subwiz vs dnscan
Python tools for discovering DNS subdomains compared
subwiz and dnscan are Python tools that help security practitioners discover subdomains. subwiz predicts candidates with a transformer trained on passive subdomain lists, while dnscan attempts zone transfers and scans with wordlists.
subwiz: Discover Subdomains with Karpathy's nanoGPT
subwiz uses a lightweight transformer based on Karpathy's nanoGPT to predict possible subdomains from known ones. Security researchers can run it from the command line or Python, then resolve predictions to check which respond.
dnscan: Scan Domains for DNS Subdomains
dnscan is a Python wordlist-based DNS subdomain scanner. It first attempts DNS zone transfers, then can discover names through recursive wordlist scans, with options for IPv6, alternate resolvers and TLD scanning.
| subwiz | dnscan | |
|---|---|---|
| Language | Python | Python |
| License | MIT | GPL-3.0 |
| Stars | 389 | 1.3k |
| Forks | 26 | 409 |
| Last analyzed | Oct 16, 2026 | Oct 26, 2026 |
Key differences
- subwiz uses a nanoGPT-based model to generate candidate names; dnscan relies on zone transfers and wordlist lookups.
- subwiz resolves predictions by default and supports wildcard DNS handling; dnscan offers recursive and alteration scans, IPv6 checks, and configurable resolvers.
- subwiz supports Python 3.9 through 3.13, CPU, CUDA, Apple MPS, and a Python API; dnscan runs on Python 3 and requires netaddr and dnspython.
- subwiz is licensed under MIT; dnscan is licensed under GPL-3.0.
- subwiz is not archived and has recent activity and releases; dnscan is marked inactive, with no commits in over a year and no releases in the past year.
- subwiz has 389 stars and 26 forks; dnscan has 1.3k stars and 409 forks.
Choose subwiz if you…
- want model-generated subdomain candidates from known names.
- need CPU, CUDA, or Apple MPS support, or a Python API.
- prefer an MIT-licensed tool with recent activity and releases.
Choose dnscan if you…
- need zone-transfer attempts alongside wordlist-based scanning.
- want recursion, alteration scans, IPv6 checks, or TLD scanning.
- need GPL-3.0-licensed software and can plan for limited maintenance.
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This comparison is generated with AI from the OSRepos analyses of both projects. Always check each project's repository and documentation before choosing.