Pwndoc vs Serpico vs Dradis CE: Best Self-Hosted Pentest Reporting Tools 2026

Penetration testing teams face a constant challenge: findings scattered across spreadsheets, inconsistent report formats, and zero collaboration between team members. Dedicated pentest reporting platforms solve this by centralizing vulnerability data, standardizing deliverables, and enabling real-time team collaboration — all while keeping sensitive client data on your own infrastructure.

In this guide, we compare three leading open-source options: Pwndoc, Serpico, and Dradis CE. Each takes a different approach to pentest report management, from modern template-driven generation to established collaborative frameworks.

Why Self-Host Your Pentest Reporting Platform

Penetration test reports contain highly sensitive information about client vulnerabilities, network architectures, and exploitable weaknesses. Cloud-based reporting tools introduce third-party data handling risks that many security teams cannot accept. Self-hosted platforms give you:

• Full data sovereignty — findings never leave your network
• Offline operation — air-gapped assessments remain fully functional
• Custom integrations — connect to internal vulnerability scanners, ticketing systems, and SIEM platforms
• No per-user licensing costs — scale your team without recurring SaaS fees
• Template control — brand reports exactly to your organization’s standards

For security consultants managing multiple client engagements, a centralized reporting platform eliminates the overhead of maintaining separate document templates and ensures consistent quality across all deliverables.

Pwndoc — Modern Pentest Report Generator

Pwndoc is a purpose-built pentest reporting platform with a modern Vue.js frontend and Node.js backend. It separates vulnerability data from presentation, allowing teams to generate beautifully formatted reports from structured findings using customizable DOCX templates.

Key stats: 2,807 GitHub stars | Last updated: April 2026 | Language: JavaScript/Node.js

Core Features

• Template-driven reporting — generate DOCX reports from custom Word templates with embedded data fields
• Vulnerability database — maintain a centralized library of findings with CWE mapping, CVSS scoring, and remediation guidance
• Multi-language support — manage findings in multiple languages with automatic translation lookups
• Role-based access control — separate roles for administrators, report writers, and reviewers
• Collaborative editing — multiple testers can work on the same assessment simultaneously
• Image management — upload and embed screenshots directly into findings and reports
• Data import/export — import findings from Nessus, Nmap, and other scanning tools

Docker Compose Deployment

Pwndoc requires MongoDB as its database backend and separates the frontend, backend, and optional language tools into distinct services:

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services:
  mongodb:
    image: mongo:4.2.15
    command: --wiredTigerCacheSizeGB 1
    restart: always
    environment:
      - MONGO_DB=pwndoc
    volumes:
      - mongodb-data:/data/db
    networks:
      - backend-internal

  pwndoc-backend:
    image: yeln4ts/pwndoc:latest
    environment:
      - DB_SERVER=mongodb
      - DB_NAME=pwndoc
    depends_on:
      - mongodb
    restart: always
    networks:
      - backend-internal
      - frontend-internal

  pwndoc-frontend:
    image: yeln4ts/pwndoc-frontend:latest
    restart: always
    depends_on:
      - pwndoc-backend
    ports:
      - "443:443"
    networks:
      - frontend-internal

networks:
  backend-internal:
    driver: bridge
  frontend-internal:
    driver: bridge

volumes:
  mongodb-data:

Deploy with:

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docker compose up -d

Access the web interface at https://localhost. The default credentials are admin / ChangeMe.

Serpico — SimplE RePort wrIting and COllaboration

Serpico is one of the earliest open-source pentest reporting frameworks. Written in Ruby, it provides a straightforward web interface for managing findings, generating reports, and collaborating on assessments.

Key stats: 1,113 GitHub stars | Last updated: May 2020 | Language: Ruby

Core Features

• Finding templates — pre-built vulnerability descriptions with severity ratings and remediation steps
• Master template system — define report structures with sections for executive summary, technical findings, and appendices
• Collaborative assessments — multiple users can contribute findings to the same engagement
• Markdown editing — write findings using Markdown syntax with embedded image support
• Report generation — export findings as DOCX reports using configurable templates
• Finding reuse — build a growing library of vetted findings across engagements

Docker Compose Deployment

Serpico’s Docker setup is simpler, using a single service with a local file mount for the application data. Note that Serpico has not received significant updates since 2020, making it the least actively maintained option in this comparison:

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services:
  serpico:
    build:
      context: .
      dockerfile: docker/dev.dockerfile
    ports:
      - "8443:8443"
    volumes:
      - serpico-data:/Serpico
    environment:
      - SRP_ADMIN=administrator
      - SRP_FINDINGS=yes

volumes:
  serpico-data:

Deploy with:

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git clone https://github.com/SerpicoProject/Serpico.git
cd Serpico
docker compose up -d

Access the web interface at https://localhost:8443.

Dradis CE — Collaborative Security Platform

Dradis CE is the open-source Community Edition of the Dradis Framework, a well-established platform for IT security team collaboration and reporting. Written in Ruby on Rails, it provides a structured workflow for managing security assessments from reconnaissance through reporting.

