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Cybersecurity · head to head

DataGrail vs Tenable Nessus

DataGrail logo

DataGrail

Cybersecurity

Privacy platform that finds shadow data systems and automates data subject requests across them

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: DataGrail no pricing is published, and while benchmarking suggests it undercuts OneTrust for comparable scope, cost still scales with request volume and connected systems, which grow with the business.; Tenable Nessus nessus Professional is $4,790 for one year, sold as an annual licence rather than a per scan or usage based fee
  • They diverge on capability: DataGrail covers Live data discovery, Tenable Nessus covers Network scanning.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which DataGrail and Tenable Nessus actually diverge.

Attributes where DataGrail and Tenable Nessus differ
AttributeDataGrailTenable Nessus
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelquotesubscription
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, APIWindows, 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 DataGrail

  • Live data discovery
  • Request automation
  • Audit trail
  • Consent management
  • Integration catalogue
  • Risk monitoring
  • Consumer request portal
  • Reporting

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.

DataGrail

  • A consumer brand whose deletion requests keep missing data in marketing tools the privacy team did not know existednot Tenable Nessus
  • A company processing hundreds of CCPA requests a month where manual fulfilment has become a full-time jobnot Tenable Nessus
  • A privacy team leaving OneTrust because the platform tracked requests but staff still completed them by handnot Tenable Nessus
  • An organisation needing evidence for a regulator that deletion actually occurred in every system, not that a ticket was closednot Tenable Nessus

Tenable Nessus

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

Where each one falls short

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

DataGrail

  • No pricing is published, and while benchmarking suggests it undercuts OneTrust for comparable scope, cost still scales with request volume and connected systems, which grow with the business.
  • Automated fulfilment only works for systems with a supported connector, so homegrown applications and legacy databases still need manual handling, and those are usually where the awkward data lives.
  • Discovery works by observing integrations and traffic patterns, so genuinely isolated systems, offline data and files on employee machines remain invisible and outside the data map.
  • It is narrower than the enterprise privacy suites, lacking the assessment, third-party risk and wider GRC modules a large regulated organisation will also need, so it may be one of two platforms rather than the only one.
  • Deletion automation is irreversible and mistakes are unrecoverable, so teams need real confidence in identity verification before enabling it, and that caution often keeps deletion semi-manual for months after purchase.

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

DataGrail

On request
  • DataGrail Platform$undefined/year
    • Data discovery and mapping
    • Data subject request automation
    • Consent management

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 DataGrail if

  • You need live data discovery.
  • You work on Web, API.
  • You also want request automation.
DataGrail 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 DataGrail or Tenable Nessus better?
Neither clearly leads. DataGrail 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, DataGrail or Tenable Nessus?
Tenable Nessus has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for DataGrail and Free for Tenable Nessus.
Does DataGrail or Tenable Nessus run on more platforms?
DataGrail runs on Web, API. 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. DataGrail starts at On request.
What is DataGrail best used for?
DataGrail is most often used for a consumer brand whose deletion requests keep missing data in marketing tools the privacy team did not know existed, a company processing hundreds of ccpa requests a month where manual fulfilment has become a full-time job, a privacy team leaving onetrust because the platform tracked requests but staff still completed them by hand, an organisation needing evidence for a regulator that deletion actually occurred in every system, not that a ticket was closed. Of those, a consumer brand whose deletion requests keep missing data in marketing tools the privacy team did not know existed and a company processing hundreds of ccpa requests a month where manual fulfilment has become a full-time job are not what Tenable Nessus is typically brought in for.
What can DataGrail do that Tenable Nessus cannot?
DataGrail covers Live data discovery, Request automation, Audit trail, Consent management. Tenable Nessus covers Network scanning, Vulnerability detection, Configuration assessment, Malware detection.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

DataGrail: How is DataGrail different from OneTrust?

OneTrust orchestrates the workflow; DataGrail focuses on connecting to systems and completing the request, and benchmark data suggests it prices materially below OneTrust for comparable scope.

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
DataGrail: Does it find systems we do not know about?

Yes. Continuous discovery of unsanctioned tools processing personal data is its main technical claim.

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
DataGrail: What does it cost?

Not published. Pricing is quoted by request volume and connected systems, with multi-year commitments typically discounted.

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
DataGrail: Does it cover consent as well as requests?

Yes, it includes consent management, though publishers needing certified advertising consent usually use a specialist CMP.

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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