Software · head to head
Burp Suite vs OWASP ZAP
The short version
- Each has a real cost: Burp Suite the automated vulnerability scanner is Professional only, at $499; the free Community edition is manual tools; OWASP ZAP oWASP ZAP is free and open source with no official paid enterprise support contract available from OWASP; support is community-only (mailing lists, GitHub issues).
- They diverge on capability: Burp Suite covers Web vulnerability scanner, OWASP ZAP covers Active scanner.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Burp Suite and OWASP ZAP actually diverge.
| Attribute | Burp Suite | OWASP ZAP |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | subscription | free |
| Platforms | Desktop, Api | Desktop, Cli, Api |
| Founded | 2004 | 2001 |
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 Burp Suite
- Web vulnerability scanner
- Proxy interceptor
- Intruder
- Repeater
- Sequencer
- Decoder
- Comparer
- Logger
Only in OWASP ZAP
- Active scanner
- Passive scanner
- Spider/crawler
- Fuzzer
- Forced browse
- WebSocket testing
- AJAX spider
- Authentication support
Both cover
- Jenkins
- On-premise deployment
- Desktop support
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Burp Suite
- Manual web application penetration testing through an intercepting proxynot OWASP ZAP
- Automated scanning for web vulnerabilities on the Professional editionnot OWASP ZAP
- Extending testing with community-built BApp extensionsnot OWASP ZAP
- Enterprise-wide dynamic scanning through Burp DASTnot OWASP ZAP
OWASP ZAP
- Penetration Testingnot Burp Suite
- Web Securitynot Burp Suite
- Open Sourcenot Burp Suite
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Burp Suite
- The automated vulnerability scanner is Professional only, at $499; the free Community edition is manual tools
- BApp Store extensions require the Professional edition
- DAST and the agentic testing product are separate enterprise offerings with no published price
- Professional is licensed per user per year rather than perpetually
OWASP ZAP
- OWASP ZAP is free and open source with no official paid enterprise support contract available from OWASP; support is community-only (mailing lists, GitHub issues).
Pricing, plan by plan
Burp Suite
Free- Community EditionFree
- Essential manual tools
- Proxy
- Repeater
- Professional$449/year
- All Community features
- Burp Scanner
- Advanced manual tools
- Enterprise$6995/year
- CI/CD integration
- Scheduled scans
- Role-based access
OWASP ZAP
Free- Free & Open SourceFree
- Full functionality
- Active & passive scanning
- Spider
Which should you pick?
Choose Burp Suite if
- You need web vulnerability scanner.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Desktop, Api.
- You also want proxy interceptor.
Choose OWASP ZAP if
- You need active scanner.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Desktop, Cli, Api.
- You also want passive scanner.
Questions people ask
- Is Burp Suite or OWASP ZAP better?
- Neither clearly leads. Burp Suite starts at Free and OWASP ZAP at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Burp Suite or OWASP ZAP?
- Burp Suite starts at Free and OWASP ZAP at Free.
- Does Burp Suite or OWASP ZAP run on more platforms?
- Burp Suite runs on Desktop, Api. OWASP ZAP runs on Desktop, Cli, Api.
- Can I use Burp Suite for free?
- Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
- What is Burp Suite best used for?
- Burp Suite is most often used for manual web application penetration testing through an intercepting proxy, automated scanning for web vulnerabilities on the professional edition, extending testing with community-built bapp extensions, enterprise-wide dynamic scanning through burp dast. Of those, manual web application penetration testing through an intercepting proxy and automated scanning for web vulnerabilities on the professional edition are not what OWASP ZAP is typically brought in for.
- What can Burp Suite do that OWASP ZAP cannot?
- Burp Suite covers Web vulnerability scanner, Proxy interceptor, Intruder, Repeater. OWASP ZAP covers Active scanner, Passive scanner, Spider/crawler, Fuzzer. Both handle Jenkins, On-premise deployment, Desktop support.