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THC Hydra

Open-source command-line tool for testing login passwords against network services.

Open sourcePassword cracking and recovery tools

Updated · AppBreakup editorial · Linux, macOS, Windows

Visit THC HydraSee 5 alternatives

Is THC Hydra free?

Yes, free and open source

License:
AGPL-3.0

Checked on THC Hydra's site Nov 5, 2026

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About THC Hydra

THC Hydra is a parallelized network login cracker used by penetration testers and security researchers to check whether services accept weak or default passwords. Given lists of usernames and passwords, it tries them against a live target over dozens of protocols, including SSH, FTP, Telnet, RDP, SMB, HTTP basic auth and web login forms, mail protocols, databases and network equipment logins from Cisco and others. Many connections run at once, which makes it much faster than testing by hand, and sessions can be restored after an interruption. It is a command-line tool, with an optional GTK front end called xhydra, and compiles on Linux, the BSDs, macOS and Windows through Cygwin, and it is a standard part of most penetration-testing toolkits. Hydra is free and open source under the AGPL-3.0 licence. Unlike offline crackers such as Hashcat, it attacks running services, so it is noisy, can trigger account lockouts, and must only be used on systems you are authorised to test.

Best for: Pen testers checking network services and web logins for weak or default passwords.

Pros and cons

What works

  • Supports dozens of network protocols and web forms
  • Parallel connections make online testing fast
  • Free and open source under AGPL-3.0
  • Sessions can be restored after interruption

Why people leave

  • Command-line first; the GUI is basic
  • Windows needs Cygwin rather than a native build
  • Online guessing is slow next to offline hash cracking and trips lockouts

THC Hydra vs Hashcat, John the Ripper and Metasploit

From each app's listing and the prices verified on its own site. A dash means we haven't verified it yet.

AttributeTHC HydraHashcatJohn the RipperMetasploit
PricingOpen sourceOpen sourceOpen sourceOpen source
Verified price————
Free planFree appFree appFree appFree app
Open sourceYesYesYesYes
Self-hostableNoNoNoNo
PlatformsLinux, macOS, WindowsWindows, macOS, LinuxWindows, macOS, LinuxLinux, macOS, Windows

Top THC Hydra alternatives

See all 5
  1. 1Hashcat logo
    Hashcat

    If you can capture password hashes, offline GPU cracking is far faster and won't lock accounts.

    59.4
  2. 2John the Ripper logo
    John the Ripper

    Free offline cracker for captured hashes, with many hash formats and smart wordlist rules.

    57.5
  3. 3Metasploit logo
    Metasploit

    Its auxiliary login scanner modules brute-force many services inside a full exploitation framework.

    56.8
  4. 4Nmap logo
    Nmap

    Nmap's NSE brute scripts test logins during a scan, handy if you're already mapping the network.

    54.4
  5. 5Burp Suite logo
    Burp Suite

    Intruder handles web login forms with finer control over requests, tokens and responses than Hydra.

    52.6

Why people left THC Hydra

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THC Hydra: common questions

What is THC Hydra?

THC Hydra: Open-source command-line tool for testing login passwords against network services. Best for pen testers checking network services and web logins for weak or default passwords. Available for Linux, macOS and Windows.

Is THC Hydra free?

Yes. THC Hydra is free, open-source software.

Is THC Hydra open source?

Yes. The source code is on GitHub at vanhauser-thc/thc-hydra.

What platforms does THC Hydra run on?

THC Hydra is available for Linux, macOS and Windows.

What are the best alternatives to THC Hydra?

The highest-ranked THC Hydra alternatives right now are Hashcat, John the Ripper and Metasploit. See the full ranked list for pricing, platforms and verified facts.

THC Hydra vs Hashcat: what's the difference?

Both THC Hydra and Hashcat are free and open source. Both run on Linux, macOS and Windows.

See all 5 THC Hydra alternatives