Best Honeypot Software in 2026
Updated
In short: OpenCanary is ranked #1 of 18 as of 7 October 2026, ahead of Beelzebub and Canarytokens. The best-ranked option with a free plan is Beelzebub. The lowest first paid tier on this page is Thinkst Canary at $625/mo.
Honeypots use decoys to draw attention to activity around systems, credentials, or other assets. Compare these options on cloud decoys, credential lures, and decoy scope, then look at deployment model and data retention to understand how they are set up and what information they retain. Maximum decoys, free-plan availability, and paid-from pricing add practical considerations. OpenCanary, Beelzebub, and Canarytokens are among the products to examine, alongside T-Pot and Cowrie. Think about the kinds of decoys you need and where they must run; the listed capabilities and plan details give you concrete points for comparing fit.
18 honeypot software ranked on what their makers publish — plans and prices, free tiers, platforms and the facts on their own pages.
Compare all 18 in a table
| # | Tool | Score | Free plan | From | Free plan | Paid from | Deployment model | Decoy scope |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | OpenCanary | 7.3 | Free plan | Free | Yes | — | self-hosted | network |
| 2 | Beelzebub | 7.2 | Free plan | Free | Yes | — | self-hosted | multi-layer |
| 3 | Canarytokens | 7.2 | Free plan | Free | Yes | — | cloud | multi-layer |
| 4 | Honeyd | 7.0 | Free plan | Free | Yes | — | self-hosted | network |
| 5 | T-Pot | 7.0 | Free plan | Free | Yes | — | self-hosted | multi-layer |
| 6 | Cowrie | 6.9 | Free plan | Free | Yes | — | self-hosted | multi-layer |
| 7 | Honeytrap | 6.9 | Free plan | Free | Yes | — | self-hosted | multi-layer |
| 8 | Heralding | 6.8 | Free plan | Free | Yes | — | self-hosted | network |
| 9 | Thinkst Canary | 6.8 | No | $625/mo | No | — | hybrid | multi-layer |
| 10 | Dionaea | 6.7 | Free plan | Free | — | — | self-hosted | network |
| 11 | Endlessh | 6.7 | Free plan | Free | — | — | self-hosted | network |
| 12 | DentiGrid | 6.6 | No | — | — | — | hybrid | multi-layer |
| 13 | Conpot | 6.5 | No | — | Yes | — | self-hosted | network |
| 14 | CounterCraft The Platform | 6.5 | No | — | — | — | hybrid | multi-layer |
| 15 | Mailoney | 6.5 | No | — | — | — | self-hosted | application |
| 16 | MedPot | 6.2 | No | — | — | — | self-hosted | application |
| 17 | ADBHoney | 6.1 | No | — | — | — | self-hosted | endpoint |
| 18 | KFSensor | 5.4 | No | — | No | — | self-hosted | multi-layer |
Is your tool on this list?
Numbered spots on this list can be sponsored, and a sponsored row is labelled as paid.
Questions about this list
Which honeypot software is ranked first on Specifiction?
OpenCanary is ranked #1 of 18 with a score of 7.3. Beelzebub is second and Canarytokens third.
How many of these have a free plan?
10 of the 18 on this page publish a free plan on their own pricing pages.
Which is the cheapest paid option?
On this page, Thinkst Canary has the lowest first paid tier we found: $625/mo.
How is this list ranked?
Ranked on what each maker publishes, the fullest spec sheet first: how deeply the product is documented, the platforms it runs on, a free tier or trial to test it, and its standing.