HailBytes ASM vs Shodan
A self-hosted option for teams that want continuous, active reconnaissance of their own attack surface, rather than a query interface sitting on top of a global passive-scan dataset.
TL;DR
Shodan is the original internet-wide scan dataset, with deep banner-grab history and a powerful query API. HailBytes ASM is a self-hosted attack surface management platform that runs the recon pipeline (subdomain discovery, port scans, web fingerprinting, CVE matching) inside your own AWS or Azure account. The two are complementary, but if you need ownership-grade ASM, Shodan Monitor isn’t the right primitive.
- Pick HailBytes ASM if you need active, continuous scans of your own surface, custom wordlists and scan logic, white-label deliverables, or full data residency.
- Stay with Shodan if your primary use case is querying the global internet-wide dataset for threat intelligence, exposure research, or adversary infrastructure tracking.
Pricing & Cost Model
| Dimension | HailBytes ASM | Shodan / Shodan Monitor |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing axis | Infrastructure ($0.24/vCPU/hour) | Per query credit / per IP monitored |
| Annual cost (small surface) | ~$4,200 | ~$1,200–$5,000 (Small Business) |
| Annual cost (mid surface) | ~$4,200–$8,400 | ~$10,000–$25,000 (Corporate) |
| Annual cost (large surface) | ~$8,400–$17,000 | $30,000+ (Enterprise) |
| Free trial | 30 days via AWS / Azure Marketplace | Free tier (limited queries) |
| Procurement path | Cloud marketplace (counts toward EDP / MACC) | Direct subscription |
Architecture & Control
| Dimension | HailBytes ASM | Shodan |
|---|---|---|
| Deployment | Self-hosted in your AWS / Azure account | SaaS query interface |
| Source code access | Source-available under ELv2 | Closed source |
| Data residency | Whatever cloud region you pick | Shodan-controlled |
| Scan model | Active scans on demand or scheduled | Passive global crawl + Monitor active probes |
| Custom scan logic / wordlists | ✅ Full control | ❌ |
| Per-tenant isolation | One VM per tenant | Multi-tenant SaaS |
Capability Comparison
| Capability | HailBytes ASM | Shodan |
|---|---|---|
| Subdomain enumeration | ✅ CT logs, brute, passive DNS | 🟡 Hostname pivots |
| Active port & service scanning of your assets | ✅ On-demand and scheduled | 🟡 Monitor (limited cadence) |
| Internet-wide passive scan dataset | ❌ | ✅ Industry standard |
| CVE matching against fingerprinted services | ✅ | ✅ |
| Custom wordlists | ✅ Unlimited | ❌ |
| Web-app fingerprinting / DAST primitives | ✅ 30+ tools orchestrated | 🟡 Banner-level |
| AI-powered finding analysis | ✅ OpenAI + Ollama (local GPU) | ❌ |
| MCP server / AI-agent tooling | ✅ Built-in (Claude / Cursor / Windsurf) | ❌ |
| Jira / Slack / SIEM routing | ✅ Splunk, Sentinel, Elastic, Chronicle | 🟡 Webhook only |
| Government cloud (GovCloud / Azure Gov) | ✅ Both | ❌ |
| White-label for client deliverables | ✅ Built-in | ❌ |
When HailBytes ASM Wins
- You want continuous active scans of your own surface, not a query view of a global passive dataset.
- Pen-test firms packaging continuous monitoring. Per-instance cost keeps a white-label deliverable in the black. Pen-test firm playbook.
- You hit query-credit ceilings in Shodan Monitor on a large or fast-changing surface.
- Government and regulated industries. AWS GovCloud and Azure Government deployments keep data inside your tenancy.
- AI-agent recon workflows. A built-in MCP server lets Claude, Cursor, and Windsurf drive scans and triage findings without custom glue code.
When Shodan Wins
- Threat-intel and exposure research across the entire internet, not just your own assets.
- Fast lookups on arbitrary IPs and adversary infrastructure. Shodan’s historical banner data is the moat.
- Cheap, low-volume monitoring of a small static IP set where Shodan Monitor’s tiers are economical.
Try HailBytes ASM
The AWS and Azure Marketplace listings include a 30-day trial covering the underlying VM. Most teams end up keeping Shodan for global pivots and running HailBytes ASM for owned-asset coverage.
Related Comparisons
Other internet-scan and ASM platforms usually evaluated alongside Shodan:
- vs Censys — internet-wide certificate and port intelligence.
- vs Detectify — SaaS web-app surface monitoring.
- vs runZero — asset inventory and network discovery.
- vs Microsoft Defender EASM — Azure-native external ASM.
- Full ASM comparison matrix — every vendor side by side, plus the HailBytes ASM product page.
See HailBytes ASM in Action
Skip the slide deck. Watch the product run end-to-end before you book a call.
Try HailBytes ASM Free
Get a free trial deployment on AWS or Azure. Our team will walk you through setup and help you run your first reconnaissance scan within 30 minutes.
- ✓ 30-day free trial on AWS or Azure
- ✓ Guided onboarding from our security team
- ✓ No credit card required to start
- ✓ 30+ security tools pre-configured