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OpenCTI vs iris

A side-by-side editorial comparison of OpenCTI and iris — release velocity, themes, recent moves, and the top alternatives to consider.

OpenCTI vs iris: at a glance

FeatureOpenCTIiris
SectorAnalyticsAnalytics
Velocity score6.32.5
Sparks · 30d10
Top themesthreat-intelligence, connector-marketplace, xtm-hub, workflow-governanceearth science, release cadence, python, release candidates
Last editorial update8h ago1h ago
WebsiteVisit →Visit →

What is OpenCTI?

OpenCTI is rebuilding its connector layer into a marketplace and wiring the platform to XTM Hub

OpenCTI ships on a roughly weekly date-stamped cadence, and the last six releases divide cleanly: the connector catalog was redesigned into a faceted marketplace, then the surrounding integrations experience was reworked around it, then the platform gained two-way connection with Filigran's XTM Hub. Alongside that, saved searches and saved filters became shareable and reusable across dashboards. The most recent releases are weighted toward fixes rather than new surface.

Read the full OpenCTI trajectory →

What is iris?

Iris ships steadily on a two-a-year cadence, but its feed publishes only pointers.

Iris tags a release candidate roughly every four to five months — 3.13 through 3.16 over the past year — and the cadence is the only thing the feed actually reports. Every entry is the same seven-line template: a line saying this is a release candidate, conda-forge and PyPI install commands, and a link to a 'What's New' page held elsewhere. No release notes reach the feed at all.

Read the full iris trajectory →

OpenCTI vs iris: editorial side-by-side

O
OpenCTI
ANALYTICS
6.3

OpenCTI is rebuilding its connector layer into a marketplace and wiring the platform to XTM Hub

◆ Current state

OpenCTI ships on a roughly weekly date-stamped cadence, and the last six releases divide cleanly: the connector catalog was redesigned into a faceted marketplace, then the surrounding integrations experience was reworked around it, then the platform gained two-way connection with Filigran's XTM Hub. Alongside that, saved searches and saved filters became shareable and reusable across dashboards. The most recent releases are weighted toward fixes rather than new surface.

◆ Where it's heading

The centre of gravity is moving from OpenCTI as a self-contained platform to OpenCTI as a client of Filigran's wider ecosystem — connectors sourced from a catalog with support tiers, custom views deployed from XTM Hub, an MCP server exposed through XTM One. The workflow engine is maturing in parallel, picking up draft approval, transition restrictions and full reset. Telemetry coverage expanded significantly in the same period, which is what makes the catalog's adoption measurable.

◆ Prediction

Expect more of the platform's configuration surface — dashboards, playbooks, mappers — to become distributable through XTM Hub the way custom views and connectors already are. The workflow approval features suggest governance controls are the next area to fill in.

I
iris
ANALYTICS
2.5

Iris ships steadily on a two-a-year cadence, but its feed publishes only pointers.

◆ Current state

Iris tags a release candidate roughly every four to five months — 3.13 through 3.16 over the past year — and the cadence is the only thing the feed actually reports. Every entry is the same seven-line template: a line saying this is a release candidate, conda-forge and PyPI install commands, and a link to a 'What's New' page held elsewhere. No release notes reach the feed at all.

◆ Where it's heading

The version numbers say a mature Met Office library is being maintained on a predictable schedule; nothing in the published entries says what is being maintained. Until the project puts release content in the tag body, its public trail will read as cadence without substance, and readers have to leave the feed to learn anything. The pattern has been identical across four consecutive releases, so it is a deliberate publishing choice rather than an oversight.

◆ Prediction

Expect v3.17.0rc0 around late 2026 on the same schedule, carrying the same boilerplate — the notes will again live on the documentation site rather than in the release entry.

Alternatives to OpenCTI and iris

Other Analytics products tracked by Sparkpulse, ranked by recent ship velocity. Each card links to a full editorial trajectory and lets you pivot into a head-to-head comparison with either OpenCTI or iris.

See all OpenCTI alternatives → · See all iris alternatives →

Recent activity from OpenCTI and iris

Latest ship moves from both products, interleaved chronologically. ⚡ = editorial spark.

  1. 21h agoOpenCTIMass operations can now edit relation start and stop times
  2. 5d agoOpenCTISaved searches and dashboard filters become shareable and reusable
  3. 8d agoOpenCTIData sanity operations can be stopped mid-run
  4. 13d agoirisv3.16.0rc0
  5. 13d agoOpenCTIIntegrations experience reworked around the new catalog, plus draft approval workflows
  6. 21d agoOpenCTIConnector catalog is rebuilt as a faceted marketplace
  7. 26d agoOpenCTIFix-only release across live streams, groups and dashboard widgets
  8. 4mo agoirisv3.15.0rc0
  9. 9mo agoirisv3.14.0rc0
  10. 1y agoirisv3.13.0rc0

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between OpenCTI and iris?

They serve adjacent needs but don't currently overlap on shipped themes. OpenCTI is currently shipping more aggressively (velocity 6.3 vs 2.5), with 1 editorial sparks in the last 30 days against 0. See the at-a-glance table above for a side-by-side breakdown of velocity, recent sparks, and editorial themes.

Is OpenCTI better than iris?

Sparkpulse doesn't pick a winner — we score release velocity, not feature parity. OpenCTI is currently shipping more aggressively (velocity 6.3 vs 2.5), with 1 editorial sparks in the last 30 days against 0. For your specific use case, the alternatives sections above list other Analytics products to evaluate alongside.

What are the best alternatives to OpenCTI?

Top OpenCTI alternatives in Analytics are ranked by recent ship velocity. Browse the "OpenCTI alternatives" section above for the current picks, or visit /alternatives/opencti for the full list with editorial commentary on each.

What are the best alternatives to iris?

Top iris alternatives in Analytics are ranked by recent ship velocity. Browse the "iris alternatives" section above for the current picks, or visit /alternatives/scitools-iris for the full list with editorial commentary on each.