Softwr

Cloud · head to head

Google Cloud Platform vs Nessus

Google Cloud Platform logo

Google Cloud Platform

Cloud

Trusted by millions of enterprises

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Nessus logo

Nessus

Cybersecurity

The most trusted vulnerability assessment solution

From
$4790/year
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Google Cloud Platform has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Google Cloud Platform the $300 Free Trial credit expires 90 days from signup, whichever comes first with spending it; Nessus nessus Professional is $4,790 for one year, with no free or low cost commercial tier
  • They diverge on capability: Google Cloud Platform covers Compute Engine, Nessus covers Vulnerability scanning.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Google Cloud Platform and Nessus actually diverge.

Attributes where Google Cloud Platform and Nessus differ
AttributeGoogle Cloud PlatformNessus
Starting priceFree$4790/year
Pricing modelusage-basedsubscription
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, Api, CliDesktop, Api
CategoryCloudCybersecurity
Founded20082002

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 Google Cloud Platform

  • Compute Engine
  • App Engine
  • Cloud Run
  • Cloud Storage
  • Cloud SQL
  • BigQuery
  • Dataflow
  • Cloud Pub/Sub

Only in Nessus

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

Both cover

  • Cloud deployment

What people use each for

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

Google Cloud Platform

  • Cloud infrastructure and computing servicesnot Nessus
  • Machine learning and data analyticsnot Nessus
  • Enterprise application hostingnot Nessus

Nessus

  • Vulnerability scanning for individual practitionersnot Google Cloud Platform
  • Enterprise vulnerability managementnot Google Cloud Platform
  • Web application security assessmentsnot Google Cloud Platform

Where each one falls short

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

Google Cloud Platform

  • The $300 Free Trial credit expires 90 days from signup, whichever comes first with spending it
  • Free Tier Compute Engine is limited to one non-preemptible e2-micro instance per month and only in the us-west1, us-central1 or us-east1 regions
  • Free Tier Compute Engine includes only 30 GB-months of standard persistent disk and 1 GB of outbound North America data transfer per month
  • Free Tier Cloud Storage covers 5 GB-months of regional storage in US regions only, 5,000 Class A and 50,000 Class B operations per month
  • Free Tier outbound data transfer allowances exclude destinations in China and Australia
  • Compute Engine resources are governed by allocation quotas that require a quota increase request to exceed

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

Google Cloud Platform

Free
  • Free TierFree
    • Compute Engine 744 hours/month
    • Cloud Storage 5GB
    • Cloud SQL 250MB storage

Nessus

$4790/year
  • Nessus Professional$4790/year
    • 1 year license
    • Best for individual security professionals
  • Nessus Professional 2-Year$9330.95/2 years
    • 2 year license with discounted rate vs. annual
  • Nessus Professional 3-Year$13637.54/3 years
    • 3 year license with discounted rate vs. annual
  • Nessus Expert$6790/year
    • 1 year license
    • Enhanced capabilities vs. Professional

Which should you pick?

Choose Google Cloud Platform if

  • You need compute engine.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Api, Cli.
  • You also want app engine.
Google Cloud Platform review

Choose Nessus if

  • You need vulnerability scanning.
  • You work on Desktop, Api.
  • You also want configuration auditing.
Nessus review

Questions people ask

Is Google Cloud Platform or Nessus better?
Neither clearly leads. Google Cloud Platform starts at Free and Nessus at $4790/year, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Google Cloud Platform or Nessus?
Google Cloud Platform has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Google Cloud Platform and $4790/year for Nessus.
Does Google Cloud Platform or Nessus run on more platforms?
Google Cloud Platform runs on Web, Api, Cli. Nessus runs on Desktop, Api.
Can I use Google Cloud Platform for free?
Yes. Google Cloud Platform has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Nessus starts at $4790/year.
What is Google Cloud Platform best used for?
Google Cloud Platform is most often used for cloud infrastructure and computing services, machine learning and data analytics, enterprise application hosting. Of those, cloud infrastructure and computing services and machine learning and data analytics are not what Nessus is typically brought in for.
What can Google Cloud Platform do that Nessus cannot?
Google Cloud Platform covers Compute Engine, App Engine, Cloud Run, Cloud Storage. Nessus covers Vulnerability scanning, Configuration auditing, Malware detection, Web application scanning. Both handle Cloud deployment.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Google Cloud Platform: What is Google Cloud Platform's pricing model?

Google Cloud uses usage-based pay-as-you-go pricing with options for committed use discounts at 1-year or 3-year terms, which can reduce costs by 25-70%. Pricing varies by region, service, and usage volume.

Source
Nessus: What is the cheapest Nessus option?

Nessus Professional starts at $4,790 per year for a 1-year license. Multi-year commitments offer discounts, with 2-year licenses at $9,330.95 and 3-year licenses at $13,637.54.

Source
Google Cloud Platform: Does Google Cloud offer a free tier?

Yes, Google Cloud offers an always-free tier with generous free allowances for development, plus $300 in free credits for new customers during their first 90 days.

Source
Nessus: What is the difference between Nessus Professional and Expert?

Nessus Expert costs $6,790 per year for a 1-year license (compared to $4,790 for Professional) and includes enhanced capabilities. Multi-year rates are available at discounted prices.

Source
Google Cloud Platform: How do committed use discounts work?

Users can commit to 1-year or 3-year usage of specific services to receive discounts of 25-70% compared to on-demand pricing. These discounts apply to compute, storage, and other services.

Source
Nessus: Does Nessus offer optional support or training?

Yes, Nessus offers add-on services: Advanced Support at $400/year provides 24x365 access to phone, email, community, and chat support. On-Demand Training costs $275/year for Fundamentals course access or $385/year for both Fundamentals and Advanced courses.

Source
Share

Related pages

More on Google Cloud Platform

More on Nessus

Keep looking

Other head to heads