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Cybersecurity · head to head

Nessus vs SentinelOne

Nessus logo

Nessus

Cybersecurity

The most trusted vulnerability assessment solution

From
$4790/year
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
SentinelOne logo

SentinelOne

Cybersecurity

Autonomous endpoint protection and response

From
On request
Rated
-
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; SentinelOne enterprise pricing requires contacting sales
  • They diverge on capability: Nessus covers Vulnerability scanning, SentinelOne covers AI-powered detection.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Nessus and SentinelOne actually diverge.

Attributes where Nessus and SentinelOne differ
AttributeNessusSentinelOne
Starting price$4790/yearOn request
PlatformsDesktop, ApiWindows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android
Founded20022013

Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), 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 Nessus

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

Only in SentinelOne

  • AI-powered detection
  • Autonomous response
  • Behavioral threat intelligence
  • Root cause analysis
  • Threat hunting automation
  • Ransomware protection
  • Container security
  • Mobile endpoint protection

Both cover

  • ServiceNow
  • Splunk
  • Cloud deployment

What people use each for

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

Nessus

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

SentinelOne

  • Endpoint detection and responsenot Nessus
  • AI-powered threat huntingnot Nessus
  • Cloud workload securitynot 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

SentinelOne

  • Enterprise pricing requires contacting sales
  • Prices shown for 5-100 workstations may differ for larger deployments
  • Purchases must be made through authorized third-party partners

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

SentinelOne

On request
  • Singularity Complete$179.99/year
    • Per endpoint pricing
    • AI-driven endpoint and cloud workload protection
    • Real-time threat detection and response
  • Singularity Commercial$229.99/year
    • Per endpoint pricing
    • All Complete features plus Identity Detection and Response
    • 90-day data retention
  • Singularity Enterprise$null/custom
    • Per endpoint pricing
    • All Commercial features plus Agentic AI SOC Analyst
    • Full Visibility and Forensics

Which should you pick?

Choose Nessus if

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

Choose SentinelOne if

  • You need ai-powered detection.
  • You work on Windows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android.
  • You also want autonomous response.
SentinelOne review

Questions people ask

Is Nessus or SentinelOne better?
Neither clearly leads. Nessus starts at $4790/year and SentinelOne at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Nessus or SentinelOne?
Nessus starts at $4790/year and SentinelOne at On request.
Does Nessus or SentinelOne run on more platforms?
Nessus runs on Desktop, Api. SentinelOne runs on Windows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android.
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 SentinelOne is typically brought in for.
What can Nessus do that SentinelOne cannot?
Nessus covers Vulnerability scanning, Configuration auditing, Malware detection, Web application scanning. SentinelOne covers AI-powered detection, Autonomous response, Behavioral threat intelligence, Root cause analysis. Both handle ServiceNow, Splunk, Cloud deployment.

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
SentinelOne: What is SentinelOne Singularity Complete pricing?

Singularity Complete costs $179.99 per endpoint per year and includes AI-driven endpoint and cloud workload protection, real-time threat detection and response, 14-day data retention, and AI Security Assistant. Pricing shown for 5-100 workstations.

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
SentinelOne: What features distinguish SentinelOne Commercial from Complete?

Singularity Commercial costs $229.99 per endpoint per year (versus $179.99 for Complete) and adds Identity Detection and Response, 90-day data retention (compared to 14-day), and Managed Threat Hunting services.

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
SentinelOne: How does partner pricing affect SentinelOne costs?

All SentinelOne purchases are made through authorized third-party partners, and partner pricing may differ from published rates. Customers should verify pricing with their authorized reseller.

Source
SentinelOne: What does SentinelOne Enterprise include?

Singularity Enterprise (custom pricing, contact sales) adds Agentic AI SOC Analyst and Full Visibility and Forensics capabilities to all Commercial features, plus expert-led onboarding and training.

Source
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