Binary Ninja vs Frida
Binary Ninja
binary.ninjaFrida
frida.reSide by side
| Figure | Binary Ninja | Frida |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | Free |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | Yes | — |
| Open source | — | Yes |
| Web | Yes | — |
| Windows | Yes | Yes |
| macOS | Yes | Yes |
| Linux | Yes | Yes |
| iOS | — | Yes |
| Android | — | Yes |
| API | Yes | Yes |
| Self-hosted | Yes | — |
| Plans published | 5 | 1 |
| Spec score · Reverse Engineering Tools | 9.4 (#1) | 8.7 (#4) |
| Company legal name | The maker identifies itself as Vector 35 Inc, a Delaware C corporation. | Crunchbase lists the supporting company’s legal name as NowSecure, Inc., formerly known as viaForensics. |
| Documentation depth | Developer documentation includes a cookbook, plugin writing, automation, architecture lifting, BNIL guides, types, workflows and API references. | The documentation includes tutorials, troubleshooting, building, footprint guidance, platform guides, tool references and JavaScript, C, Gum, Core, Swift and Go API sections. |
| Integrations | The purchase comparison lists Ghidra and IDB import, Ghidra export, and Sidekick capability; some Sidekick features require a separate purchase. | Luma can browse and import scripts from CodeShare and add npm packages through its built-in package manager. |
| What it does | Binary Ninja is an interactive decompiler, disassembler, debugger and binary-analysis platform for reverse engineering. | Frida injects JavaScript or native libraries into running applications for dynamic instrumentation, debugging and reverse engineering. |
Plans
Binary Ninja
- FreeFree
- Personal$199, paid once
- Commercial$1,799, paid once
- Ultimate$3,499, paid once
- Ultimate (Floating)$5,499, paid once
In their own words
Binary Ninja
Binary Ninja is a binary analysis platform that combines an interactive decompiler, disassembler, and debugger. Its decompiler can produce C or BNIL for supported architectures, and users can switch between those outputs. The API provides C++, Python, and Rust bindings for automating workflows inside or outside the interface. A native debugger supports local and remote sessions on Windows, macOS, and Linux. Paid editions support plugins managed through an in-client Plugin Manager; plugins are not available in the Free edition. The browser-based Cloud version supports all architectures but requires submitted binaries and has performance limits, with no API or plugins. The free desktop edition is for evaluation or non-commercial use and lacks API access; the Free plan lists five decompilation architectures, while desktop details state four. Paid perpetual client licenses start at $199, paid once for Personal, with one year of updates and non-commercial use. Higher tiers add commercial use, more architectures, or remote project features. Binary Ninja is made by Vector 35.
Frida
Frida is a dynamic instrumentation toolkit for developers, reverse-engineers, and security researchers. It lets users place scripts in running processes to hook functions, inspect APIs, and trace application code without source code. Documented uses include API tracing, diagnostics, encrypted-protocol analysis, and black-box testing.
Frida supports injected, embedded, and preloaded instrumentation. When injection is unavailable, Frida Gadget can be embedded in a program, including on jailed iOS and Android systems. Supported targets include Windows, macOS, GNU/Linux, iOS, watchOS, tvOS, Android, FreeBSD, and QNX. Language bindings include Node.js, Python, Swift, .NET, Qt/Qml, and Go, alongside a C API. The CLI tools require Python and run on Windows, macOS, or GNU/Linux; the documented installation command is `pip install frida-tools`.