Free sqlmap alternatives: 4 apps ranked by verified data

Facts checked Nov 8, 2026AppBreakup editorialHow we rank

4 of the 5 sqlmap alternatives we track can be used for free (free, open source, or with a free plan). Burp Suite, ZAP and Metasploit rank highest, with facts last verified Nov 8, 2026.

Quick comparison

#	App	Pricing	Verified price	Open source	Platforms	Verified facts	Score
1	Burp Suite	Free plan + paid	$499 (Burp Suite Professional)	No	Windows, macOS, Linux	7 of 7	68.8
2	ZAP	Open source	—	Yes	Windows, macOS, Linux	4 of 4	64.8
3	Metasploit	Open source	—	Yes	Linux, macOS, Windows	4 of 4	61.8
4	Caido	Free plan + paid	—	No	Windows, macOS, Linux	4 of 4	59.4

1. Burp SuiteTop pick
Best for: Pentesters and bug bounty hunters doing hands-on web application testing
Free plan + paidWindows, macOS, Linux
68.8
score / 100
Why switch from sqlmap
Full web security proxy and scanner that finds SQL injection along with many other flaw types.
Pros
Industry-standard proxy, Repeater and Intruder workflow
Free Community Edition for learning and manual testing
Large extension library and free training from PortSwigger
Cons
The scanner and full-speed Intruder require the paid Professional licence
Community Edition can't save projects
Java-based UI can be heavy on memory during big tests
Visit Burp Suite Details and reviews
How this score is calculated
Editorial fit ×0.3100
Reviews ×0.363
Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
Freshness ×0.15100
Votes ×0.150
0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula
Is Burp Suite a good sqlmap alternative?
Verified facts
7 of 7 verified
Free edition
Community Edition
Checked Nov 8, 2026portswigger.net(opens source in a new tab)
Pro-only features
Project files, full Intruder, vulnerability scanner
Checked Nov 8, 2026portswigger.net(opens source in a new tab)
Billing
Yearly licence terms
Checked Nov 8, 2026portswigger.net(opens source in a new tab)
Owner
PortSwigger Ltd
Checked Nov 8, 2026portswigger.net(opens source in a new tab)
Starting price
$499 (Burp Suite Professional)
Checked Nov 8, 2026portswigger.net(opens source in a new tab)
Free plan
Yes, Community Edition
Checked Nov 8, 2026portswigger.net(opens source in a new tab)
Free trial
Yes (Professional)
Checked Nov 8, 2026portswigger.net(opens source in a new tab)
2. ZAP
Best for: Developers and AppSec teams who want free automated web scanning, including in CI
Open sourceWindows, macOS, Linux
64.8
score / 100
Why switch from sqlmap
Free, open-source web app scanner with a GUI that covers SQL injection and much more.
Pros
Free and open source, with the automated scanner included
Docker images and automation framework for CI pipelines
Add-on marketplace extends it
Cons
Interface is dated and busier than Burp or Caido
Windows and Linux builds need Java 17 or newer installed
Releases are unsigned, so operating systems show warnings on install
Visit ZAP Details and reviews
How this score is calculated
Editorial fit ×0.387
Reviews ×0.363
Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
Freshness ×0.15100
Votes ×0.150
0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula
Is ZAP a good sqlmap alternative?
Verified facts
4 of 4 verified
Price
Free and open source
Checked Nov 8, 2026zaproxy.org(opens source in a new tab)
License
Apache-2.0
Checked Oct 30, 2026github.com(opens source in a new tab)
Platforms
Windows, Linux, macOS, Docker
Checked Nov 8, 2026zaproxy.org(opens source in a new tab)
Requirements
Java 17+ on Windows and Linux
Checked Nov 8, 2026zaproxy.org(opens source in a new tab)
3. Metasploit
Best for: Pentesters and red teams who need a large, maintained library of exploits for known vulnerabilities
Open sourceLinux, macOS, Windows
61.8
score / 100
Why switch from sqlmap
Broader exploitation framework for pivoting beyond the web app once you have a foothold.
Pros
Free framework with a very large, regularly updated module library
Meterpreter payloads cover Windows, Linux, Android and more
Backed by Rapid7, with a commercial Pro edition for teams
Cons
Mainly driven from the command line, with a learning curve
GUI, automation and reporting require the paid Pro edition
Antivirus tools often flag or quarantine its files on install
Visit Metasploit Details and reviews
How this score is calculated
Editorial fit ×0.377
Reviews ×0.363
Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
Freshness ×0.15100
Votes ×0.150
0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula
Is Metasploit a good sqlmap alternative?
Verified facts
4 of 4 verified
Owner
Rapid7 and open-source community
Checked Nov 8, 2026metasploit.com(opens source in a new tab)
Editions
Framework (open source), Pro (commercial)
Checked Nov 8, 2026metasploit.com(opens source in a new tab)
Platforms
Linux, macOS, Windows
Checked Nov 8, 2026docs.metasploit.com(opens source in a new tab)
Payloads
Meterpreter for Windows, PHP, Python, Java, Android
Checked Nov 8, 2026metasploit.com(opens source in a new tab)
4. Caido
Best for: Bug bounty hunters and pentesters who want a faster, lighter Burp-style proxy
Free plan + paidWindows, macOS, Linux
59.4
score / 100
Why switch from sqlmap
Lighter modern web security proxy for manual testing of injection points.
Pros
Free plan includes all core HTTP tools
HTTPQL makes filtering large traffic histories quick
Headless, API-first design suits automation
Cons
Free plan caps projects, workflows and plugins
Smaller plugin ecosystem than Burp Suite
AI assistant and backups require a paid plan
Visit Caido Details and reviews
How this score is calculated
Editorial fit ×0.369
Reviews ×0.363
Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
Freshness ×0.15100
Votes ×0.150
0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula
Is Caido a good sqlmap alternative?
Verified facts
4 of 4 verified
Free plan
Yes, 2 projects and 7 workflows
Checked Nov 8, 2026caido.io(opens source in a new tab)
Filtering
HTTPQL query language
Checked Nov 8, 2026caido.io(opens source in a new tab)
AI providers
Bring your own model
Checked Nov 8, 2026caido.io(opens source in a new tab)
Team plan
Up to 50 seats, shared instance
Checked Nov 8, 2026caido.io(opens source in a new tab)

Quick comparison

1. Burp SuiteTop pick

Pros

Cons

Verified facts

2. ZAP

Pros

Cons

Verified facts

3. Metasploit

Pros

Cons

Verified facts

4. Caido

Pros

Cons

Verified facts