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Software · head to head

Nessus vs Snyk

Nessus logo

Nessus

Software

The most trusted vulnerability assessment solution

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Snyk logo

Snyk

Software

Developer-first security platform

From
Free
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; Snyk free plan has strict test limits across all modules: Open Source (200), Code (100), Infrastructure as Code (300), Container (100) tests per month
  • They diverge on capability: Nessus covers Vulnerability scanning, Snyk covers Open source security.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Nessus and Snyk actually diverge.

Attributes where Nessus and Snyk differ
AttributeNessusSnyk
Pricing modelsubscriptionfreemium
PlatformsDesktop, ApiWeb, CLI, IDE integrations
Founded20022015

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), 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 Snyk

  • Open source security
  • Code security (SAST)
  • Container security
  • IaC security
  • License compliance
  • Fix PRs
  • Priority scoring
  • Developer IDE integration

Both cover

  • 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 Snyk
  • Running compliance and configuration audits against a defined scopenot Snyk

Snyk

  • Individual developers testing on free tier with limited monthly scansnot Nessus
  • Development teams using Team plan with increased test quotas and IDE integrationnot Nessus
  • Enterprises requiring unlimited testing via Enterprise plan with custom security rulesnot 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

Snyk

  • Free plan has strict test limits across all modules: Open Source (200), Code (100), Infrastructure as Code (300), Container (100) tests per month
  • Free and Team plans count only contributing developers making commits within 90 days; public contributions do not count
  • Enterprise plan requires custom pricing and sales contact

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

Snyk

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Snyk 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.
Nessus review

Choose Snyk if

  • You need open source security.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, CLI, IDE integrations.
  • You also want code security (sast).
Snyk review

Questions people ask

Is Nessus or Snyk better?
Neither clearly leads. Nessus starts at Free and Snyk at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Nessus or Snyk?
Nessus starts at Free and Snyk at Free.
Does Nessus or Snyk run on more platforms?
Nessus runs on Desktop, Api. Snyk runs on Web, CLI, IDE integrations.
Can I use Nessus for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
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 Snyk is typically brought in for.
What can Nessus do that Snyk cannot?
Nessus covers Vulnerability scanning, Configuration auditing, Malware detection, Web application scanning. Snyk covers Open source security, Code security (SAST), Container security, IaC security. Both handle AWS, Azure, Google Cloud.
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