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Cybersecurity · head to head

Burp Suite vs Periscope Holdings

Burp Suite logo

Burp Suite

Cybersecurity

The leading toolkit for web security testing

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Full reviewWebsite
Periscope Holdings logo

Periscope Holdings

Government

Statewide e-procurement systems and supplier networks for large public agencies

From
On request
Free plan
No
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Burp Suite has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Burp Suite the automated vulnerability scanner is Professional only, at $499; the free Community edition is manual tools; Periscope Holdings it is scaled and priced for statewide programmes, so a single city or county typically finds both the implementation effort and the cost out of proportion to its needs.
  • They diverge on capability: Burp Suite covers Web vulnerability scanner, Periscope Holdings covers Sealed bid solicitation.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Burp Suite and Periscope Holdings actually diverge.

Attributes where Burp Suite and Periscope Holdings differ
AttributeBurp SuitePeriscope Holdings
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelsubscriptionquote
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsDesktop, ApiWeb
CategoryCybersecurityGovernment
Founded2004Unknown

Identical on both: 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 Burp Suite

  • Web vulnerability scanner
  • Proxy interceptor
  • Intruder
  • Repeater
  • Sequencer
  • Decoder
  • Comparer
  • Logger

Only in Periscope Holdings

  • Sealed bid solicitation
  • Supplier registration network
  • Contract catalogues
  • Cooperative purchasing
  • Spend and compliance reporting
  • Supplier diversity tracking

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 Periscope Holdings
  • Automated scanning for web vulnerabilities on the Professional editionnot Periscope Holdings
  • Extending testing with community-built BApp extensionsnot Periscope Holdings
  • Enterprise-wide dynamic scanning through Burp DASTnot Periscope Holdings

Periscope Holdings

  • A state building a central procurement portal serving many agencies and local entitiesnot Burp Suite
  • A large agency needing statutory sealed bidding with a public opening recordnot Burp Suite
  • A purchasing programme that must report spend and supplier diversity across entitiesnot Burp Suite
  • A state wanting local governments to buy from its awarded cooperative contractsnot 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

Periscope Holdings

  • It is scaled and priced for statewide programmes, so a single city or county typically finds both the implementation effort and the cost out of proportion to its needs.
  • The interface reflects the age and regulatory weight of the platform, and suppliers routinely describe registration and bidding as harder than on newer portals, which can suppress bid response.
  • Ownership has changed twice since 2021, from independent to mdf commerce to KKR, so roadmap and support continuity should be written into the contract rather than assumed.
  • Sibling products inside mdf commerce cover adjacent procurement ground, which means an apparently competitive shortlist may contain two products with the same owner.
  • Statewide implementations are multi year projects with heavy configuration and change management, and the professional services cost commonly exceeds the software over the contract term.

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

Periscope Holdings

On request
  • BuySpeed$undefined/year
    • Quoted per programme, scaled to entities served and transaction volume
    • Multi year statewide contracts with implementation priced separately
    • Supplier side registration fees form part of the commercial model on some programmes

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.
Burp Suite review

Choose Periscope Holdings if

  • You need sealed bid solicitation.
  • You also want supplier registration network.
Periscope Holdings review

Questions people ask

Is Burp Suite or Periscope Holdings better?
Neither clearly leads. Burp Suite starts at Free and Periscope Holdings at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Burp Suite or Periscope Holdings?
Burp Suite has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Burp Suite and On request for Periscope Holdings.
Does Burp Suite or Periscope Holdings run on more platforms?
Burp Suite runs on Desktop, Api. Periscope Holdings runs on Web.
Can I use Burp Suite for free?
Yes. Burp Suite has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Periscope Holdings starts at On request.
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 Periscope Holdings is typically brought in for.
What can Burp Suite do that Periscope Holdings cannot?
Burp Suite covers Web vulnerability scanner, Proxy interceptor, Intruder, Repeater. Periscope Holdings covers Sealed bid solicitation, Supplier registration network, Contract catalogues, Cooperative purchasing.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Burp Suite: Does Burp Suite offer a free version?

Yes, Burp Suite Community Edition is available free and supports manual testing. The page does not provide specific details on additional paid editions or their pricing.

Source
Periscope Holdings: Who owns Periscope Holdings?

mdf commerce acquired it in 2021, and mdf commerce was itself acquired by KKR in 2024.

Burp Suite: What features are available in the free edition?

Burp Suite Community Edition supports manual security testing, though specific feature limitations compared to paid editions are not detailed on this page. Visit individual product pages for detailed tier comparisons.

Source
Periscope Holdings: Is it suitable for a single city?

Usually not. It is built and priced for statewide or very large agency programmes.

Burp Suite: Are paid versions of Burp Suite available?

Yes, PortSwigger offers Burp Suite Professional and Burp Suite DAST as paid products, though specific pricing and feature details are not available on the main product page.

Source
Periscope Holdings: What is BuySpeed?

The e-procurement platform behind its statewide deployments, covering solicitation through catalogue ordering and reporting.

Periscope Holdings: Can we see what a state paid?

Yes. State procurement awards are public records and typically disclose the full multi year contract value.

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