ZoomEye
Knownsec's search engine for internet-connected devices, services and web assets.
Updated · AppBreakup editorial · Web
Is ZoomEye free?
Free plan, plus paid plans
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All 3- Verified facts
- 4 of 4
- Alternatives ranked
- 3
- Approved reviews
- 0
- Visits sent from here
- 0
About ZoomEye
ZoomEye is a cyberspace search engine run by the Chinese security company Knownsec. It continuously scans IPv4, IPv6 and domains, records the banners, ports, protocols, certificates and web components it finds, and lets you query that index with a dork-style syntax: for example, every exposed instance of a certain camera model, a vulnerable software version, or the services inside an organisation's IP ranges. Security teams use it for attack-surface mapping, threat research and incident response, and researchers use it to measure how widely a flaw is exposed. Results can be viewed in the web interface with charts and maps, or pulled through an API, an official Python library and command-line tool, and an MCP server that lets AI assistants run queries. Registered users get a limited free allowance; heavier querying and bulk export need a paid subscription or credits. Its strongest coverage is of Asian networks, and much of the documentation was written for Chinese users first.
Best for: Security researchers and red teams who want a Shodan-style index with strong coverage of Asian networks..
Pros and cons
What works
- Covers devices, services and web components across IPv4, IPv6 and domains
- Official Python library and CLI for scripted searches
- MCP server lets AI assistants query the index directly
- Free registered tier for occasional searches
Why people leave
- Free allowance is small; bulk queries and exports need paid credits
- Some documentation and support content is Chinese-first
- Main site renders with JavaScript, so it's awkward without a modern browser
ZoomEye vs Shodan, Censys and FOFA
From each app's listing and the prices verified on its own site. A dash means we haven't verified it yet.
| Attribute | ZoomEye | Shodan | Censys | FOFA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan + paid | Free plan + paid | Free plan + paid | Free plan + paid |
| Verified price | — | $49 one-time (Membership) | — | $25 a month, Personal plan (discounted from $49) |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes | Yes (basic visibility) | Yes, 300 query credits/month, non-commercial |
| Open source | No | No | No | No |
| Self-hostable | No | No | No | No |
| Platforms | Web | Web | Web | Web |
Top ZoomEye alternatives
See all 3- 1
Shodan68.8The best-known device search engine, with a one-time membership option and wide tooling support.
- 2
Censys64.8Strong certificate and host data with an enterprise attack-surface management product.
- 3FoFOFA61.8
Another China-based asset search engine with a deep fingerprint rule library and free tier.
Why people left ZoomEye
In reviewers' own words, from reviews of the apps they moved to. These are their opinions, not ours.
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Reviews
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ZoomEye: common questions
What is ZoomEye?
ZoomEye: Knownsec's search engine for internet-connected devices, services and web assets. Best for security researchers and red teams who want a Shodan-style index with strong coverage of Asian networks. Available for Web.
Is ZoomEye free?
ZoomEye has a free plan and paid plans.
Is ZoomEye open source?
No, ZoomEye is not open source.
What platforms does ZoomEye run on?
ZoomEye is available for Web.
What are the best alternatives to ZoomEye?
The highest-ranked ZoomEye alternatives right now are Shodan, Censys and FOFA. See the full ranked list for pricing, platforms and verified facts.
ZoomEye vs Shodan: what's the difference?
Both ZoomEye and Shodan are free with paid plans. Both run on Web.