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Security & Cybersecurity · head to head

Descope vs Nessus

Descope logo

Descope

Security & Cybersecurity

No-code drag-and-drop authentication platform.

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Nessus logo

Nessus

Security & Cybersecurity

The most trusted vulnerability assessment solution

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Descope free tier capped at 7,500 MAU; Pro tier at 10,000 MAU, Growth tier at 25,000 MAU, forcing migration to Enterprise for larger organisations; Nessus nessus Professional is $4,790 for one year, with no free or low cost commercial tier

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Descope and Nessus actually diverge.

Attributes where Descope and Nessus differ
AttributeDescopeNessus
Pricing modelfreemiumsubscription
PlatformsWeb, iOS, Android, APIDesktop, Api
FoundedUnknown2002

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Security & 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 Descope

Nothing recorded that Nessus does not also cover.

Only in Nessus

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

What people use each for

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

Descope

  • Organisations seeking rapid identity implementation without custom developmentnot Nessus
  • Companies supporting multiple user types (consumers, partners, AI agents) in single platformnot Nessus
  • Multi-tenant B2B2C SaaS applications requiring per-organisation identity policiesnot Nessus
  • Teams building passwordless-first authentication experiencesnot Nessus
  • Healthcare and regulated industries requiring HIPAA-compliant identity managementnot Nessus

Nessus

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

Where each one falls short

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

Descope

  • Free tier capped at 7,500 MAU; Pro tier at 10,000 MAU, Growth tier at 25,000 MAU, forcing migration to Enterprise for larger organisations
  • HIPAA compliance only available in Growth tier ($799/mo) and above; not included in lower-priced plans
  • No-code UI builder provides pre-built flows but still requires custom frontend development for fully-branded authentication experiences
  • All paid tiers billed annually; no monthly billing option for commitment-free flexibility
  • Bot protection features available only in Growth tier and above

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

Descope

Free
  • Free ForeverFree
    • 7,500 monthly active users
    • Basic authentication
    • Community support
  • Pro$249/month
    • 10,000 monthly active users
    • Custom domains
    • CI/CD integration
  • Growth$799/month
    • 25,000 monthly active users
    • Bot protection
    • Fine-grained authorisation
  • Enterprise$null/month
    • Unlimited monthly active users
    • Tiered discounts
    • Premium support with dedicated CS engineer

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 Descope if

  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android, API.
Descope 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 Descope or Nessus better?
Neither clearly leads. Descope starts at Free and Nessus at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Descope or Nessus?
Descope starts at Free and Nessus at Free.
Does Descope or Nessus run on more platforms?
Descope runs on Web, iOS, Android, API. Nessus runs on Desktop, Api.
Can I use Descope for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Descope best used for?
Descope is most often used for organisations seeking rapid identity implementation without custom development, companies supporting multiple user types (consumers, partners, ai agents) in single platform, multi-tenant b2b2c saas applications requiring per-organisation identity policies, teams building passwordless-first authentication experiences. Of those, organisations seeking rapid identity implementation without custom development and companies supporting multiple user types (consumers, partners, ai agents) in single platform are not what Nessus is typically brought in for.
What can Descope do that Nessus cannot?
Nessus covers Vulnerability scanning, Configuration auditing, Malware detection, Web application scanning.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Descope: Can I build custom authentication flows without code?

Yes. Descope's drag-and-drop workflow interface allows you to construct and modify signup, login, MFA and SSO flows without code changes.

Source
Descope: Does Descope support AI agent authentication?

Yes. Descope supports building identity journeys for AI agents and MCP servers, including scoped OAuth tokens and delegation chains.

Source
Descope: Is Descope HIPAA compliant?

HIPAA compliance is available in Growth tier and above, starting at $799/month.

Source
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