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Cybersecurity · head to head

Nessus vs SafeCity

Nessus logo

Nessus

Cybersecurity

The most trusted vulnerability assessment solution

From
$4790/year
Free plan
No
Full reviewWebsite
S

SafeCity

Government

Integrated Public Safety Platform

From
$2000/month
Free plan
No
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Nessus nessus Professional is $4,790 for one year, with no free or low cost commercial tier; SafeCity the vendor's own homepage as captured by the Internet Archive in December 2021/January 2022 confirms Safecity is run by Red Dot Foundation, presenting itself as a community safety initiative with blog content and no commercial pricing page, product tier, or subscription anywhere on the site, consistent with a not-for-profit rather than a commercially sold product
  • They diverge on capability: Nessus covers Vulnerability scanning, SafeCity covers Video Surveillance.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Nessus and SafeCity actually diverge.

Attributes where Nessus and SafeCity differ
AttributeNessusSafeCity
Starting price$4790/year$2000/month
PlatformsDesktop, ApiWeb, Desktop, Mobile
CategoryCybersecurityGovernment
Founded20022014

Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), free tier (No), 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 Nessus

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

Only in SafeCity

  • Video Surveillance
  • AI Analytics
  • Command Center
  • Incident Management
  • Emergency Response
  • Camera Systems
  • CAD
  • GIS

What people use each for

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

Nessus

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

SafeCity

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

SafeCity

  • The vendor's own homepage as captured by the Internet Archive in December 2021/January 2022 confirms Safecity is run by Red Dot Foundation, presenting itself as a community safety initiative with blog content and no commercial pricing page, product tier, or subscription anywhere on the site, consistent with a not-for-profit rather than a commercially sold product

Pricing, plan by plan

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

SafeCity

$2000/month
  • City Platform$2000/month
    • Video Analytics
    • Command Center
    • Incident Management

Which should you pick?

Choose Nessus if

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

Choose SafeCity if

  • You need video surveillance.
  • You work on Web, Desktop, Mobile.
  • You also want ai analytics.
SafeCity review

Questions people ask

Is Nessus or SafeCity better?
Neither clearly leads. Nessus starts at $4790/year and SafeCity at $2000/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Nessus or SafeCity?
Nessus starts at $4790/year and SafeCity at $2000/month.
Does Nessus or SafeCity run on more platforms?
Nessus runs on Desktop, Api. SafeCity runs on Web, Desktop, Mobile.
What is Nessus best used for?
Nessus is most often used for vulnerability scanning for individual practitioners, enterprise vulnerability management, web application security assessments. Of those, vulnerability scanning for individual practitioners and enterprise vulnerability management are not what SafeCity is typically brought in for.
What can Nessus do that SafeCity cannot?
Nessus covers Vulnerability scanning, Configuration auditing, Malware detection, Web application scanning. SafeCity covers Video Surveillance, AI Analytics, Command Center, Incident Management.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

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
SafeCity: Is Safecity free to use?

Safecity is operated by the Red Dot Foundation, a non-profit organization (Sec 8, Not for Profit in India). The platform itself is presented as a free service that allows users to safely report incidents of abuse anonymously.

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
SafeCity: How is Safecity funded?

Safecity's parent organization, the Red Dot Foundation, relies on donations to support its operations. The website includes a donation option for those who wish to contribute to the organization's mission.

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
SafeCity: Is there a paid tier or premium features?

The available content does not disclose any paid tiers, premium features, or subscription models. Safecity appears to operate as a free service with no tiered pricing.

Source
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