Maigret vs SpiderFoot
Which should you use? A side-by-side look at what each one does, who it suits, what it costs, how hard it is to set up, and where each falls short.
Open source · MIT
Searches for a username across thousands of websites to gather public account info.
Open source · MIT
Open-source tool that automatically gathers public information about a target to map its internet exposure.
The short answer
Choose Maigret if you need…
- Investigators and analysts doing OSINT research on a username
- Security researchers mapping where a handle is used online
- Developers who want to embed username lookups in Python projects
- People who want a web UI or HTML/PDF report from a username search
Choose SpiderFoot if you need…
- Security professionals doing reconnaissance during penetration tests or red team exercises
- Organizations checking what they have exposed on the internet
- Threat intelligence researchers who want to query many data sources in one place
- People who want to use free or low-cost OSINT sources, since most modules do not require API keys
Side-by-side
| Maigret | SpiderFoot | |
|---|---|---|
| Type | App | App |
| Price | Free and open source | Free and open source |
| Licence | MIT | MIT |
| GitHub stars | 39.6k | 24.2k |
| Setup difficulty | Intermediate | Intermediate |
| How you get it | Install with a package manager | Clone and build from source |
| Main language | Python | Python |
| Last code update | 4 days ago | 7 months ago |
What each one is
Maigret
Maigret takes a username and checks whether accounts with that name exist on a large list of websites, then collects whatever public information it can from those profile pages. It produces reports in several formats and can also run from Python code. Its main use is open-source intelligence (OSINT) research into a person's online footprint.
SpiderFoot
SpiderFoot is an open-source intelligence (OSINT) automation tool. It connects to many data sources and runs modules that feed each other to collect and analyze information about a target such as a domain, IP address, or email address. It has a web interface and can also be run from the command line.
Best for
Maigret
- Investigators and analysts doing OSINT research on a username
- Security researchers mapping where a handle is used online
- Developers who want to embed username lookups in Python projects
- People who want a web UI or HTML/PDF report from a username search
SpiderFoot
- Security professionals doing reconnaissance during penetration tests or red team exercises
- Organizations checking what they have exposed on the internet
- Threat intelligence researchers who want to query many data sources in one place
- People who want to use free or low-cost OSINT sources, since most modules do not require API keys
Strengths
Maigret
- Covers a very large number of sites (README cites 5,900)
- No API keys required, according to the README
- Offers CLI, Python library, web interface, and Windows standalone options
SpiderFoot
- Over 200 modules covering many data sources, most without requiring API keys
- Offers both a web interface and command-line use
- MIT licensed and actively developed since 2012 according to the README
Not ideal for
Maigret
- Anyone wanting to look up someone without a legitimate purpose, since it is built to profile people by username
- Users needing guaranteed complete results, because a default run checks only the 500 highest-ranked sites
- People who cannot install Python or run a command line, unless they use the Windows exe or a web option
SpiderFoot
- People who need a fully managed, cloud-hosted service; the README points to SpiderFoot HX for that
- Anyone without authorization to investigate the targets they enter, since the tool gathers data on people and systems
- Beginners with no networking or security background, as results need interpretation
Trade-offs
Maigret
- Results depend on site availability and blocking, and the README says bypass is only partial
- Using it to profile people raises privacy and ethical concerns that users must consider themselves
- Some features like AI analysis and the auto-updated database depend on network access
SpiderFoot
- Some modules need API keys, and many of those with keys are tiered or paid rather than free
- Features like cloud hosting, multi-user collaboration, and REST API are only in the paid SpiderFoot HX version
- The README is truncated here, so detailed setup requirements beyond the basic install are not fully covered
Getting started
Maigret
Install from PyPI
pip install maigretRun a search
maigret YOUR_USERNAMESpiderFoot
Clone the development build from git
git clone https://github.com/smicallef/spiderfoot.gitInstall Python libraries
pip3 install -r requirements.txtFrequently asked questions
What is the difference between Maigret and SpiderFoot?
Maigret: Searches for a username across thousands of websites to gather public account info. SpiderFoot: Open-source tool that automatically gathers public information about a target to map its internet exposure. Maigret suits investigators and analysts doing osint research on a username, while SpiderFoot suits security professionals doing reconnaissance during penetration tests or red team exercises.
Are Maigret and SpiderFoot free?
Maigret: Free and open source. SpiderFoot: Free and open source.
Is Maigret or SpiderFoot more popular?
Maigret has more GitHub stars (39.6k) than SpiderFoot (24.2k). Popularity isn't the same as fit — check which one matches your use case above.
What are other alternatives to Maigret and SpiderFoot?
Other options people compare them with include Sherlock, Web Check, Hetty.
Keep comparing
Built from our catalogue entries for both products: open-source details come from each project's README (AI-assisted, refreshed weekly) and GitHub data; AI-tool details are editorial. Spotted something wrong? Let us know from either product's page.