> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://tools.osintnewsletter.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://tools.osintnewsletter.com/osint-tools/hunchly.md). # Hunchly | **Hunchly** | **Quick Overview** | | ---------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | URL | | | What it does | Automatically captures, organises, and preserves web-based investigations by recording visited pages, screenshots, timestamps, and notes. | | How to use it | Install the Hunchly desktop application and browser extension, start a case, then browse online and let Hunchly automatically collect evidence in the background. | | Cost | Paid with a free trial available. | | Account required | Yes. | | Cookies | The extension is not designed as a tracking or advertising tool, but it interacts with webpages you visit and may access session information necessary for capturing content. | | Ownership | Owned by Maltego, who are owned by US-based private equity firm, Charlesbank Capital Partners. | | Use in Reporting | Excellent for documenting investigative methodology, preserving evidence, maintaining chain of custody, and supporting findings with verifiable records. | ### What does Hunchly do? Hunchly automatically documents your research journey.. Rather than manually saving screenshots, copying URLs, and maintaining research logs, the platform captures everything for you. One of its biggest strengths is evidential preservation. If a webpage changes or disappears, you’ll still have a record of what was viewed at the time of collection. **The lowdown:** It essentially acts as your investigation assistant, quietly working in the background while you browse the web. ### How to Use: **1. Download and install the desktop application and browser extension from the official website. Create a case for your investigation.** **2. Add a ‘new selector’ to categorise your search then browse websites, social media platforms, forums, news articles, and databases as you normally would, ensuring the Hunchly extension is set to ‘capture.’** **3. Hunchly automatically captures pages, screenshots, timestamps, and URLs in the background which you can view in the dashboard as below:** **4. Export evidence and findings into structured reports.** ### Cost * [ ] Free * [ ] Partially Free * [x] Paid Paid but 30 day free trial available. ## Data Processing ### Account Required: * [x] Yes * [ ] No ### Cookies: Hunchly’s extension is not designed as a tracking or advertising tool, but it interacts with webpages you visit and may access session information necessary for capturing content. ### Use in Reporting Hunchly is particularly valuable for: * Intelligence reports. * Due diligence investigations. * Corporate investigations. * Fraud investigations. * Cyber investigations. * Journalism and fact-checking. * Legal evidence packages. * Audit and compliance reviews. The [Global Investigative Journalism Network has featured Hunchly](https://gijn.org/stories/gijn-toolbox-tracking-names-and-websites-verifying-video-and-an-open-source-clustering-search-engine/) as a recommended investigative tool for documenting online research and preserving evidence during reporting projects, describing it as a way to automatically capture webpages and metadata while journalists work through large volumes of online material. | **Capabilities** | **Limitations** | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | Automatically captures webpages, screenshots, URLs, and timestamps. | Doesn’t discover info itself - it records and organises info you find. | | Organises findings into searchable cases with tags, notes, and bookmarks. | Requires a paid licence after the free trial, and local installation on a supported device. | | Preserves online content as evidence, even if it’s removed or changed later. | Can only preserve content that has been viewed and captured during an investigation. | | Generates reports and exports to support investigations. | Some dynamic, interactive, or access-restricted content may not be captured perfectly. | | Creates an auditable record of research activity, helping demonstrate investigative methodology. | Large/long-running investigations can consume significant storage space and require ongoing organisation. | ### Summary Hunchly is one of the most widely used evidence-capture platforms in the OSINT community, most valuable during the collection phase of the OSINT workflow, with its strength being in not finding information, but preserving it. ### Ownership Owned by Maltego, who are owned by US-based private equity firm, Charlesbank Capital Partners. ### Ethical Considerations * Ensure investigations comply with applicable laws and organisational policies. * Avoid collecting information without a legitimate investigative purpose. * Secure captured evidence appropriately to prevent unauthorised access. * Be transparent about investigative methodology where appropriate. * Consider proportionality when collecting and retaining data. ### Related Tools: * [Maltego](/osint-tools/maltego.md) * SpiderFoot * [Wayback Machine](/osint-tools/wayback-machine.md) * [Intelligence X](/osint-tools/intelligencex.md) #### Sources