Overview

Beelzebub combines multi-layer decoys, credential lures and cloud decoys, with coverage for HTTP, SSH, Telnet, MCP and other protocols. That breadth makes it a flexible choice for observing activity across different services. The trade-off is operational ownership: the free core is self-hosted, so teams must run and maintain their own deployment rather than rely on a managed service.

For each decoy session, Beelzebub produces a plain-English account of attacker actions, observed techniques and captured artifacts, linked to the original session. This gives responders context to review rather than just an event to investigate, although the report does not replace analyst judgment.

Key features

Investigation and workflow

Specialized agents cover triage, threat hunting, malware analysis, incident response and reporting. The range is useful for teams that want decoy sessions to feed into several kinds of security work, while the session-linked reports make the captured evidence easier to trace back to its source.

APIs and webhooks route structured events and investigation context into integrations for SIEM, SOAR, identity, firewall and cloud systems. This makes Beelzebub a better fit for teams with established security workflows than for buyers looking only for a standalone alerting tool.

Deployment and controls

The maker says Beelzebub can run with Docker or Kubernetes in cloud and on-premises environments, with local model options for restricted and air-gapped evaluation. Active testing can be limited to an approved scope, and exploitation requires human approval, with evidence preserved for review. Those controls are relevant for teams that need explicit oversight of testing activity.

The site lists ISO 9001:2015 and ISO/IEC 27001:2022 certifications. It says findings can be mapped to MITRE ATT&CK, NIST CSF, ISO 27001, DORA and NIS2, which may help teams organize results against those frameworks.

Pricing

Open source

The Open source plan is free and includes the core framework with self-hosted deployment. It is the natural choice for teams that can operate the platform themselves and want to begin without a software charge. The plan is self-hosted, so it does not provide the managed platform experience or enterprise support described for other options.

Managed and enterprise options

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 pricing is custom pricing. The FAQ lists 24/7 phone and chat support for enterprise customers; community support is through GitHub issues and documentation.

The free trial is a short evaluation route rather than an ongoing free managed tier. Teams wanting guided assessment can consider the proof of concept, while those that only need the open-source framework can self-host it for free.

Platforms

Beelzebub is available through API, Linux and self-hosted deployment. The core's self-hosted model suits teams comfortable managing infrastructure; the stated Docker and Kubernetes deployment options span cloud and on-premises environments.

Who it's for

Beelzebub is a strong fit for security teams that need multi-protocol decoys and want session investigation context to flow into existing security systems. It is also a reasonable starting point for technically capable teams evaluating deception without an initial software charge. It is less suited to organizations that want a fully managed experience without operating infrastructure, or that need a narrowly scoped, single-purpose honeypot.

Pros and cons

Pro: Decoys cover HTTP, SSH, Telnet, MCP and other protocols, alongside credential lures and cloud decoys, giving teams more observation scope than a single-protocol setup.
Pro: Session-linked reports and specialized investigation agents provide context for triage and follow-up, not just detection.
Pro: APIs, webhooks and integrations spanning SIEM, SOAR, identity, firewall and cloud systems support connection to broader security workflows.
Con: The free core is self-hosted, which leaves deployment and operation to the customer.
Con: The managed trial lasts 14 days, so it is an evaluation window rather than a continuing free managed plan.
Con: Enterprise pricing is custom pricing, making the ongoing cost less straightforward to assess than the free core.

Alternatives

For other options, browse Honeypot Software.

OpenCanary is a free, self-hosted open-source option for Linux and macOS if that simpler platform scope is a better match.
Canarytokens offers free tokens deployed through canarytokens.org and supports Android, iOS, web, Windows and self-hosted use; choose it when token-based deployment suits the need better than Beelzebub's multi-layer decoys.
Cowrie is a free, BSD-licensed, self-hosted SSH and Telnet honeypot for Linux, making it a focused alternative when those protocols are the priority.
Heralding is a free GPL-3.0-licensed open-source honeypot for Linux and self-hosting.
T-Pot is a free, open-source self-hosted option for Linux, macOS and Windows; hardware and network requirements apply.
Dionaea is a free, GPLv2+-licensed open-source honeypot for Linux and self-hosting.
Endlessh is a free standalone C SSH tarpit for Linux and self-hosting, with a default maximum of 4096 clients.
DentiGrid offers commercial MSSP and enterprise licensing with custom pricing.

Verdict

Choose Beelzebub if your security team can self-host and wants broad decoy coverage paired with session investigation and integration routes. Its main advantage is turning decoy activity into reviewable context across multiple security workflows. Look elsewhere if you need a managed service without a self-hosted starting point, or a simpler honeypot focused on a narrower protocol set.

	ADBHoney	Beelzebub
Free plan		Yes
Free trial		Yes
Paid from		Free
Platforms	self-hosted	api, Linux, self-hosted
Deployment model	self-hosted	self-hosted
Decoy scope	endpoint	multi-layer
Free plan		Yes
Credential lures		Yes
Cloud decoys		Yes

ADBHoney vs Beelzebub

ADBHoney

Beelzebub