Overview
Censys
Internet Intelligence and Attack Surface Platform
Censys delivers internet-wide scanning, certificate intelligence, and external attack surface discovery for security teams and researchers.
Community tier with limited monthly queriesShodan
Internet Exposure Search for Devices and Services
Shodan indexes internet-facing devices, banners, vulnerabilities, and exposed services, making it a strong complement to domain-focused threat tools.
Limited web accessPricing Comparison
| Pricing | Censys | Shodan |
|---|---|---|
| Free Tier | Community tier with limited monthly queries | Limited web access |
| Paid Plans | Individual plans from $100/month | Membership $49 one-time, subscriptions from $69/month |
| Enterprise | Custom team and enterprise plans | Corporate and enterprise plans |
| TLD Coverage | Full IPv4/IPv6 coverage | Full internet coverage |
Feature Comparison
| Feature | Censys | Shodan |
|---|---|---|
| Free Tier | Limited | Limited |
| API Access | Included | Included |
| Bulk Operations | Included | Included |
| Real-time Data | Included | Included |
| WHOIS Data | Limited | Limited |
| DNS Lookup | Included | Included |
| Domain Valuation | Not Included | Not Included |
| Brand Monitoring | Not Included | Not Included |
| MCP/AI Integration | Not Included | Not Included |
Which is Better?
Choose Censys if you need
- Comprehensive internet scanning
- Certificate and asset intelligence
- External attack surface discovery
Choose Shodan if you need
- Unmatched device discovery
- Well-known vulnerability and exposure workflows
- Strong API and alerting ecosystem
Consider DomScan Instead
DomScan offers the best of both worlds with comprehensive features and developer-friendly pricing.
- ✓ Free tier: 10,000 credits/month (no credit card)
- ✓ 1,500+ TLDs supported
- ✓ MCP integration for AI assistants
- ✓ Domain valuation, brand monitoring, OSINT
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