Key stats: 799 GitHub stars | Last updated: April 2026 | Language: Ruby

Core Features

• Note-based organization — structure assessment data as interconnected notes with tags and categories
• Methodology integration — follow structured testing frameworks (PTES, OWASP, NIST) with built-in checklists
• Plugin ecosystem — extend functionality with integrations for Nessus, Burp Suite, Metasploit, Nmap, and more
• Evidence tagging — link screenshots, command output, and other evidence directly to findings
• Activity tracking — maintain an audit trail of all changes across the engagement
• Report generation — export findings using customizable Word templates with Ruby-based templating
• Issue tracking — track remediation progress with severity-based prioritization

Docker Compose Deployment

Dradis CE provides a streamlined Docker deployment with built-in TLS support and persistent storage:

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name: "dradis-ce"

services:
  web:
    image: dradis/dradis-ce:latest
    volumes:
      - dradis-ce-storage:/dradis/storage
    ports:
      - "443:443"
      - "80:80"
    env_file:
      - path: .env
        required: false
    healthcheck:
      test: ["CMD-SHELL", "curl -f http://localhost/up"]
      timeout: 15s
      retries: 3

volumes:
  dradis-ce-storage:

Deploy with:

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mkdir dradis-ce && cd dradis-ce
curl -sL -O https://raw.githubusercontent.com/dradis/dradis-ce/master/compose.yaml
docker compose up -d

The built-in health check verifies the application is responding. Access the web interface at https://localhost.

Feature Comparison

Choosing the Right Platform

Choose Pwndoc if:

• You need a modern, actively maintained platform with regular updates
• Your team requires multi-language report generation (English, French, Spanish, etc.)
• You want CWE mapping and CVSS scoring built into the vulnerability database
• You prefer a clean Vue.js web interface with responsive design
• You need a REST API for automation and CI/CD integration

Pwndoc is the strongest choice for teams starting fresh in 2026. Its modern architecture, active development (2,807 stars and regular commits), and comprehensive feature set make it the most forward-looking option.

Choose Dradis CE if:

• You already use the Dradis ecosystem and need Community Edition capabilities
• You want deep plugin integrations with Nessus, Burp Suite, and Metasploit
• Your workflow benefits from note-based, methodology-driven assessment organization
• You need a battle-tested platform with a long track record in the security community

Dradis CE excels for teams that value methodology structure and plugin extensibility over modern UI design.

Choose Serpico if:

• You have an existing Serpico deployment and need minimal maintenance
• You prefer the simplest possible setup with a single Docker container
• Your requirements are limited to basic finding management and DOCX export

Caveat: Serpico has not received meaningful updates since May 2020. For new deployments, Pwndoc or Dradis CE are recommended over Serpico due to active development, security patches, and modern feature sets.

Related Reading

For building a comprehensive security operations workflow, consider pairing your pentest reporting platform with a vulnerability management system. See our DefectDojo vs Greenbone vs Faraday guide for managing findings at scale, or our MISP vs OpenCTI vs Intel Owl comparison for threat intelligence integration. For automated vulnerability detection, our OpenVAS vs Trivy vs Grype guide covers scanning tools that feed directly into these reporting platforms.

FAQ

What is the best open-source pentest reporting tool in 2026?

Pwndoc is currently the most actively developed and feature-complete open-source pentest reporting platform. With 2,807 GitHub stars, regular updates as of April 2026, multi-language support, CWE/CVSS integration, and a REST API, it offers the most modern experience. Dradis CE is a strong alternative for teams needing deep scanner plugin integrations.

Can I use these tools for red team engagements?

Yes. All three platforms support collaborative assessment management, making them suitable for red team operations where multiple operators need to contribute findings. Pwndoc’s real-time collaboration and Dradis CE’s note-based organization are particularly well-suited for red team workflows.

How do I import findings from vulnerability scanners?

Pwndoc supports direct import from Nessus and Nmap scan results. Dradis CE uses plugins to integrate with Nessus, Burp Suite, Metasploit, Nmap, and other tools for automated finding import. Serpico supports manual finding import but lacks automated scanner integrations.

Is it safe to self-host pentest data?

Self-hosting is generally safer than cloud alternatives for penetration testing data because findings contain sensitive information about client vulnerabilities. With proper network isolation, encrypted storage, and access controls, a self-hosted platform keeps all assessment data within your infrastructure.

Do these tools support custom report branding?

All three platforms support custom DOCX templates. Pwndoc and Dradis CE use Word templates with data field placeholders for professional report generation. You can add your company logo, color scheme, and formatting to match organizational standards.

What are the hardware requirements?

Pwndoc requires MongoDB and runs best with at least 3GB of RAM allocated to the database container. Dradis CE and Serpico are lighter, running on a single container with minimal resources. For teams running multiple concurrent assessments, 4-8GB of RAM is recommended for any platform.

Can these platforms replace commercial tools like Core Impact or Rapid7?

These tools handle the reporting and collaboration layer of penetration testing workflows, not the actual exploitation engine. They complement scanning and exploitation tools rather than replacing them. Think of them as the centralized documentation and deliverable generation layer in your security assessment pipeline.