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Cybersecurity · head to head

Idira vs Nessus

Idira logo

Idira

Cybersecurity

Built on CyberArk's legacy and powered by Palo Alto Networks

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Nessus logo

Nessus

Cybersecurity

The most trusted vulnerability assessment solution

From
$4790/year
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Idira no pricing is published anywhere on the product page; every call to action is Request a Demo or a sales contact form; Nessus nessus Professional is $4,790 for one year, with no free or low cost commercial tier
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Idira and Nessus actually diverge.

Attributes where Idira and Nessus differ
AttributeIdiraNessus
Starting priceOn request$4790/year
Pricing modelquotesubscription
PlatformsWebDesktop, Api
FoundedUnknown2002

Identical on both: free tier (No), 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 Idira

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.

Idira

  • Tracking all privileged account usage in manufacturing facilitiesnot Nessus
  • Securing clinical resource access across distributed healthcare practicesnot Nessus
  • Implementing managed privilege access management across government agenciesnot Nessus
  • Consolidating human, machine, and AI agent activity monitoringnot Nessus
  • Centralizing vault and secrets management across environmentsnot Nessus

Nessus

  • Vulnerability scanning for individual practitionersnot Idira
  • Enterprise vulnerability managementnot Idira
  • Web application security assessmentsnot Idira

Where each one falls short

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

Idira

  • No pricing is published anywhere on the product page; every call to action is Request a Demo or a sales contact form
  • Endpoint privilege management and agentic AI identity governance are sold as separate solution categories rather than one bundled price, so evaluating total cost requires multiple sales conversations

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

Idira

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the Idira review.

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 Idira if

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

Idira review

Choose Nessus if

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

Questions people ask

Is Idira or Nessus better?
Neither clearly leads. Idira starts at On request and Nessus at $4790/year, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Idira or Nessus?
Idira starts at On request and Nessus at $4790/year.
Does Idira or Nessus run on more platforms?
Idira runs on Web. Nessus runs on Desktop, Api.
What is Idira best used for?
Idira is most often used for tracking all privileged account usage in manufacturing facilities, securing clinical resource access across distributed healthcare practices, implementing managed privilege access management across government agencies, consolidating human, machine, and ai agent activity monitoring. Of those, tracking all privileged account usage in manufacturing facilities and securing clinical resource access across distributed healthcare practices are not what Nessus is typically brought in for.
What can Idira do that Nessus cannot?
Nessus covers Vulnerability scanning, Configuration auditing, Malware detection, Web application scanning.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Idira: How is Idira priced and what are the costs?

Idira pricing is not disclosed on the Palo Alto Networks website. The company directs interested organizations to request a demo or contact their sales team directly to discuss pricing and licensing options for this identity security platform.

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
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
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
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