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Cybersecurity · head to head

Nessus vs Veracode

Nessus logo

Nessus

Cybersecurity

The most trusted vulnerability assessment solution

From
$4790/year
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Veracode logo

Veracode

Cybersecurity

Application risk management platform for finding and fixing software vulnerabilities.

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; Veracode no public pricing; customers must request a demo and custom quote.
  • They diverge on capability: Nessus covers Vulnerability scanning, Veracode covers Static analysis (SAST).
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Nessus and Veracode actually diverge.

Attributes where Nessus and Veracode differ
AttributeNessusVeracode
Starting price$4790/yearOn request
Pricing modelsubscriptionquote
PlatformsDesktop, Apiweb, api
Founded2002Unknown

Identical on both: 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 Veracode

  • Static analysis (SAST)
  • Dynamic analysis (DAST)
  • Software composition analysis
  • AI-driven code remediation
  • Container security
  • Risk Manager (ASPM)

What people use each for

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

Nessus

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

Veracode

  • Scanning applications for vulnerabilities across the SDLCnot Nessus
  • Automating remediation of flagged security flaws with AInot Nessus
  • Securing containerized workloads before deploymentnot Nessus
  • Running penetration tests as a managed servicenot Nessus
  • Enforcing security policy governance across many applicationsnot 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

Veracode

  • No public pricing; customers must request a demo and custom quote.
  • Full platform capability spans many modules, which can require significant onboarding.
  • Package Firewall and PTaaS are separate add-ons rather than included by default.
  • Primarily built for enterprise scale, less suited to small individual projects.

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

Veracode

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the Veracode review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Nessus if

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

Choose Veracode if

  • You need static analysis (sast).
  • You work on web, api.
  • You also want dynamic analysis (dast).
Veracode review

Questions people ask

Is Nessus or Veracode better?
Neither clearly leads. Nessus starts at $4790/year and Veracode at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Nessus or Veracode?
Nessus starts at $4790/year and Veracode at On request.
Does Nessus or Veracode run on more platforms?
Nessus runs on Desktop, Api. Veracode runs on web, api.
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 Veracode is typically brought in for.
What can Nessus do that Veracode cannot?
Nessus covers Vulnerability scanning, Configuration auditing, Malware detection, Web application scanning. Veracode covers Static analysis (SAST), Dynamic analysis (DAST), Software composition analysis, AI-driven code remediation.

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
Veracode: How does Veracode pricing work?

Veracode does not publish pricing on their website. Organizations must request a personalized demo or contact sales to receive quotes tailored to their specific needs and usage volume.

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
Veracode: Does Veracode offer a free trial or free version?

No information about free trials or free versions is provided on Veracode's public website. Organizations must contact sales to discuss trial options.

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
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