Handling investigations can be challenging due to the sheer volume of data involved. Analysts are often tasked with sifting through massive amounts of information to identify relevant connections and insights. This is where link analysis tools become indispensable, providing the means to manage and interpret complex data sets both rapidly and effectively. With the right tool, analysts can streamline their workflows and focus on critical information, leading to more accurate and timely results.
Link analysis tools offer various features such as automatic network layouts and various methods for searching and navigating networks all with the goal of allowing users to visualize relationships and patterns clearly. However, typically these tools entail a time investment to get the most out of them. Therefore, feature-breadth and customization flexibility should be considered given your specific needs and requirements.
Below we compare 9 of the top link analysis tools, evaluating each based on several criteria: network layouts, grouping and filtering capabilities, feature depth, customization flexibility, ease of use, and data import capability. By examining the tools across these key aspects, we aim to help you identify the best link analysis tool for your needs, ensuring you can handle your data effectively and achieve optimal results in your investigative work.
What are Link Analysis Tools?
Link Analysis Tools are pieces of software that allow you to visualise, explore and understand the relationships between entities, such as people, places, and organisations.
List of Link Analysis Tools
- Sintelix
- Maltego
- Linkurious
- Datawalk
- i2
- Keylines
- RipJar
- Sentinel Visualizer
- Gephi
Common features of link analysis tools
An effective Link Analysis Tool should have the following core capabilities:
A variety of node types
An effective link analysis tool should support a wide range of node types to represent different entities, such as individuals, organizations, locations, and events. This versatility allows users to visualize complex relationships and interactions within a dataset, providing a clearer and more comprehensive understanding of the data.
Automatic layouts
Automatic layouts are essential for an efficient link analysis tool. These layouts automatically arrange nodes and edges in a way that minimizes overlap and clutter, making the network graph easy to read and interpret. By optimizing the visual presentation, users can quickly identify patterns, clusters, and key relationships.
Node grouping and filtering
Node grouping and filtering capabilities enable users to manage and analyze large, complex networks more effectively. Grouping allows similar or related nodes to be clustered together, while filtering helps in focusing on specific subsets of data. These features enhance the clarity and usability of the network graph, facilitating deeper insights and more precise analysis.
Data import
A robust link analysis tool should support data import from multiple formats, including at minimum: CSV, JSON, XML, and databases. This flexibility ensures that users can easily integrate data from various sources, enhancing the tool’s adaptability and usefulness across different scenarios and datasets.
Performance
Effective link analysis tools should be able to handle large datasets and display networks with thousands of nodes using only resources on the local machine without crashing or causing errors.
Tool Comparison
Below we have compared a selection of top tools for link analysis. *Jump to Disclamer
Each tool has been tested against 23 separate criteria representative of an effective link analysis tool *Jump to Criteria
You can also download our complete spreadsheet containing comparison metrics below:
URL: https://sintelix.com
Pros
- Industry leading tool for link analysis
- Comprehensive features
- Highly customizable
- Works well with both unstructured and structured data
Cons
- Sintelix is a comprehensive product with many features, thus can require a time investment to get the most value
Price: Request quote: https://sintelix.com/pricing/
Sintelix provides the most comprehensive and flexible link analysis tool on the market today. Sintelix combines advanced data ingestion (from databases and 1600+ file types) and powerful network generation into a single easy-to-use tool. It is easily extendable via APIs and a built-in App Builder.
Sintelix features a wide variety of advanced and useful network layouts out of the box, such as Force Directed, Ring, Multi Rings, Hierarchies, Tiled, Map overlays and complex Groups. You can also query and search your data with precision via Sintelix’s advanced search, including searching by text, entities, and even combinations of search methods.
Sintelix is a complete solution to your link analysis needs. Used in the field by intelligence, defence and law enforcement agencies globally, Sintelix has been continuously developed and improved for over a decade.
KeyLines
Pros
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JS framework allows developers to easily incorporate complex link diagrams into their own web applications
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Good development support
Cons
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Requires ongoing investment to develop and maintain applications
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Requires technical expertise to use
Price: Request quote: https://cambridge-intelligence.com/keylines/try-keylines/
KeyLines is a flexible JavaScript framework for graph visualization by Cambridge Intelligence. KeyLines requires coding knowledge and development to build out an application, thus may not be the ideal option if you need to get up and running quickly. However, it is a useful tool for building your own interactive graph visualization applications.
