Softwr

Cybersecurity · head to head

Acunetix vs Granicus

Acunetix logo

Acunetix

Cybersecurity

Web application security testing made easy

From
On request
Free plan
No
Full reviewWebsite
Granicus logo

Granicus

Government

Digital Government Experiences Platform

From
$500/month
Free plan
No
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Acunetix pricing available by quote only; no transparent pricing published online; Granicus pricing is custom-quoted and not publicly available
  • They diverge on capability: Acunetix covers DAST scanning, Granicus covers Citizen Communications.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Acunetix and Granicus actually diverge.

Attributes where Acunetix and Granicus differ
AttributeAcunetixGranicus
Starting priceOn request$500/month
PlatformsDesktop, Web, ApiWeb, Mobile
CategoryCybersecurityGovernment
Founded20051999

Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), free tier (No), user rating (Not yet rated).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Acunetix

  • DAST scanning
  • IAST technology
  • AcuSensor
  • JavaScript security
  • SQL injection testing
  • XSS detection
  • OWASP Top 10
  • API security testing

Only in Granicus

  • Citizen Communications
  • Meeting Management
  • Digital Forms
  • Website Management
  • Records Management
  • Salesforce
  • Microsoft 365
  • Google Workspace

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Acunetix

  • Scanning web applications for security vulnerabilitiesnot Granicus
  • Testing APIs for exploitable weaknesses and threatsnot Granicus
  • Automating dynamic application security testing (DAST)not Granicus
  • Finding and validating security issues in production environmentsnot Granicus

Granicus

  • Citizen Servicesnot Acunetix
  • Records Managementnot Acunetix
  • Public Safetynot Acunetix
  • Civic Engagementnot Acunetix

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Acunetix

  • Pricing available by quote only; no transparent pricing published online
  • Requires per-application licenses for comprehensive coverage
  • Scanning speed and feature depth depend on subscription tier
  • Advanced features like API security testing may require higher-tier plans

Granicus

  • Pricing is custom-quoted and not publicly available
  • Complex sales process for government agencies
  • Integration with legacy government systems can be challenging

Pricing, plan by plan

Acunetix

On request
  • StandardFree
    • Single user
    • 5 targets
    • Scheduled scans
  • PremiumFree
    • Multiple users
    • Unlimited targets
    • CI/CD integration
  • Acunetix 360Free
    • Enterprise features
    • SDLC integration
    • Custom workflows

Granicus

$500/month
  • Government Starter$500/month
    • Communications Cloud
    • Meeting Management
    • Digital Services

Which should you pick?

Choose Acunetix if

  • You need dast scanning.
  • You work on Desktop, Web, Api.
  • You also want iast technology.
Acunetix review

Choose Granicus if

  • You need citizen communications.
  • You work on Web, Mobile.
  • You also want meeting management.
Granicus review

Questions people ask

Is Acunetix or Granicus better?
Neither clearly leads. Acunetix starts at On request and Granicus at $500/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Acunetix or Granicus?
Acunetix starts at On request and Granicus at $500/month.
Does Acunetix or Granicus run on more platforms?
Acunetix runs on Desktop, Web, Api. Granicus runs on Web, Mobile.
What is Acunetix best used for?
Acunetix is most often used for scanning web applications for security vulnerabilities, testing apis for exploitable weaknesses and threats, automating dynamic application security testing (dast), finding and validating security issues in production environments. Of those, scanning web applications for security vulnerabilities and testing apis for exploitable weaknesses and threats are not what Granicus is typically brought in for.
What can Acunetix do that Granicus cannot?
Acunetix covers DAST scanning, IAST technology, AcuSensor, JavaScript security. Granicus covers Citizen Communications, Meeting Management, Digital Forms, Website Management.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Acunetix: How much does Invicti (formerly Acunetix) cost?

Invicti pricing is available by quote based on your organization's needs, application count, and required features. The platform offers 8x faster scanning compared to competitors and detects 99.98% of exploitable vulnerabilities. Contact Invicti sales for a custom pricing proposal.

Source
Granicus: How many government agencies use Granicus?

Over 5,500 federal, state, and local government agencies use Granicus, reaching more than 300 million citizen subscribers.

Source
Granicus: What does Granicus Engagement Cloud provide?

Granicus Engagement Cloud combines government communications, website management, meeting and agenda management, records management, and citizen service digitization.

Source
Granicus: What are the main features of Granicus?

Granicus provides tools for managing public communications, citizen feedback collection, community event management, online surveys, event registration, and live-streaming capabilities.

Source
Share

Related pages

More on Acunetix

More on Granicus

Keep looking

Other head to heads