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Government · head to head

MuckRock vs Tenable

MuckRock logo

MuckRock

Government

FOIA Filing and Research Platform

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Full reviewWebsite
Tenable logo

Tenable

Cybersecurity

AI-powered exposure management platform for unified security visibility

From
$3500/year
Free plan
No
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only MuckRock has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: MuckRock muckRock's core platform, Squarelet identity service, and DocumentCloud are licensed AGPL-3.0, which requires anyone running a modified version as a network service to release their source code; Tenable pricing starts at $3500/year for Tenable One VM, expensive for small organizations
  • They diverge on capability: MuckRock covers FOIA Filing, Tenable covers Unified attack surface mapping.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which MuckRock and Tenable actually diverge.

Attributes where MuckRock and Tenable differ
AttributeMuckRockTenable
Starting priceFree$3500/year
Pricing modelfreemiumsubscription
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWebCloud, Web
CategoryGovernmentCybersecurity
Founded2010Unknown

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 MuckRock

  • FOIA Filing
  • Request Tracking
  • Document Archive
  • Collaboration
  • Agency Directory
  • DocumentCloud
  • News Organizations
  • Research Tools

Only in Tenable

  • Unified attack surface mapping
  • Exposure intelligence enrichment
  • Tenable Hexa AI orchestration
  • Cloud Exposure (CNAPP)
  • OT Exposure
  • Identity Exposure
  • Vulnerability Management
  • Attack Surface Management

What people use each for

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

MuckRock

  • Citizen Servicesnot Tenable
  • Records Managementnot Tenable
  • Public Safetynot Tenable
  • Civic Engagementnot Tenable

Tenable

  • Comprehensive vulnerability scanning for enterprise networksnot MuckRock
  • Cloud security monitoring and compliance for AWS, Azure, GCPnot MuckRock
  • Identity and access management risk assessmentnot MuckRock
  • Operational technology security for industrial systemsnot MuckRock
  • Attack surface management for third-party risknot MuckRock

Where each one falls short

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

MuckRock

  • MuckRock's core platform, Squarelet identity service, and DocumentCloud are licensed AGPL-3.0, which requires anyone running a modified version as a network service to release their source code

Tenable

  • Pricing starts at $3500/year for Tenable One VM, expensive for small organizations
  • Many enterprise features require custom quote and sales engagement
  • Cloud Exposure, OT Exposure, and other modules have no published pricing
  • Multi-year contracts common, limiting flexibility
  • Setup and configuration complexity for enterprise deployments

Pricing, plan by plan

MuckRock

Free
  • BasicFree
    • FOIA Filing
    • Request Tracking
    • Document Archive

Tenable

$3500/year
  • Tenable One Vulnerability Management$3500/year
    • Per 100 assets
    • Multi-year discounts available
  • Tenable One Web App Scanning$3578/year
    • Per 5 FQDNs
    • Annual subscription
  • Nessus Professional$4790/year
    • Vulnerability scanning
    • Multi-year discounts available
    • Optional advanced support: $400/year
  • Nessus Expert$6790/year
    • Advanced vulnerability scanning
    • Multi-year discounts available
    • Optional advanced support: $400/year

Which should you pick?

Choose MuckRock if

  • You need foia filing.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want request tracking.
MuckRock review

Choose Tenable if

  • You need unified attack surface mapping.
  • You work on Cloud, Web.
  • You also want exposure intelligence enrichment.
Tenable review

Questions people ask

Is MuckRock or Tenable better?
Neither clearly leads. MuckRock starts at Free and Tenable at $3500/year, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, MuckRock or Tenable?
MuckRock has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for MuckRock and $3500/year for Tenable.
Does MuckRock or Tenable run on more platforms?
MuckRock runs on Web. Tenable runs on Cloud, Web.
Can I use MuckRock for free?
Yes. MuckRock has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Tenable starts at $3500/year.
What is MuckRock best used for?
MuckRock is most often used for citizen services, records management, public safety, civic engagement. Of those, citizen services and records management are not what Tenable is typically brought in for.
What can MuckRock do that Tenable cannot?
MuckRock covers FOIA Filing, Request Tracking, Document Archive, Collaboration. Tenable covers Unified attack surface mapping, Exposure intelligence enrichment, Tenable Hexa AI orchestration, Cloud Exposure (CNAPP).

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Tenable: How is Tenable One pricing structured?

Tenable One Vulnerability Management costs $3500/year per 100 assets. Web App Scanning is $3578/year per 5 FQDNs. Multi-year discounts are available.

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

Nessus Professional costs $4790/year and provides core vulnerability scanning. Nessus Expert costs $6790/year and offers advanced scanning capabilities.

Source
Tenable: Are custom support and training available for Tenable?

Yes. Optional advanced support is available for $400/year. Training courses range from $275-$385/year.

Source
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