KeyLines uses WebGL and the HTML5 Canvas for fast rendering performance. A stand-out feature is “Combos”, which arrange networks into groups, removing clutter and simplifying complex networks. “Combos” group nodes according to categories assigned to your data, giving you a visually elegant and interactive summary of the relationships between groups.
KeyLines offers an intuitive time-based analysis view and refined zooming functionality. Developer support is also available in case you do not wish to build applications on your own, along with extensive documentation. They also offer ReGraph, which is an SDK for React developers.
RipJar
URL: https://ripjar.com/
Pros
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Clean and easy-to-use UI
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Minimalist diagrams that are easy to interpret
Cons
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Network features are less comprehensive than alternative products where link analysis is a primary feature
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Minimal support for unstructured data
Price: Request quote: https://ripjar.com/labyrinth/
RipJar is a case management and investigation software for countering Financial Crime, including investigations such as money laundering and criminal networks. Part of its core offering is a handy link analysis capability.
RipJar features a clean and interactive table view allowing you to edit data easily. It also features nodes that change colour based on node weight or strength of connections, which can be helpful to assess the community strength of entities.
Whilst not as sophisticated as a solution dedicated to link analysis (such as Sintelix or i2), stand-out features include flexible search and nodes that are easy to customize. Ripjar also bundles in a useful workflow automation dashboard and has a clean minimalist UI that is easy to navigate.
Maltego
Pros
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Good support for networks containing IP addresses and devices
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Easy to get started with good documentation
Cons
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Limited support for unstructured data
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Visual appeal of networks can be a bit basic, such as overlapping links
Price: Request quote: https://www.maltego.com/price-inquiry/
Maltego is an established cyber investigation platform that contains a link analysis capability. It is particularly suited to investigations containing devices, and IP addresses, but can be used for typical investigations containing people, places and locations.
Whilst Maltego has minimal support for unstructured data, it has some useful OSINT integrations as part of its “Data Hub” offering: (https://www.maltego.com/transform-hub/). Whilst the product is a bit minimalist in terms of link analysis features, it has accessible and detailed documentation.
Maltego has also developed a useful online community (https://www.maltego.com/maltego-community/) which is useful to get support and see how advanced users use the product.
Linkurious
Pros
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Customizable search queries
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Advanced network layouts
Cons
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Light on data processing features and flexibility
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Some features are quite technical to use
Price: Request quote: https://resources.linkurious.com/lke-free-trial
Linkurious Enterprise Explorer is a data visualization and exploration software that integrates with graph databases. Link analysis is part of its core offering, which provides an intuitive interface for interacting with nodes and edges.
Standout link analysis features include flexible node colouring options, advanced search, and advanced network layouts. It also has a feature called “Query Templates”, which convert repetitive exploration steps into reusable actions that trigger customizable queries to help find key information.
Datawalk
Pros
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Visual network search query builder
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Easy-to-use filters out of the box
Cons
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Limited support for unstructured data
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Data has to be converted into Datawalk’s proprietary “Knowledge graph” format
Price: Request quote: https://datawalk.com/live-demo/
Datawalk is a data analysis platform for enterprise that has a strong link analysis capability. It has a series of drop-down menus in the network view which make it easy to filter data and switch between network layouts.
Datawalk also features a visual query builder to search data, as well as a report generator tool. A data import tool is provided, however incoming data has to be transformed, then added to their built-in “knowledge graph” before it can be used. A useful feature is the ability to add a risk score to a given entity, such as a person.
i2
Pros
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Advanced network layouts
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Collaboration features
Cons
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Expensive solution
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Requires training to use effectively
Price: Request quote: https://i2group.com/i2-analysts-notebook
The i2 Analyst’s Notebook is a powerful visual analysis tool designed to help analysts and investigators uncover hidden networks, patterns, and trends within large datasets. I2 is more suited to working with structured datasets, although it provides some limited support for unstructured data via it’s TextChart add-on. I2 aims to facilitate multidimensional analyses efficiently, where analysts can create detailed link and timeline charts that visually represent relationships and events.
i2 Analyst’s Notebook is used predominantly in law enforcement and military settings, whilst also used for fraud detection and cyber investigations.
Functionalities include social network analysis, geospatial analysis, and temporal analysis. The platform also includes collaborative features, making it possible for teams to work together on the same dataset and share insights.
