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Cybersecurity · head to head

Tenable vs CrowdStrike Falcon

Tenable logo

Tenable

Cybersecurity

AI-powered exposure management platform for unified security visibility

From
$3500/year
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
CrowdStrike Falcon logo

CrowdStrike Falcon

Cybersecurity

Stop breaches with AI-native cybersecurity

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only CrowdStrike Falcon has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Tenable pricing starts at $3500/year for Tenable One VM, expensive for small organizations; CrowdStrike Falcon falcon Go device limit: capped at 100 devices maximum, forcing mid-market/enterprise customers to upgrade despite lower cost
  • They diverge on capability: Tenable covers Unified attack surface mapping, CrowdStrike Falcon covers Next-gen antivirus.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Tenable and CrowdStrike Falcon actually diverge.

Attributes where Tenable and CrowdStrike Falcon differ
AttributeTenableCrowdStrike Falcon
Starting price$3500/yearFree
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsCloud, WebWindows, macOS, Linux
FoundedUnknown2011

Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), 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 Tenable

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

Only in CrowdStrike Falcon

  • Next-gen antivirus
  • Endpoint detection and response
  • Threat intelligence
  • IT hygiene
  • USB device control
  • Firewall management
  • Threat graph
  • Real-time response

What people use each for

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

Tenable

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

CrowdStrike Falcon

  • Endpoint detection and response for enterprise cybersecuritynot Tenable
  • Malware prevention and threat huntingnot Tenable
  • Managed detection and response (MDR) servicesnot Tenable

Where each one falls short

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

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

CrowdStrike Falcon

  • Falcon Go device limit: capped at 100 devices maximum, forcing mid-market/enterprise customers to upgrade despite lower cost
  • EDR locked behind Enterprise tier: endpoint detection and response available only at $19.99/device/month tier; not available in Pro
  • Managed service pricing opaque: Falcon Complete Next-Gen MDR requires contacting sales; no pricing range for 24/7 MDR services published
  • Annual discount modest: 17-24% savings on annual vs. monthly create minimal incentive to prepay

Pricing, plan by plan

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

CrowdStrike Falcon

Free
  • Falcon Go$undefined/mo
  • Falcon Pro$undefined/mo
  • Falcon Enterprise$undefined/mo
  • Falcon Complete Next-Gen MDR$custom quote/mo

Which should you pick?

Choose Tenable if

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

Choose CrowdStrike Falcon if

  • You need next-gen antivirus.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Windows, macOS, Linux.
  • You also want endpoint detection and response.
CrowdStrike Falcon review

Questions people ask

Is Tenable or CrowdStrike Falcon better?
Neither clearly leads. Tenable starts at $3500/year and CrowdStrike Falcon at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Tenable or CrowdStrike Falcon?
CrowdStrike Falcon has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $3500/year for Tenable and Free for CrowdStrike Falcon.
Does Tenable or CrowdStrike Falcon run on more platforms?
Tenable runs on Cloud, Web. CrowdStrike Falcon runs on Windows, macOS, Linux.
Can I use CrowdStrike Falcon for free?
Yes. CrowdStrike Falcon has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Tenable starts at $3500/year.
What is Tenable best used for?
Tenable is most often used for comprehensive vulnerability scanning for enterprise networks, cloud security monitoring and compliance for aws, azure, gcp, identity and access management risk assessment, operational technology security for industrial systems. Of those, comprehensive vulnerability scanning for enterprise networks and cloud security monitoring and compliance for aws, azure, gcp are not what CrowdStrike Falcon is typically brought in for.
What can Tenable do that CrowdStrike Falcon cannot?
Tenable covers Unified attack surface mapping, Exposure intelligence enrichment, Tenable Hexa AI orchestration, Cloud Exposure (CNAPP). CrowdStrike Falcon covers Next-gen antivirus, Endpoint detection and response, Threat intelligence, IT hygiene.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

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
CrowdStrike Falcon: How much does CrowdStrike Falcon cost per device?

Falcon Go costs $7.99/device/month ($59.99/year), Falcon Pro costs $14.99/device/month ($99.99/year), and Falcon Enterprise costs $19.99/device/month ($184.99/year).

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
CrowdStrike Falcon: What is the device limit for Falcon Go?

Falcon Go is limited to a maximum of 100 devices. Organizations with more than 100 devices must upgrade to Pro or Enterprise tiers.

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
CrowdStrike Falcon: What is the difference between Falcon Pro and Enterprise?

Falcon Pro ($14.99/device/month) includes firewall management and advanced device control. Falcon Enterprise ($19.99/device/month) adds endpoint detection and response (EDR), threat hunting services, and expert threat intelligence.

Source
CrowdStrike Falcon: How much does the managed detection and response service cost?

Falcon Complete Next-Gen MDR pricing is custom. It provides 24/7 expert-led detection and response with AI acceleration and continuous investigations by expert threat teams. Contact CrowdStrike sales for a quote.

Source
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