Overview

Beelzebub brings multi-layer decoys, credential lures and cloud decoys into one platform. Support for HTTP, SSH, Telnet, MCP and other protocols gives teams scope beyond a single-protocol honeypot. The practical trade-off is that the free core is self-hosted, so teams must operate the deployment themselves.

Key features

Session investigation

Specialized agents investigate decoy sessions across triage, threat hunting, malware analysis, incident response and reporting. Each session produces a plain-English account of attacker actions, observed techniques and captured artifacts, linked to the original session. This should help teams move from an alert toward reviewable context, though it does not remove the need for analysts to assess findings.

Integration and control

APIs and webhooks carry structured events and investigation context into security workflows, with integrations spanning SIEM, SOAR, identity, firewall and cloud systems. The maker says deployments can run through Docker or Kubernetes in cloud and on-premises environments, with local model options for restricted or air-gapped evaluation. Active testing can be confined to an approved scope, and exploitation requires human approval while preserving evidence for review. That approval boundary is a meaningful safeguard for teams concerned about uncontrolled testing.

Frameworks and assurance

The maker says findings can map to MITRE ATT&CK, NIST CSF, ISO 27001, DORA and NIS2. The site lists ISO 9001:2015 and ISO/IEC 27001:2022 certifications. These may help teams align findings and evaluate assurance needs, but the platform's mapping does not replace their own compliance assessment.

Pricing

Plan	Price	Includes
Open source	0.00 USD per free	Core framework; self-hosted deployment

The open-source core is free to self-host, making it the clearest fit for teams prepared to manage their own infrastructure. The managed platform includes a 14-day free trial with enterprise features. Enterprise customers can also request a 30-day proof of concept with guided evaluation and dedicated technical support. Enterprise support includes 24/7 phone and chat; community support runs through GitHub issues and documentation. The trial and proof of concept provide different evaluation paths, but neither changes the operational responsibility of the free self-hosted core.

Platforms

Beelzebub supports API use and Linux, with self-hosted deployment. Docker and Kubernetes options span cloud and on-premises environments according to the maker, and local models are an option for restricted or air-gapped evaluation.

Who it's for

Beelzebub is a fit for security teams that want decoys across several protocols and session-level investigation context, especially those able to self-host and connect events to existing security workflows. Teams that need a managed platform can evaluate it through the trial or an enterprise proof of concept. It is less suitable for teams seeking only a narrow, single-protocol honeypot or unwilling to manage a self-hosted core.

Pros and cons

Pros: Broad protocol coverage and multi-layer decoys let teams observe more than one kind of service interaction.
Pros: Session-linked reports and specialized investigation agents add actionable context to decoy events.
Pros: API and webhook routing, alongside stated SIEM, SOAR, identity, firewall and cloud integrations, supports existing security workflows.
Pros: A free open-source core and human approval for exploitation lower the barrier to evaluation while retaining an explicit control.
Cons: The free core is self-hosted, placing deployment and operational work on the adopting team.
Cons: The managed platform is presented with a trial rather than a stated ongoing price, so teams cannot assess its recurring cost from the available plan.

Alternatives

For a broader comparison, browse Honeypot Software.

DentiGrid is a paid API, self-hosted and web option with commercial licensing for MSSPs and enterprises at custom pricing.
Thinkst Canary suits teams seeking hardware, virtual, cloud or container canaries and willing to pay 7500.00 USD per year for five canaries; it has no free plan.
OpenCanary is a free, open-source, self-hosted Linux or macOS choice for teams preferring that platform scope.
Canarytokens provides free hosted tokens for teams seeking token-based coverage across its listed platforms rather than a free trial.
Cowrie is a free, BSD-licensed SSH and Telnet honeypot for teams focused on those protocols.
Heralding is a free, GPL-3.0 licensed Linux self-hosted honeypot.
CounterCraft The Platform offers self-hosted and web deployment at custom quote based on environment size, deployment scope and use case.
Conpot is a free option for Linux.

Verdict

Choose Beelzebub if your security team wants multi-protocol decoys, session-linked investigation and workflow integrations, and can operate a self-hosted deployment. The free core and required human approval for exploitation are compelling reasons to evaluate it. Look elsewhere if self-hosting is a poor fit or if you need a known managed-platform price before starting.

	Beelzebub	Dionaea
Free plan	Yes	Yes
Free trial	Yes	No
Paid from	Free	Free
Open source	No	No
Platforms	api, Linux, self-hosted	Linux, self-hosted
Free plan	Yes	—
Deployment model	self-hosted	self-hosted
Decoy scope	multi-layer	network
Credential lures	Yes	—
Cloud decoys	Yes	—

Beelzebub vs Dionaea

Beelzebub

Dionaea