Sentinel Visualizer
Pros
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Social media analysis
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Flexible data integration
Cons
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Light on network analysis features
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Difficult to extend and customize
Price: Starting from $2,999 US
Sentinel Visualizer is a link analysis tool with a focus on connecting multiple data sources. Sentinel Visualizer is capable of advanced data visualization, link analysis, and social network analysis. The software supports various visualization techniques, including dynamic link charts, geospatial views, and timeline analyses.
Sentinel Visualizer is particularly good at working with multi-level hierarchical relationships. Additionally, the software includes tools for temporal analysis, allowing users to observe how networks evolve over time and identify trends and patterns. The Social Network Analysis (SNA) functionality is effective at calculating centrality measures and other metrics that highlight the most influential nodes within a social network.
Sentinel Visualizer is also relatively user-friendly, offering customizable display properties that allow users to tailor the visualization to their specific needs. It also supports both desktop and browser-based usage, facilitating remote access and collaboration. Sentinel Visualizer provides non-enterprise licensing options, making it accessible to a broad range of users and organizations.
Gephi
URL: https://gephi.org/
Pros
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Open source
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Large datasets
Cons
- Less features than commercial solutions
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Not built with investigations in mind, instead primarily used for research projects
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Time intensive to get good results
- No support
Price: Free
Gephi is an open-source link analysis tool. It has been optimized to handle large datasets locally, although support for unstructured data is limited. Gephi has historically been used for scientific research applications by data analysts and researchers, however with some tweaking and patience it can be customized to suit a law enforcement investigation.
Gephi has a steeper learning curve than most commercial offerings, but if you are willing to persist you can create some impressive and useful visualizations. Stand out features include large-scale node clustering, and many options to manually customize networks.
Whilst Gephi may lack the depth of features and polish of commercial offerings, it is a useful tool for analysts to have familiarity with, and enhances their ability to work with commercial link analysis solutions.
Appendix
Disclaimer: The comparisons and scoring above represent our own opinion only based on our own research. Great care was taken to respect the terms and conditions of each product, as a result, in some cases the accuracy of our assessment is limited by only what is publicly accessible, which may include product websites, third-party websites, forums and online documentation where available. We have done our best to be as accurate as possible. If you are a representative of any of the products listed, and believe a score should be amended, we are happy to consider doing so with your permission – kindly contact us here.
Scoring Criteria
| CRITERIA GROUP | CRITERIA | DESCRIPTION |
|---|---|---|
| Network layouts | Manual layouts | Manually adjust and manipulate network nodes |
| Network layouts | Basic automatic layouts | See connections clearly with basic graph layout algorithms |
| Network layouts | Advanced automatic layouts | Advanced graph layout algorithms such as Force-directed, Multi-ring, hierachies |
| Network layouts | Node weighting | Weight nodes by properties such as number of connections or number of references |
| Grouping and filtering | Node grouping | Group nodes and hide clutter to reveal insight in large and complex graph datasets |
| Grouping and filtering | Network filtering | Focus on the nodes that help you tell the story with flexible filtering |
| Grouping and filtering | Node merging | Merge and re-process multiple nodes into a single node to gain a clearer picture of an entity, such as a person with multiple names or references |
| Feature depth | Social media analysis | Includes a module, template or feature tailored to social media analysis |
| Feature depth | Map overlay | Display a network over the top of a map |
| Feature depth | Time-line analysis | Explore a link analysis via a timeline |
| Feature depth | Alerts | Set alerts for entities that get triggered as new information is added to the network |
| Feature depth | Graph search | Search a network by text |
| Feature depth | Advanced graph search | Search a network via an array of properties or associations |
| Feature depth | Automatic community detection | Automatically group nodes by community strength |
| Feature depth | Automatic topic extraction | Automatically extract and group key phrases or words within a network and its associated data |
| Customisable | Custom nodes | Customise nodes by adding images or changing colors |
| Customisable | Basic configuration | Customize the look and feel of the network |
| Customisable | Advanced configuration | Customize network generation, including rules around entity extraction and grouping |
| Easy to use | No-code UI option | An accessible, UI interface |
| Easy to use | Coding option | APIs and other programmatic options to allow for flexibility of implementation |
| Data import | Structured data | Supports common structured data types such as XML, JSON |
| Data import | Basic unstructured data | Supports common file types such as word docs and PDFs |
| Data import | Advanced unstructured data | Supports 1,000's of file types |
