Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

Proxychains VS Nmap

Compare Proxychains VS Nmap and see what are their differences

Proxychains logo Proxychains

About proxychains tool: * It's a proxifier. * Latest version: 3.1

Nmap logo Nmap

Nmap Free Security Scanner, Port Scanner, & Network Exploration Tool. Download open source software for Linux, Windows, UNIX, FreeBSD, etc.
  • Proxychains Landing page
    Landing page //
    2019-09-18
  • Nmap Landing page
    Landing page //
    2022-06-15

Proxychains features and specs

  • Anonymity
    Proxychains helps users maintain anonymity by routing their internet traffic through a series of proxy servers, which can conceal their true IP address.
  • Compatibility
    It can work with any application that has internet connectivity, providing flexibility in terms of applications that can leverage the proxying capabilities.
  • Open Source
    Being open source, Proxychains allows users to inspect, modify, and enhance the software according to their needs without any restrictions.
  • Versatility
    Proxychains supports various types of proxies, including HTTP, SOCKS4, and SOCKS5, giving users multiple options for customizing their proxy configurations.

Possible disadvantages of Proxychains

  • Complex Configuration
    Setting up Proxychains can be complex for beginners, requiring manual editing of configuration files to define proxy chains and routing rules.
  • Performance Overhead
    Routing traffic through multiple proxy servers can introduce latency and reduce the overall speed of internet connectivity.
  • Potential Incompatibility
    Some applications may not work correctly with Proxychains, especially if they have their own proxy or networking configurations that conflict with Proxychains settings.
  • Security Risks
    Using unknown or untrusted proxy servers can expose users to potential security risks, such as data interception or logging by malicious proxies.

Nmap features and specs

  • Comprehensive Scanning
    Nmap can perform a wide variety of scans, including port scanning, service detection, and OS fingerprinting, making it a versatile tool for network exploration and security auditing.
  • Open Source
    As an open-source tool, Nmap is free to use and has a large community of users contributing to its development and improvement.
  • Scripting Engine
    The Nmap Scripting Engine (NSE) allows users to write custom scripts to automate tasks, detect vulnerabilities, and extract information, significantly extending its capabilities.
  • Cross-Platform Support
    Nmap is available on multiple platforms, including Windows, Linux, and macOS, ensuring broad accessibility for users.
  • Large Knowledge Base
    Nmap has extensive documentation and a wealth of online resources, tutorials, and community support, making it easier for beginners to learn and use the tool effectively.
  • Performance Optimization
    Nmap is designed to be efficient and can handle large networks, making it suitable for both small-scale and enterprise-level scanning.

Possible disadvantages of Nmap

  • Complexity
    Due to its extensive features and options, Nmap can be overwhelming for beginners, requiring a steep learning curve to fully utilize its capabilities.
  • Potential for Misuse
    Nmap can be used for malicious activities such as unauthorized network scanning, potentially leading to security violations and ethical concerns.
  • Permission Issues
    Using Nmap without proper authorization can be illegal in some jurisdictions, and unauthorized scans can be considered invasive or hostile by network administrators.
  • False Positives/Negatives
    Like any scanning tool, Nmap can produce false positives and negatives, requiring additional verification and analysis to ensure accuracy.
  • Resource Intensive
    Some Nmap scans, especially comprehensive ones, can be resource-intensive, potentially affecting network performance and consuming significant CPU and memory resources.
  • Network Disruption
    Aggressive scanning techniques used by Nmap can disrupt network services and lead to denial of service, particularly in sensitive or critical environments.

Proxychains videos

Kali Linux 2017.2 - Review & Updates - Proxychains Working!

More videos:

  • Tutorial - How To Setup Proxychains In Kali Linux - #1 - Stay Anonymous

Nmap videos

Nmap Tutorial For Beginners - 1 - What is Nmap?

