RustScan vs masscan
Port scanners for network assessment compared
RustScan and masscan both discover open ports on authorized targets. RustScan focuses on fast initial discovery with handoff to Nmap or scripts, while masscan is built for asynchronous, broad-range probes using its own TCP/IP stack.
RustScan: Find Open Network Ports Quickly
RustScan is a Rust-based port scanner for quickly identifying open ports on hosts and networks. It can pass results to Nmap and run scripts, making it useful for authorized security testing and network assessment workflows.
masscan: Scan TCP Ports at Internet Scale with Its Own TCP/IP Stack
Masscan is a C-based, asynchronous TCP port scanner built around its own ad hoc TCP/IP stack, designed to probe large address ranges quickly. It offers Nmap-like options and runs on Linux, Windows, macOS, and other systems.
| RustScan | masscan | |
|---|---|---|
| Language | Rust | C |
| License | GPL-3.0 | AGPL-3.0 |
| Stars | 20.5k | 26.1k |
| Forks | 1.4k | 3.2k |
| Last analyzed | Oct 3, 2026 | Nov 7, 2026 |
Key differences
- RustScan is aimed at quick port discovery that can feed into deeper Nmap analysis or custom scripts; masscan is designed for broad scans across large IP and port ranges.
- RustScan is written in Rust and masscan in C.
- RustScan supports Python, Lua, and Shell scripting, while masscan offers optional basic service-banner checks and multiple result formats.
- RustScan uses the GPL-3.0 license; masscan uses AGPL-3.0.
- Masscan supports Linux, Windows, macOS, and other systems, and its separate TCP/IP stack can require source-address or firewall configuration. RustScan's provided details emphasize installation options through Cargo and package managers.
- Masscan supports sharding scans across machines, adapters, or source addresses; RustScan accepts IPv6, CIDR ranges, and file input.
Choose RustScan if you…
- need a port-discovery step that can pass results to Nmap or scripts.
- want input options including IPv6, CIDR ranges, or files.
- prefer a Rust-based scanner for authorized network assessment workflows.
Choose masscan if you…
- need to probe large IP and port ranges asynchronously.
- want to shard scans or use multiple output formats.
- need optional banner checks and can account for its separate TCP/IP stack.
Compare the numbers side by side, or add more projects
This comparison is generated with AI from the OSRepos analyses of both projects. Always check each project's repository and documentation before choosing.