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Developer Tools · head to head

Octopus Deploy vs Tenable

Octopus Deploy logo

Octopus Deploy

Developer Tools

Continuous delivery and runbook automation for releases

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Full reviewWebsite
Tenable logo

Tenable

Cybersecurity

AI-powered exposure management platform for unified security visibility

From
$3500/year
Free plan
No
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Octopus Deploy has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Octopus Deploy free tier caps at 10 projects, 10 tenants, 10 machines, 10 users, 5 concurrent tasks and 1 space; Tenable pricing starts at $3500/year for Tenable One VM, expensive for small organizations
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 29 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Octopus Deploy and Tenable actually diverge.

Attributes where Octopus Deploy and Tenable differ
AttributeOctopus DeployTenable
Starting priceFree$3500/year
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWebCloud, Web
CategoryDeveloper ToolsCybersecurity

Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), 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 Octopus Deploy

Nothing recorded that Tenable does not also cover.

Only in Tenable

  • Unified attack surface mapping
  • Exposure intelligence enrichment
  • Tenable Hexa AI orchestration
  • Cloud Exposure (CNAPP)
  • OT Exposure
  • Identity Exposure
  • Vulnerability Management
  • Attack Surface Management

What people use each for

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

Octopus Deploy

  • Automating software deployments across development, testing, productionnot Tenable
  • Automating emergency tasks like website failover and incident responsenot Tenable
  • Managing multi-tenant deployments without duplicating configurationnot Tenable
  • Tracking DORA metrics and enforcing deployment approval gatesnot Tenable

Tenable

  • Comprehensive vulnerability scanning for enterprise networksnot Octopus Deploy
  • Cloud security monitoring and compliance for AWS, Azure, GCPnot Octopus Deploy
  • Identity and access management risk assessmentnot Octopus Deploy
  • Operational technology security for industrial systemsnot Octopus Deploy
  • Attack surface management for third-party risknot Octopus Deploy

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Octopus Deploy

  • Free tier caps at 10 projects, 10 tenants, 10 machines, 10 users, 5 concurrent tasks and 1 space
  • Annual billing is the only option for both Octopus Cloud and Octopus Server; there is no monthly plan
  • Professional cloud tier is $4,330 per year and Enterprise cloud is $24,600 per year, with tenants and machines sold as add-ons beyond the free allotment

Tenable

  • Pricing starts at $3500/year for Tenable One VM, expensive for small organizations
  • Many enterprise features require custom quote and sales engagement
  • Cloud Exposure, OT Exposure, and other modules have no published pricing
  • Multi-year contracts common, limiting flexibility
  • Setup and configuration complexity for enterprise deployments

Pricing, plan by plan

Octopus Deploy

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 10 projects
    • 10 tenants
    • 10 machines
  • Professional (Cloud)$4330/year
    • Up to 100 projects
    • Unlimited spaces and users
    • Tenants and machines available as add-ons
  • Professional (Server)$2080/year
    • Up to 100 projects
    • Unlimited spaces and users
    • Tenants and machines available as add-ons
  • Enterprise (Cloud)$24600/year
    • 100+ projects supported
    • Unlimited spaces and users
    • 20 concurrent tasks

Tenable

$3500/year
  • Tenable One Vulnerability Management$3500/year
    • Per 100 assets
    • Multi-year discounts available
  • Tenable One Web App Scanning$3578/year
    • Per 5 FQDNs
    • Annual subscription
  • Nessus Professional$4790/year
    • Vulnerability scanning
    • Multi-year discounts available
    • Optional advanced support: $400/year
  • Nessus Expert$6790/year
    • Advanced vulnerability scanning
    • Multi-year discounts available
    • Optional advanced support: $400/year

Which should you pick?

Choose Octopus Deploy if

  • You want to start without paying.
Octopus Deploy review

Choose Tenable if

  • You need unified attack surface mapping.
  • You work on Cloud, Web.
  • You also want exposure intelligence enrichment.
Tenable review

Questions people ask

Is Octopus Deploy or Tenable better?
Neither clearly leads. Octopus Deploy starts at Free and Tenable at $3500/year, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Octopus Deploy or Tenable?
Octopus Deploy has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Octopus Deploy and $3500/year for Tenable.
Does Octopus Deploy or Tenable run on more platforms?
Octopus Deploy runs on Web. Tenable runs on Cloud, Web.
Can I use Octopus Deploy for free?
Yes. Octopus Deploy has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Tenable starts at $3500/year.
What is Octopus Deploy best used for?
Octopus Deploy is most often used for automating software deployments across development, testing, production, automating emergency tasks like website failover and incident response, managing multi-tenant deployments without duplicating configuration, tracking dora metrics and enforcing deployment approval gates. Of those, automating software deployments across development, testing, production and automating emergency tasks like website failover and incident response are not what Tenable is typically brought in for.
What can Octopus Deploy do that Tenable cannot?
Tenable covers Unified attack surface mapping, Exposure intelligence enrichment, Tenable Hexa AI orchestration, Cloud Exposure (CNAPP).

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Octopus Deploy: How much does Octopus Deploy cost?

Octopus Deploy offers a free tier at $0/year with limits on projects (10), users (10), and tenants (10). Professional plans start at $2,080/year for self-hosted or $4,330/year for cloud hosting.

Source
Tenable: How is Tenable One pricing structured?

Tenable One Vulnerability Management costs $3500/year per 100 assets. Web App Scanning is $3578/year per 5 FQDNs. Multi-year discounts are available.

Source
Octopus Deploy: What does the free Octopus Deploy tier include?

The free tier includes 10 projects, 10 tenants, 10 machines, 10 users, 5 concurrent tasks, 1TB file storage, 100GB database storage, and community support only.

Source
Tenable: What is the difference between Nessus Professional and Nessus Expert?

Nessus Professional costs $4790/year and provides core vulnerability scanning. Nessus Expert costs $6790/year and offers advanced scanning capabilities.

Source
Octopus Deploy: Can I try Octopus Deploy for free before purchasing?

Yes, a free tier is available with unlimited duration but capped usage, plus a 30-day free trial with full Enterprise features is offered to evaluate the platform.

Source
Tenable: Are custom support and training available for Tenable?

Yes. Optional advanced support is available for $400/year. Training courses range from $275-$385/year.

Source
Octopus Deploy: What are the Enterprise pricing differences between Cloud and Server hosting?

Enterprise Cloud hosting costs $24,600/year and includes 20 concurrent tasks and 24/7 support. Enterprise Server self-hosted costs $15,600/year with flexible concurrent task configuration and 24/7 support.

Source
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