Softwr

Software · head to head

Darktrace vs Nessus

Darktrace logo

Darktrace

Software

Autonomous threat detection and response

From
$20000/year
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Nessus logo

Nessus

Software

The most trusted vulnerability assessment solution

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Nessus has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Darktrace listed on UK G-Cloud at £2.50 per user per month for the Darktrace Active AI Security Platform, via reseller Bytes Software Services Limited; Nessus nessus Professional is $4,790 for one year, with no free or low cost commercial tier
  • They diverge on capability: Darktrace covers Self-learning AI, Nessus covers Vulnerability scanning.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Darktrace and Nessus actually diverge.

Attributes where Darktrace and Nessus differ
AttributeDarktraceNessus
Starting price$20000/yearFree
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsNetwork, Cloud, EmailDesktop, Api
Founded20132002

Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), 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 Darktrace

  • Self-learning AI
  • Network anomaly detection
  • Autonomous response
  • Behavioral analysis
  • Threat model visualization
  • Email security
  • Application control
  • Incident response automation

Only in Nessus

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

Both cover

  • Splunk
  • Cloud deployment

What people use each for

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

Darktrace

  • Threat Detectionnot Nessus
  • Ndrnot Nessus
  • Incident Responsenot Nessus

Nessus

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

Where each one falls short

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

Darktrace

  • Listed on UK G-Cloud at £2.50 per user per month for the Darktrace Active AI Security Platform, via reseller Bytes Software Services Limited
  • Also listed on UK G-Cloud by reseller Grove Information Systems at £1,500 to £12,500 per device per month for the Malicious Network Activity Detection tool

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

Darktrace

$20000/year
  • Detect$20000/year
    • Network anomaly detection
    • AI-powered threat detection
    • Compliance reporting
  • Detect & Respond$35000/year
    • All Detect features
    • Autonomous response
    • Email security
  • Enterprise$50000/year
    • All features
    • Dedicated support
    • Custom training

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 Darktrace if

  • You need self-learning ai.
  • You work on Network, Cloud, Email.
  • You also want network anomaly detection.
Darktrace 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 Darktrace or Nessus better?
Neither clearly leads. Darktrace starts at $20000/year and Nessus at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Darktrace or Nessus?
Nessus has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $20000/year for Darktrace and Free for Nessus.
Does Darktrace or Nessus run on more platforms?
Darktrace runs on Network, Cloud, Email. Nessus runs on Desktop, Api.
Can I use Nessus for free?
Yes. Nessus has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Darktrace starts at $20000/year.
What is Darktrace best used for?
Darktrace is most often used for threat detection, ndr, incident response. Of those, threat detection and ndr are not what Nessus is typically brought in for.
What can Darktrace do that Nessus cannot?
Darktrace covers Self-learning AI, Network anomaly detection, Autonomous response, Behavioral analysis. Nessus covers Vulnerability scanning, Configuration auditing, Malware detection, Web application scanning. Both handle Splunk, Cloud deployment.
ShareXLinkedInRedditWhatsAppEmail

Related pages

More on Darktrace

More on Nessus

Keep looking

Other head to heads