AdminKit vs Shodan and Censys
Shodan states more than 3 million registered users search its internet-connected-device index (shodan.io, read 2026-10-23), and Censys states its map of the internet is used by 119+ government organizations and 10 of the top 10 cybersecurity companies (censys.com, read 2026-10-23); AdminKit works the opposite way — checking only the IP making the request, or an asset you've verified you own — and does not build or plan an internet-wide index of other people's devices.
Different categories: index vs. self-check
Shodan describes itself, on its own homepage, read 2026-10-23, as “the world’s first search engine for Internet-connected devices” — a searchable index that lets anyone look up devices across the internet rather than visiting each one directly, used, it states, by more than 3 million registered users. Censys’s own homepage, read 2026-10-23, similarly describes building “the world’s most comprehensive and accurate map of the Internet,” stating it is used by 119+ government organizations and 10 of the top 10 cybersecurity companies, aimed at exposure management, security operations and threat intelligence for teams that need to see everything reachable, not just their own assets.
AdminKit’s checks work the other way around. The free MQTT exposure, Modbus exposure, MCP endpoint and port checks only ever run against the IP address making the request, or an asset you’ve separately verified ownership of — there is no field to type in someone else’s address, and no index being built behind the scenes. That’s a deliberate design decision, consistent with AdminKit’s verified-ownership-only approach to active scanning, not a smaller or earlier version of what Shodan or Censys do.
Why this isn’t a feature race
AdminKit does not claim, and does not plan to build, any internet-wide scanning or indexing capability. If what you need is to search across many hosts you don’t directly control — research, threat intelligence, attack-surface discovery across an organization’s many assets — Shodan or Censys are built for that job and AdminKit is not a substitute. If what you need is “is my own camera, broker, or MCP server exposed right now, and what do I do about it,” that’s what AdminKit’s self-service checks are for.
Trademarks belong to their respective owners; AdminKit is not affiliated.
| Feature | AdminKit | Shodan | Censys |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scope of scanning | Your own IP, or a verified asset only | Internet-wide device index (own page) | Internet-wide host index (own page) |
| Search other people's exposed devices by query | Not offered — by design | ✓ | ✓ |
| Requires an account to use fully | ✓ | Registration implied (own page) | Account required for platform (own page) |
| Check your own MQTT / Modbus / MCP exposure with a fix hint | Live and coming with the API | — | — |
AdminKit vs Shodan
Scope of scanning
Search other people's exposed devices by query
Requires an account to use fully
Check your own MQTT / Modbus / MCP exposure with a fix hint
AdminKit vs Censys
Scope of scanning
Search other people's exposed devices by query
Requires an account to use fully
Check your own MQTT / Modbus / MCP exposure with a fix hint
Last checked
Sources: Shodan — homepage, Censys — homepage
Frequently asked questions
Does AdminKit let me search other people's exposed devices like Shodan or Censys?
No, by design. AdminKit's active checks (MQTT, Modbus, MCP endpoint and port exposure) only ever run against the IP making the request or an asset you've verified ownership of (DNS TXT record, file upload, or registrar/host OAuth). AdminKit does not build, and does not plan to build, a searchable index of other people's internet-connected devices.
What do Shodan and Censys actually offer?
Per Shodan's own homepage, it calls itself "the world's first search engine for Internet-connected devices," used by more than 3 million registered users including, it states, 89% of Fortune 100 companies. Per Censys's own homepage, it describes itself as building "the world's most comprehensive and accurate map of the Internet" for exposure management and threat intelligence.
Is AdminKit's exposure checking as capable as Shodan or Censys for finding exposed devices?
Not in the same way, and AdminKit isn't claiming otherwise. Shodan and Censys search a pre-built index covering vast numbers of hosts across the internet. AdminKit's checks are self-service and point-in-time, scoped to one asset at a time that you've verified, with fix guidance attached — a different tool for a different job, not a smaller version of an internet-wide index.
Does this page use Shodan's or Censys's logo or brand assets?
No. Both names are used only to identify and compare publicly available services (nominative use). AdminKit is not affiliated with or endorsed by either company.
Want AdminKit to watch this for you?
Free checks tell you the state today. Protective DNS and monitoring tell you when it changes.