Software · head to head
Nessus vs CrowdStrike Falcon
CrowdStrike Falcon
Software
Stop breaches with AI-native cybersecurity
- From
- $7.99/month
- Rated
- -
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; CrowdStrike Falcon falcon Go tier limited to maximum of 100 devices
- They diverge on capability: Nessus covers Vulnerability scanning, CrowdStrike Falcon covers Next-gen antivirus.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Nessus and CrowdStrike Falcon actually diverge.
| Attribute | Nessus | CrowdStrike Falcon |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | Free | $7.99/month |
| Free tier | Yes | No |
| Platforms | Desktop, Api | Windows, macOS, Linux |
| Founded | 2002 | 2011 |
Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).
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 CrowdStrike Falcon
- Next-gen antivirus
- Endpoint detection and response
- Threat intelligence
- IT hygiene
- USB device control
- Firewall management
- Threat graph
- Real-time response
Both cover
- ServiceNow
- Splunk
- AWS
- Azure
- Google Cloud
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 CrowdStrike Falcon
- Running compliance and configuration audits against a defined scopenot CrowdStrike Falcon
CrowdStrike Falcon
- Small endpoint deployments via Falcon Go with per-device pricingnot Nessus
- Mid-market organisations via Falcon Pro or Enterprise with advanced threat detectionnot Nessus
- Organisations requiring custom managed detection and response via Falcon Completenot 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
CrowdStrike Falcon
- Falcon Go tier limited to maximum of 100 devices
- Falcon Complete Next-Gen MDR requires custom quote; pricing not published
- Higher tiers (Enterprise and above) feature gatekeeping for threat hunting and identity protection
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
CrowdStrike Falcon
$7.99/monthNo published plan breakdown. See the CrowdStrike Falcon review.
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.
Choose CrowdStrike Falcon if
- You need next-gen antivirus.
- You work on Windows, macOS, Linux.
- You also want endpoint detection and response.
Questions people ask
- Is Nessus or CrowdStrike Falcon better?
- Neither clearly leads. Nessus starts at Free and CrowdStrike Falcon at $7.99/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Nessus or CrowdStrike Falcon?
- Nessus has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Nessus and $7.99/month for CrowdStrike Falcon.
- Does Nessus or CrowdStrike Falcon run on more platforms?
- Nessus runs on Desktop, Api. CrowdStrike Falcon runs on Windows, macOS, Linux.
- Can I use Nessus for free?
- Yes. Nessus has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. CrowdStrike Falcon starts at $7.99/month.
- 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 CrowdStrike Falcon is typically brought in for.
- What can Nessus do that CrowdStrike Falcon cannot?
- Nessus covers Vulnerability scanning, Configuration auditing, Malware detection, Web application scanning. CrowdStrike Falcon covers Next-gen antivirus, Endpoint detection and response, Threat intelligence, IT hygiene. Both handle ServiceNow, Splunk, AWS, Azure.