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Software · head to head

Authy vs Nessus

A

Authy

Software

Simple to setup, secure cloud backup, multi device support

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Nessus logo

Nessus

Software

The most trusted vulnerability assessment solution

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Authy free consumer app with no paid tier, so there is no vendor-stated enterprise SLA or support plan on the pricing side; Nessus nessus Professional is $4,790 for one year, with no free or low cost commercial tier

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Authy and Nessus actually diverge.

Attributes where Authy and Nessus differ
AttributeAuthyNessus
Pricing modelfreesubscription
PlatformsWebDesktop, Api
FoundedUnknown2002

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).

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 Authy

Nothing recorded that Nessus does not also cover.

Only in Nessus

  • Vulnerability scanning
  • Configuration auditing
  • Malware detection
  • Web application scanning
  • Cloud scanning
  • Compliance checks
  • Patch auditing
  • Pre-built policies

What people use each for

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

Authy

No use cases recorded yet. See the Authy review.

Nessus

  • Scanning hosts and applications for known vulnerabilities and misconfigurationsnot Authy
  • Running compliance and configuration audits against a defined scopenot Authy

Where each one falls short

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

Authy

  • Free consumer app with no paid tier, so there is no vendor-stated enterprise SLA or support plan on the pricing side
  • Vendor markets multi-device sync as a core feature, meaning account security depends on cloud-backed codes rather than device-only storage

Nessus

  • Nessus Professional is $4,790 for one year, with no free or low cost commercial tier
  • Multi year terms are the only discount route, at $9,330.95 for two years and $13,637.54 for three
  • It is a single user scanner, so team workflows mean migrating to another Tenable product
  • Tenable One vulnerability management is priced separately, starting at $3,500 a year for 100 assets

Pricing, plan by plan

Authy

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Authy review.

Nessus

Free
  • Nessus Essentials (Free)Free
    • 16 IP addresses
    • Vulnerability scanning
    • Configuration auditing
  • Nessus Professional$2990/year
    • Unlimited IPs
    • Compliance checks
    • Live results
  • Nessus Expert$5290/year
    • All Pro features
    • External attack surface
    • Cloud infrastructure scanning

Which should you pick?

Choose Authy if

  • You want to start without paying.
Authy review

Choose Nessus if

  • You need vulnerability scanning.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Desktop, Api.
  • You also want configuration auditing.
Nessus review

Questions people ask

Is Authy or Nessus better?
Neither clearly leads. Authy starts at Free and Nessus at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Authy or Nessus?
Authy starts at Free and Nessus at Free.
Does Authy or Nessus run on more platforms?
Authy runs on Web. Nessus runs on Desktop, Api.
Can I use Authy for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What can Authy do that Nessus cannot?
Nessus covers Vulnerability scanning, Configuration auditing, Malware detection, Web application scanning.
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