Developer Tools · head to head
Sweep vs Tenable Nessus
The short version
- Each has a real cost: Sweep limited to JetBrains IDEs only, not available for VS Code or other editors; Tenable Nessus nessus Professional is $4,790 for one year, sold as an annual licence rather than a per scan or usage based fee
- They diverge on capability: Sweep covers Autocomplete, Tenable Nessus covers Network scanning.
- Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Sweep and Tenable Nessus actually diverge.
| Attribute | Sweep | Tenable Nessus |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Freemium with paid tiers | subscription |
| Platforms | JetBrains IDEs | Windows, Linux, Macos, Cloud |
| Category | Developer Tools | Cybersecurity |
| Founded | 2023 | 2002 |
Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), 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 Sweep
- Autocomplete
- AI Agent
- Full codebase indexing
- Code review functionality
- Multi-IDE support
- GitHub integration
Only in Tenable Nessus
- Network scanning
- Vulnerability detection
- Configuration assessment
- Malware detection
- Compliance checking
- Cloud security assessment
- Mobile scanning
- API access
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Sweep
- Accelerating code completion for JetBrains developersnot Tenable Nessus
- Automating refactoring tasks across codebasesnot Tenable Nessus
- Handling bug fixes with full repository contextnot Tenable Nessus
- Code review and quality assurancenot Tenable Nessus
Tenable Nessus
- Vulnerability scanning of servers, network devices and web applicationsnot Sweep
- Configuration and compliance auditing against hardening benchmarksnot Sweep
- Point in time assessments by consultants and penetration testersnot Sweep
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Sweep
- Limited to JetBrains IDEs only, not available for VS Code or other editors
- Free tier limited to 1,000 autocompletes per month
- API credit consumption varies by feature usage
- Performance dependent on codebase size and indexing quality
Tenable Nessus
- Nessus Professional is $4,790 for one year, sold as an annual licence rather than a per scan or usage based fee
- Support beyond the base entitlement costs an extra $400 per year for Advanced Support with 24x365 phone and chat access
- The on demand training course is a separate $275 purchase for a single person for one year
- Multi year discounts require paying for two or three years up front
Pricing, plan by plan
Sweep
Free- FreeFree
- 1,000 autocompletes
- 5 USD API credits included
- All JetBrains IDEs supported
- Pro$20/month
- Unlimited autocomplete
- Higher API credit allocation
- Priority support
- Ultra$60/month
- Unlimited autocomplete
- Maximum API credit allocation
- Extended context window
Tenable Nessus
Free- Nessus EssentialsFree
- Up to 16 ips
- Network scanning
- Vulnerability assessment
- Nessus Professional$2600/year
- Unlimited targets
- Enterprise features
- Advanced analytics
- Nessus Expert$5200/year
- All Professional features
- Cloud integration
- Advanced reporting
Which should you pick?
Choose Sweep if
- You need autocomplete.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on JetBrains IDEs.
- You also want ai agent.
Choose Tenable Nessus if
- You need network scanning.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Windows, Linux, Macos, Cloud.
- You also want vulnerability detection.
Questions people ask
- Is Sweep or Tenable Nessus better?
- Neither clearly leads. Sweep starts at Free and Tenable Nessus at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Sweep or Tenable Nessus?
- Sweep starts at Free and Tenable Nessus at Free.
- Does Sweep or Tenable Nessus run on more platforms?
- Sweep runs on JetBrains IDEs. Tenable Nessus runs on Windows, Linux, Macos, Cloud.
- Can I use Sweep for free?
- Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
- What is Sweep best used for?
- Sweep is most often used for accelerating code completion for jetbrains developers, automating refactoring tasks across codebases, handling bug fixes with full repository context, code review and quality assurance. Of those, accelerating code completion for jetbrains developers and automating refactoring tasks across codebases are not what Tenable Nessus is typically brought in for.
- What can Sweep do that Tenable Nessus cannot?
- Sweep covers Autocomplete, AI Agent, Full codebase indexing, Code review functionality. Tenable Nessus covers Network scanning, Vulnerability detection, Configuration assessment, Malware detection.
Answered from the vendors’ own pages
Sweep: What programming languages does Sweep support?
Sweep works with all programming languages supported by JetBrains IDEs, including Python, Java, JavaScript, Go, Kotlin, C++, and many others.
SourceTenable Nessus: What are the three Nessus offerings?
Nessus Essentials is a free introductory offering for educators, students, and career starters, limited to 16 IPs for scanning. Nessus Professional is designed for consultants and SMBs, providing unlimited IT scans across any location. Nessus Expert is the premium offering extending Professional with web application scanning, infrastructure-as-code scanning, and external attack surface assessment up to 5 domains.
SourceSweep: Does Sweep retain my code data?
No. Sweep is SOC 2 Type II certified with zero data retention. Code is processed for suggestions but not stored.
SourceTenable Nessus: What OS platforms does Nessus support?
Nessus runs on Debian/Kali Linux, Fedora, FreeBSD, Mac OS X, Red Hat/CentOS, SUSE Linux, Ubuntu, and various Windows versions including Server 2008, 2012, and Windows 7-10.
SourceSweep: Can I cancel my Sweep subscription anytime?
Yes. You can cancel your subscription at any time from your account settings with no long-term commitments or cancellation fees.
SourceTenable Nessus: Can I use Nessus to scan third-party networks as a consultant?
Yes, Tenable permits you to use Nessus to scan third-party networks. Nessus Professional is ideal for consultants.
SourceTenable Nessus: Can Nessus perform PCI external scanning?
Yes, you can use Nessus Professional to perform external network scans as required by the PCI DSS 11.2.2 requirement.
SourceTenable Nessus: What additional features does Nessus Expert provide?
Web application scanning, which is dynamic application security testing (DAST) providing comprehensive visibility and insight into web application security issues; scanning code repositories for vulnerabilities; and assessing external attack surface with subdomain discovery.
SourceTenable Nessus: What support options exist for Nessus Professional?
Standard Support includes software upgrades, patches, plugin access, and 24x7 support via chat and community portal. Advanced Support adds 24x7 phone access and committed SLAs: P1 less than 2 hours, P2 less than 4 hours, P3 less than 12 hours, P4 less than 24 hours.
SourceTenable Nessus: How frequently are Nessus plugins updated?
Nessus plugins are updated daily, based on when vendors and security research sites publish new vulnerabilities.
SourceTenable Nessus: How does licensing work in virtual machine environments?
Whether you are using Nessus in a physical or a virtual environment, the IP addresses or hosts that you are scanning from must be licensed.
SourceRelated pages
More on Tenable Nessus
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- Tenable Nessus vs Rapid7 InsightVM
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