Softwr

Cybersecurity · head to head

Metasploit vs VMware Carbon Black

Metasploit logo

Metasploit

Cybersecurity

The world's most used penetration testing framework

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
V

VMware Carbon Black

Cybersecurity

Cloud-delivered endpoint protection and EDR, now owned by Broadcom and positioned alongside Symantec.

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Metasploit has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Metasploit the free Framework edition is command line only; the web interface is Pro only; VMware Carbon Black broadcom's enterprise model concentrates direct sales and support on its largest accounts and moves everyone else to resellers, so a mid-size customer can lose named support contacts and face a substantially repriced renewal with limited notice.
  • They diverge on capability: Metasploit covers Exploit database, VMware Carbon Black covers Endpoint Standard.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Metasploit and VMware Carbon Black actually diverge.

Attributes where Metasploit and VMware Carbon Black differ
AttributeMetasploitVMware Carbon Black
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelfreemiumsubscription
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsDesktop, CliDesktop, Api
Founded20002002

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 Metasploit

  • Exploit database
  • Payload generation
  • Post-exploitation
  • Evasion modules
  • Auxiliary scanners
  • Social engineering
  • Credential harvesting
  • Session management

Only in VMware Carbon Black

  • Endpoint Standard
  • Enterprise EDR
  • Audit and Remediation
  • Single sensor
  • Live Response
  • Workload protection
  • Container security
  • Watchlists and feeds

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 VMware Carbon Black
  • Validating whether a reported vulnerability is actually exploitablenot VMware Carbon Black
  • Running phishing and credential attack simulations on the Pro editionnot VMware Carbon Black

VMware Carbon Black

  • A SOC that wants unfiltered endpoint telemetry to hunt over rather than only vendor-generated alertsnot Metasploit
  • A vSphere estate that wants workload protection deployed through the hypervisor instead of installing an agent in every guestnot Metasploit
  • Replacing signature antivirus after an incident where the incumbent product had no record of what the attacker didnot Metasploit
  • An organisation already inside a Broadcom or Symantec enterprise agreement that can consolidate endpoint onto an existing contractnot 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

VMware Carbon Black

  • Broadcom's enterprise model concentrates direct sales and support on its largest accounts and moves everyone else to resellers, so a mid-size customer can lose named support contacts and face a substantially repriced renewal with limited notice.
  • Continuous EDR recording is retained for a defined window and longer retention is a paid tier, so the investigation you most need is often the one whose telemetry has already aged out, and that is discovered during the incident rather than before it.
  • The product assumes an operator: watchlists, policy tuning and alert triage are ongoing work, and organisations without a dedicated analyst or an MDR contract typically leave policies in monitor mode and pay for telemetry that is never reviewed.
  • The sensor operates in the same kernel and file-filter territory as other endpoint agents, so running it alongside an incumbent antivirus, DLP or backup agent commonly produces performance complaints and requires maintained exclusion lists on both sides.
  • Linux sensor support is tied to specific distribution and kernel versions, so a routine operating system upgrade can leave hosts without a supported sensor until a matching build ships, and anything outside the supported list gets no coverage at all.

Pricing, plan by plan

Metasploit

Free
  • Metasploit Framework (OSS)Free
    • Open source
    • 1500+ exploits
    • Command line
  • Metasploit ProFree
    • Web interface
    • Automated testing
    • Phishing campaigns

VMware Carbon Black

On request
  • CB Endpoint StandardFree
    • NGAV
    • Behavioral EDR
    • Device control
  • CB Endpoint AdvancedFree
    • All Standard features
    • Threat hunting
    • Audit and remediation
  • CB Endpoint EnterpriseFree
    • All Advanced features
    • Advanced threat hunting
    • Live response

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.
Metasploit review

Choose VMware Carbon Black if

  • You need endpoint standard.
  • You work on Desktop, Api.
  • You also want enterprise edr.
VMware Carbon Black review

Questions people ask

Is Metasploit or VMware Carbon Black better?
Neither clearly leads. Metasploit starts at Free and VMware Carbon Black at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Metasploit or VMware Carbon Black?
Metasploit has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Metasploit and On request for VMware Carbon Black.
Does Metasploit or VMware Carbon Black run on more platforms?
Metasploit runs on Desktop, Cli. VMware Carbon Black runs on Desktop, Api.
Can I use Metasploit for free?
Yes. Metasploit has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. VMware Carbon Black starts at On request.
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 VMware Carbon Black is typically brought in for.
What can Metasploit do that VMware Carbon Black cannot?
Metasploit covers Exploit database, Payload generation, Post-exploitation, Evasion modules. VMware Carbon Black covers Endpoint Standard, Enterprise EDR, Audit and Remediation, Single sensor.

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.

Source
VMware Carbon Black: Who owns Carbon Black now?

Broadcom. It acquired VMware in November 2023, and Carbon Black now sits in Broadcom's enterprise security business alongside Symantec. VMware branding is being phased out.

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.

Source
VMware Carbon Black: Why do the docs use names I do not recognise?

The product has been renamed repeatedly. CB Defense is now Endpoint Standard, CB ThreatHunter is Enterprise EDR and CB LiveOps is Audit and Remediation. Older community answers and runbooks still use the previous names.

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.

Source
VMware Carbon Black: Does it replace my existing antivirus?

Yes on supported Windows, macOS and Linux versions, and running it alongside another antivirus is not recommended because the two agents contend for the same hooks. Check your compliance requirements, as some auditors still ask for a named antivirus product.

VMware Carbon Black: Do I need a full-time analyst to run it?

To get value from Enterprise EDR, effectively yes. The prevention tier can run with part-time attention, but the hunting and recording capability is only worth its cost if somebody is querying it, which is why many customers buy it through an MDR provider.

VMware Carbon Black: How is it licensed?

Per endpoint, per year, with the capability tier determining the rate and workload and container protection priced separately. Extended EDR data retention is an additional line item.

Share

Related pages

More on Metasploit

More on VMware Carbon Black

Keep looking

Other head to heads