What is Bellingcat Toolkit?
Bellingcat's Online Investigation Toolkit is a free directory of tools for open source research, kept by the investigative group Bellingcat. It covers satellite and mapping services, geolocation aids, tools for verifying photos and videos, social media, websites, companies and finance, conflict monitoring, transport tracking, environment and wildlife, archiving and data analysis. Many entries link to an in-depth review and guide explaining what the tool does, how to use it and its limits.
The toolkit is written with the Bellingcat volunteer community: volunteers, staff and other open source researchers write and update entries, and Bellingcat staff check each one before it goes online. Volunteer Toolkit Guardians look after individual categories. Bellingcat notes that most listed tools can be used for free, that inclusion is not an endorsement, and that some tools come with significant caveats. You can also download the toolkit, or single categories, as a CSV file.
Main Features
- Tools grouped into categories such as Maps and Satellites, Geolocation, Image/Video and Transport
- In-depth reviews and how-to guides for many tools
- Entries checked by Bellingcat staff before publishing
- Volunteer Toolkit Guardians who maintain each category
- Download the whole toolkit or single categories as a CSV
- New Tools page for recent additions
- Resources section with guides, handbooks, newsletters and a Stay Safe section
- Markdown versions of pages and an llms.txt index
How to Get Started with Bellingcat Toolkit
- Open bellingcat.gitbook.io/toolkit in your browser.
- Pick a category that matches your task, such as Geolocation or Image/Video.
- Click a tool name to read its review, including how to use it and any caveats.
- Read the Stay Safe resources before starting, then download a category as a CSV if you want an offline list.
Bellingcat Toolkit Pricing
The toolkit is free to read and download. Bellingcat accepts donations to support it. Tools listed in it have their own pricing, though Bellingcat says most can be used for free.
Who Should Use It?
- People new to open source research looking for a trusted starting list
- Journalists and fact-checkers looking for the right tool for a verification task
- Human rights and accountability researchers
- Trainers and educators building OSINT courses
- Experienced researchers checking reviews and caveats before adopting a tool
Bellingcat Toolkit Alternatives
- OSINT Framework: a free, clickable tree of open source intelligence resources grouped by topic.
- InVID-WeVerify Plugin: a free browser extension that bundles many image and video verification tools.
- SunCalc: a free sun position map often used to check shadows when geolocating images.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Bellingcat Toolkit free?
Yes. The toolkit is free to browse and to download as CSV. Bellingcat accepts donations, and the tools listed have their own pricing, though most can be used for free.
Does Bellingcat endorse the tools in the toolkit?
No. Bellingcat states that inclusion does not mean it endorses or recommends a tool for investigative use, and that some tools come with significant caveats, which the reviews describe.
Does the toolkit cover safe and responsible research?
Yes. Its Resources section includes a Stay Safe area alongside guides and handbooks. It is aimed at verification, journalism and accountability research, and you should follow the law and respect privacy when using any listed tool.