Orange add-ons may carry additional licensing requirements set in their own licence files
- Documentation and website content are under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike, which imposes an attribution and share-alike obligation on reuse
- The software is distributed without any warranty of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose
Pricing, plan by plan
Metasploit
Free- Metasploit Framework (OSS)Free
- Open source
- 1500+ exploits
- Command line
- Metasploit ProFree
- Web interface
- Automated testing
- Phishing campaigns
Orange
Free- Open SourceFree
- Visual programming
- Machine learning
- Data visualization
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.
Choose Orange if
- You need visual programming.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Linux, Mac, Windows.
- You also want data visualization.
Questions people ask
- Is Metasploit or Orange better?
- Neither clearly leads. Metasploit starts at Free and Orange at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Metasploit or Orange?
- Metasploit starts at Free and Orange at Free.
- Does Metasploit or Orange run on more platforms?
- Metasploit runs on Desktop, Cli. Orange runs on Linux, Mac, Windows.
- Can I use Metasploit for free?
- Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
- What is Metasploit best used for?
- Metasploit is most often used for penetration testing and exploit development against known vulnerabilities, validating whether a reported vulnerability is actually exploitable, running phishing and credential attack simulations on the pro edition. Of those, penetration testing and exploit development against known vulnerabilities and validating whether a reported vulnerability is actually exploitable are not what Orange is typically brought in for.
- What can Metasploit do that Orange cannot?
- Metasploit covers Exploit database, Payload generation, Post-exploitation, Evasion modules. Orange covers Visual programming, Data visualization, Machine learning, Text mining.
Answered from the vendors’ own pages
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.
SourceOrange: What is the cost of Orange Data Mining?
Orange Data Mining is free open-source software available for Windows, Mac, and other platforms. There are no subscription fees, licensing costs, or paid tiers.
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.
SourceOrange: How is Orange Data Mining funded?
Orange Data Mining is supported through optional voluntary donations. The project encourages donations from users who value the software to support bug fixes, new features, educational content, and infrastructure maintenance.
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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