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Security & Cybersecurity · head to head

Nessus vs Acunetix

Nessus logo

Nessus

Security & Cybersecurity

The most trusted vulnerability assessment solution

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Acunetix logo

Acunetix

Security & Cybersecurity

Web application security testing made easy

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Nessus has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Nessus nessus Professional is $4,790 for one year, with no free or low cost commercial tier; Acunetix aWS Marketplace lists Acunetix Online Premium, published by seller Invicti Security, at $7,000 per year for 5 targets under a 12 month contract, where a target is one fully qualified domain, website, web app, API or web service
  • They diverge on capability: Nessus covers Vulnerability scanning, Acunetix covers DAST scanning.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Nessus and Acunetix actually diverge.

Attributes where Nessus and Acunetix differ
AttributeNessusAcunetix
Starting priceFreeOn request
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsDesktop, ApiDesktop, Web, Api
Founded20022005

Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), 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 Nessus

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

Only in Acunetix

  • DAST scanning
  • IAST technology
  • AcuSensor
  • JavaScript security
  • SQL injection testing
  • XSS detection
  • OWASP Top 10
  • API security testing

Both cover

  • ServiceNow
  • On-premise deployment

What people use each for

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

Nessus

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

Acunetix

  • Vulnerability Scannernot Nessus
  • Web Securitynot Nessus
  • Dastnot Nessus

Where each one falls short

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

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

Acunetix

  • AWS Marketplace lists Acunetix Online Premium, published by seller Invicti Security, at $7,000 per year for 5 targets under a 12 month contract, where a target is one fully qualified domain, website, web app, API or web service
  • AWS Marketplace's Invicti listing shows Premium Support priced separately at $150,000 per year and Premium Support with Guided Success at $300,000 per year, on top of the base scanning licence

Pricing, plan by plan

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

Acunetix

On request
  • StandardFree
    • Single user
    • 5 targets
    • Scheduled scans
  • PremiumFree
    • Multiple users
    • Unlimited targets
    • CI/CD integration
  • Acunetix 360Free
    • Enterprise features
    • SDLC integration
    • Custom workflows

Which should you pick?

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

Choose Acunetix if

  • You need dast scanning.
  • You work on Desktop, Web, Api.
  • You also want iast technology.
Acunetix review

Questions people ask

Is Nessus or Acunetix better?
Neither clearly leads. Nessus starts at Free and Acunetix at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Nessus or Acunetix?
Nessus has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Nessus and On request for Acunetix.
Does Nessus or Acunetix run on more platforms?
Nessus runs on Desktop, Api. Acunetix runs on Desktop, Web, Api.
Can I use Nessus for free?
Yes. Nessus has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Acunetix starts at On request.
What is Nessus best used for?
Nessus is most often used for scanning hosts and applications for known vulnerabilities and misconfigurations, running compliance and configuration audits against a defined scope. Of those, scanning hosts and applications for known vulnerabilities and misconfigurations and running compliance and configuration audits against a defined scope are not what Acunetix is typically brought in for.
What can Nessus do that Acunetix cannot?
Nessus covers Vulnerability scanning, Configuration auditing, Malware detection, Web application scanning. Acunetix covers DAST scanning, IAST technology, AcuSensor, JavaScript security. Both handle ServiceNow, On-premise deployment.
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