More videos:

  • Review - Nmap - Review of Scan Types
  • Review - LABS 50 Bypassing Windows Firewall Using Nmap Evasion Techniques REVIEW

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Proxychains and Nmap)
Web Scraping
100 100%
0% 0
Monitoring Tools
4 4%
96% 96
Security & Privacy
100 100%
0% 0
Security
0 0%
100% 100

User comments

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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare Proxychains and Nmap

Proxychains Reviews

We have no reviews of Proxychains yet.
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Nmap Reviews

The Top 5 Open Source Vulnerability Scanners
Nmap is a tool that scans ports, does service fingerprinting, and identifies versions of operating systems. Nmap also comes with a scripting engine that detects security vulnerabilities. Once these are detected, Vulcan’s platform can help you to prioritize and fix vulnerabilities.
Source: vulcan.io
9 Best Angry IP Scanner Alternatives Reviewed 2021 (Free & Paid)
If you’re a network administrator looking for more depth and raw power from a port scanner, look no further than Nmap. What Nmap lacks in frills and functional GUI it makes up for with sheer command-line based power. If you’re not a fan of strictly just a command-line interface, you can always use Zenmap, which is the exact same software just with a graphical interface. Both...
15 Best Nmap Alternatives Network Security Scanner
Nmap is an open-source tool that lots of IT professionals find useful in their careers. It is a tool that can locate available hosts and other services that they offer within a network. The Nmap program makes use of raw IP packets to find the hosts and services that are available.
10 Best WireShark Alternatives for Android Devices in 2021
Nmap is a popular open-source network scanning app for Android and desktop. While it works on both rooted and non-rooted Android, you get more functionality during a rooted Android smartphone. Like some apps, Nmap is not available on Google play store or their website.
Source: techreen.com
Alternatives to Nmap: from simple to advanced network scanning
This month marks the 20th anniversary of Nmap, the open-source network mapping tool that became the standard used by many IT professionals, but that can be a bit much if you only need to do general network maintenance and are intimidated by its command-line interface.

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Nmap seems to be more popular. It has been mentiond 200 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

Proxychains mentions (0)

We have not tracked any mentions of Proxychains yet. Tracking of Proxychains recommendations started around Mar 2021.

Nmap mentions (200)

  • 🛡️ Top 10 Free Penetration Testing Tools Every Security Team Should Use in 2025
    Nmap (Network Mapper) is like a GPS for your network. Scan ports, find devices, and discover what’s alive and vulnerable. - Source: dev.to / 13 days ago
  • 3 Types of Chaos Experiments and How To Run Them
    Start by mapping out your network’s topology, including routers, switches, gateways, and the connections between different segments. Tools like Nmap or network diagram software can help visualize your network’s structure. - Source: dev.to / 16 days ago
  • How to Install and Use Nmap in Termux
    If you want to scan a website, Nmap can help you find its open ports, see active IPs, and get other important details quickly. For anyone serious about cybersecurity, Nmap is a necessary tool. To learn more, visit their official website at Nmap.org. - Source: dev.to / 20 days ago
  • Your First Ethical Hack: Learn Network Scanning with Nmap
    Starting Nmap 7.80 ( https://nmap.org ) at 2025-04-12 00:10 IST Nmap scan report for scanme.nmap.org (45.33.32.156) Host is up (0.24s latency). Other addresses for scanme.nmap.org (not scanned): 2600:3c01::f03c:91ff:fe18:bb2f Not shown: 991 closed ports PORT STATE SERVICE 22/tcp open ssh 25/tcp filtered smtp 80/tcp open http 135/tcp filtered msrpc 139/tcp filtered netbios-ssn 161/tcp ... - Source: dev.to / 29 days ago
  • The Impact of Open-Source Tools in Cyber Warfare: A Deep Dive
    The democratization of powerful software technologies is a double-edged sword. On one hand, open-source tools empower organizations and individuals to bolster their cybersecurity defenses without incurring steep financial costs. On the other hand, these same tools can be harnessed by malicious actors, leading to a surge in both the frequency and sophistication of cyberattacks. Open-source resources like Metasploit... - Source: dev.to / 2 months ago
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What are some alternatives?

When comparing Proxychains and Nmap, you can also consider the following products

Proxifier - Proxifier extends the advantages of a proxy server to network applications that don't natively support it.

Angry IP Scanner - Open-source and cross-platform network scanner designed to be fast and simple to use

Wide Cap - WideCap - is system proxifier. It was created as `extended` version of FreeCap program.

Zenmap - Zenmap is the official cross-platform GUI for the Nmap Security Scanner.

Proxycap - ProxyCap empowers you to divert your PC’s system associations through intermediary servers.

Fing - Discover which devices are connected to any Wi-Fi network, map devices, detect intruders, assess...