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Cybersecurity · head to head

Check Point Software vs Tenable Nessus

Check Point Software logo

Check Point Software

Cybersecurity

AI Transforms the Network. We Transform the Firewall.

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Tenable Nessus logo

Tenable Nessus

Cybersecurity

Network vulnerability scanner

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Tenable Nessus has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Check Point Software no pricing published; directed to contact sales or find a partner; Tenable Nessus nessus Professional is $4,790 for one year, sold as an annual licence rather than a per scan or usage based fee
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Check Point Software and Tenable Nessus actually diverge.

Attributes where Check Point Software and Tenable Nessus differ
AttributeCheck Point SoftwareTenable Nessus
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelquotesubscription
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWebWindows, Linux, Macos, Cloud
FoundedUnknown2002

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Cybersecurity).

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 Check Point Software

Nothing recorded that Tenable Nessus does not also cover.

Only in Tenable Nessus

  • Network scanning
  • Vulnerability detection
  • Configuration assessment
  • Malware detection
  • Compliance checking
  • Cloud security assessment
  • Mobile scanning
  • API access

What people use each for

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

Check Point Software

  • Protecting hybrid cloud from ransomwarenot Tenable Nessus
  • Implementing zero trust on endpointsnot Tenable Nessus
  • Securing AI deployments from threatsnot Tenable Nessus
  • Detecting advanced threats across networksnot Tenable Nessus

Tenable Nessus

  • Vulnerability scanning of servers, network devices and web applicationsnot Check Point Software
  • Configuration and compliance auditing against hardening benchmarksnot Check Point Software
  • Point in time assessments by consultants and penetration testersnot Check Point Software

Where each one falls short

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

Check Point Software

  • No pricing published; directed to contact sales or find a partner
  • Cybersecurity enterprise software typically sold on quote-only basis
  • No transparent pricing for any product suite

Tenable Nessus

  • Nessus Professional is $4,790 for one year, sold as an annual licence rather than a per scan or usage based fee
  • Support beyond the base entitlement costs an extra $400 per year for Advanced Support with 24x365 phone and chat access
  • The on demand training course is a separate $275 purchase for a single person for one year
  • Multi year discounts require paying for two or three years up front

Pricing, plan by plan

Check Point Software

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the Check Point Software review.

Tenable Nessus

Free
  • Nessus EssentialsFree
    • Up to 16 ips
    • Network scanning
    • Vulnerability assessment
  • Nessus Professional$2600/year
    • Unlimited targets
    • Enterprise features
    • Advanced analytics
  • Nessus Expert$5200/year
    • All Professional features
    • Cloud integration
    • Advanced reporting

Which should you pick?

Choose Check Point Software if

Nothing in the data separates Check Point Software from Tenable Nessus on the points above - pick on price and on how each one feels to use.

Check Point Software review

Choose Tenable Nessus if

  • You need network scanning.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Windows, Linux, Macos, Cloud.
  • You also want vulnerability detection.
Tenable Nessus review

Questions people ask

Is Check Point Software or Tenable Nessus better?
Neither clearly leads. Check Point Software starts at On request and Tenable Nessus at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Check Point Software or Tenable Nessus?
Tenable Nessus has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for Check Point Software and Free for Tenable Nessus.
Does Check Point Software or Tenable Nessus run on more platforms?
Check Point Software runs on Web. Tenable Nessus runs on Windows, Linux, Macos, Cloud.
Can I use Tenable Nessus for free?
Yes. Tenable Nessus has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Check Point Software starts at On request.
What is Check Point Software best used for?
Check Point Software is most often used for protecting hybrid cloud from ransomware, implementing zero trust on endpoints, securing ai deployments from threats, detecting advanced threats across networks. Of those, protecting hybrid cloud from ransomware and implementing zero trust on endpoints are not what Tenable Nessus is typically brought in for.
What can Check Point Software do that Tenable Nessus cannot?
Tenable Nessus covers Network scanning, Vulnerability detection, Configuration assessment, Malware detection.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Check Point Software: How much does Check Point Software cost?

Check Point Software does not publish pricing. The vendor directs customers to contact sales or find a partner. Pricing is quote-based and customized per deployment.

Source
Tenable Nessus: What are the three Nessus offerings?

Nessus Essentials is a free introductory offering for educators, students, and career starters, limited to 16 IPs for scanning. Nessus Professional is designed for consultants and SMBs, providing unlimited IT scans across any location. Nessus Expert is the premium offering extending Professional with web application scanning, infrastructure-as-code scanning, and external attack surface assessment up to 5 domains.

Source
Check Point Software: Does Check Point Software offer a free trial or demo?

No pricing or free tier information is published on the Check Point website. Contact their sales team or find an authorized partner to request a demo.

Source
Tenable Nessus: What OS platforms does Nessus support?

Nessus runs on Debian/Kali Linux, Fedora, FreeBSD, Mac OS X, Red Hat/CentOS, SUSE Linux, Ubuntu, and various Windows versions including Server 2008, 2012, and Windows 7-10.

Source
Tenable Nessus: Can I use Nessus to scan third-party networks as a consultant?

Yes, Tenable permits you to use Nessus to scan third-party networks. Nessus Professional is ideal for consultants.

Source
Tenable Nessus: Can Nessus perform PCI external scanning?

Yes, you can use Nessus Professional to perform external network scans as required by the PCI DSS 11.2.2 requirement.

Source
Tenable Nessus: What additional features does Nessus Expert provide?

Web application scanning, which is dynamic application security testing (DAST) providing comprehensive visibility and insight into web application security issues; scanning code repositories for vulnerabilities; and assessing external attack surface with subdomain discovery.

Source
Tenable Nessus: What support options exist for Nessus Professional?

Standard Support includes software upgrades, patches, plugin access, and 24x7 support via chat and community portal. Advanced Support adds 24x7 phone access and committed SLAs: P1 less than 2 hours, P2 less than 4 hours, P3 less than 12 hours, P4 less than 24 hours.

Source
Tenable Nessus: How frequently are Nessus plugins updated?

Nessus plugins are updated daily, based on when vendors and security research sites publish new vulnerabilities.

Source
Tenable Nessus: How does licensing work in virtual machine environments?

Whether you are using Nessus in a physical or a virtual environment, the IP addresses or hosts that you are scanning from must be licensed.

Source
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