Best Shodan Alternatives in 2026

Shodan is the most well-known internet search engine for security researchers, but it's not the only option. Here are the best alternatives with better pricing, unique features, and different strengths.

PlatformPricingKey DifferentiatorFree Tier
Zondex RECOMMENDED Free (50/day), Pro $29/mo, Business $79/mo ClickHouse-powered speed, threat tags, search dorks, lowest pricing
Censys Free (250 queries/mo), Teams: contact sales, Enterprise ASM: $thousands/mo Largest TLS certificate database, enterprise ASM platform
Criminal IP Free (50 credits/day), Lite $49/mo, Medium $99/mo CTI risk scoring, phishing URL scanner, Chrome extension
ZoomEye Free (limited), VIP plans available Strong APAC coverage, device fingerprinting, dork system
FOFA Free (limited), VIP points-based system (CNY) Massive APAC dataset, asset fingerprinting
GreyNoise Community (free, limited), Paid plans from $25k+/year Internet noise classification, SOC alert reduction, mass scanner identification
BinaryEdge Free (250 queries/mo), Starter $10/mo, Business $500/mo Risk scoring, data breach detection, real-time threat feeds
Shodan (reference)Free (limited), Membership $69/mo, Small Biz $359/moLargest indexed dataset, most popular, CLI tools

Zondex

BEST VALUE

Open internet search engine powered by ClickHouse with built-in threat intelligence, search dorks, and a generous free tier. Ideal for security researchers who want fast, affordable access to internet scan data.

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Pricing
Free (50/day), Pro $29/mo, Business $79/mo
Key Differentiator
ClickHouse-powered speed, threat tags, search dorks, lowest pricing
Key Features
Internet-wide scanningCVE detectionThreat intelligence tagsREST APISearch dorksMulti-language UIOrganization reports
Zondex vs ShodanZondex vs CensysZondex vs Criminal IP

Censys

Enterprise-focused attack surface management platform with the largest TLS certificate database. Strong on asset discovery and compliance monitoring for large organizations.

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Pricing
Free (250 queries/mo), Teams: contact sales, Enterprise ASM: $thousands/mo
Key Differentiator
Largest TLS certificate database, enterprise ASM platform
Key Features
Internet-wide scanningTLS certificate searchAttack surface managementREST APIAsset discovery

Criminal IP

South Korean cyber threat intelligence platform with CTI risk scoring, phishing detection, and a Chrome extension. Focuses on IP reputation and domain safety analysis.

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Pricing
Free (50 credits/day), Lite $49/mo, Medium $99/mo
Key Differentiator
CTI risk scoring, phishing URL scanner, Chrome extension
Key Features
IP lookupDomain analysisCTI scoringPhishing detectionChrome extensionREST API

ZoomEye

Chinese cyberspace search engine by Knownsec with its own dork system and device fingerprinting. Strong coverage in the Asia-Pacific region.

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Pricing
Free (limited), VIP plans available
Key Differentiator
Strong APAC coverage, device fingerprinting, dork system
Key Features
Internet scanningDevice fingerprintingDork systemAPI access

FOFA

Chinese internet asset search engine with massive indexed data. Uses a points-based credit system and has strong coverage in China and Asia-Pacific networks.

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Pricing
Free (limited), VIP points-based system (CNY)
Key Differentiator
Massive APAC dataset, asset fingerprinting
Key Features
Internet scanningAsset fingerprintingAPI accessBanner analysis

GreyNoise

Specialized in identifying internet background noise and mass scanning activity. Helps SOC teams reduce alert fatigue by classifying benign vs malicious scanners.

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Pricing
Community (free, limited), Paid plans from $25k+/year
Key Differentiator
Internet noise classification, SOC alert reduction, mass scanner identification
Key Features
Scanner identificationNoise classificationSIEM integrationIP context API

BinaryEdge

Internet scanning platform focused on risk scoring and data breach detection. Offers real-time threat intelligence feeds and integrates with security workflows.

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Pricing
Free (250 queries/mo), Starter $10/mo, Business $500/mo
Key Differentiator
Risk scoring, data breach detection, real-time threat feeds
Key Features
Internet scanningRisk scoringData breach detectionThreat feedsREST API

Why Consider a Shodan Alternative?

Lower Pricing

Shodan Membership costs $69/mo with limited features. Alternatives like Zondex offer comparable functionality starting at $29/mo.

Specialized Features

Different platforms excel in specific areas: Criminal IP for threat scoring, GreyNoise for noise filtering, Zondex for speed and dorks.

Better Free Tiers

Shodan's free access is very limited. Zondex gives 50 free searches per day, while BinaryEdge and Censys offer 250 queries/month free.

Regional Coverage

Platforms like FOFA and ZoomEye have stronger coverage in Asia-Pacific, which Shodan may underrepresent in its scans.

Try Zondex — The Best Free Shodan Alternative

50 free searches per day. No credit card required. ClickHouse-powered speed.

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Detailed Comparisons

Zondex vs Shodan Zondex vs Censys Zondex vs Criminal IP Zondex vs FOFA Zondex vs ZoomEye