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BMC Helix Discovery vs Qualys VMDR comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Apr 6, 2025

Review summaries and opinions

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:
 

ROI

Sentiment score
7.3
BMC Helix Discovery boosts ROI by automating audits, reducing costs by 314%, and saving time through seamless integration.
Sentiment score
7.2
Qualys VMDR boosts ROI by enhancing security, improving asset management, reducing cyber risks, and saving time and resources.
BMC Helix Discovery has delivered a very good return, and we cannot stop using it at this moment.
We saw a return on investment through significant savings in time, money, and resources.
 

Customer Service

Sentiment score
6.6
BMC Helix Discovery support is praised for knowledge and helpfulness, but users note delays and variable efficiency.
Sentiment score
6.7
Qualys VMDR support is responsive and knowledgeable, but users report slow responses and varying service quality.
When opening a severity one ticket, they respond within four to six hours, which is commendable.
The response has been satisfactory, though improvements could be made in response time and overall competence.
We usually get on calls with tech support, and they are very helpful.
The response time takes a while.
I am satisfied with the support of Qualys VMDR as they are supportive.
 

Scalability Issues

Sentiment score
7.3
BMC Helix Discovery is scalable, integrates with various platforms, and supports hybrid cloud environments despite some storage challenges.
Sentiment score
8.0
Qualys VMDR is praised for scalable, flexible asset management across large networks with efficient deployment and cloud-based architecture.
Scalability depends on the license and the number of assets being monitored.
Qualys VMDR can handle scalability, although increasing the inventory can raise the licensing costs.
 

Stability Issues

Sentiment score
7.5
BMC Helix Discovery is praised for stability and reliability, though minor issues exist, with effective support and robust performance.
Sentiment score
8.0
Qualys VMDR is highly stable and reliable, with minimal issues and predictable maintenance for smooth operations.
In the past four to six years, I cannot recall encountering any bugs.
 

Room For Improvement

BMC Helix Discovery requires infrastructure, integration, user-friendliness improvements, enhanced query language, stability, automation, updates, and better pricing.
Qualys VMDR simplifies UI and reporting but needs better asset management, support, and advanced analytics for IoT and SCADA.
It uses a Berkeley database, and the query language is not easy to master for performing complex queries.
I would like to see a lower price and better technical support.
If AI features were integrated, it could enhance the capabilities significantly.
It does not automate patching unless the patch management module is purchased separately.
They can tweak their UI since the new version seems a bit jumbled up.
 

Setup Cost

BMC Helix Discovery is cost-effective compared to competitors but involves complex licensing; understanding use cases optimizes investment.
Qualys VMDR pricing is higher than some competitors but offers value with integrated features and discounts for larger contracts.
The price is about twelve per license per year, and the support is included.
I have a notion that Qualys might be more expensive than Rapid7.
Qualys offers better pricing and is feature-packed compared to other tools.
I would rate the pricing between seven to eight out of ten.
 

Valuable Features

BMC Helix Discovery offers intuitive, agentless support, fast deployment, with AI-driven insights for effective IT operations management.
Qualys VMDR enhances security management with vulnerability insights, real-time threat detection, and customizable dashboards for improved remediation efficiency.
This is very useful for compliance as it helps in audits by providing a comprehensive view of all assets and software.
The best aspect of BMC Helix Discovery is its flexibility. You can perform scanning at any time, and it provides substantial data for extraction.
It impacts my workflow overall, with the patch management features as it has the missing patches listed in detail, making it easier to get a comprehensive report and providing some dashboards that offer visual representation.
The prioritization of vulnerabilities has improved our remediation efforts by around thirty to thirty-five percent.
We use it daily to fix vulnerabilities by connecting with infrastructure to remediate.
 

Categories and Ranking

BMC Helix Discovery
Ranking in IT Asset Management
2nd
Average Rating
8.4
Reviews Sentiment
7.0
Number of Reviews
27
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
Qualys VMDR
Ranking in IT Asset Management
6th
Average Rating
8.2
Reviews Sentiment
7.0
Number of Reviews
94
Ranking in other categories
Vulnerability Management (1st), Configuration Management Databases (2nd), Container Security (10th), Risk-Based Vulnerability Management (1st)
 

Mindshare comparison

As of July 2025, in the IT Asset Management category, the mindshare of BMC Helix Discovery is 7.9%, down from 8.0% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Qualys VMDR is 3.3%, down from 4.5% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
IT Asset Management
 

Featured Reviews

Fairoz Gadad - PeerSpot reviewer
Effortless network component identification, provides API details, and an easy setup
We need to discover anything in the network and ensure that the discovered data is moved into the CMDB for asset management The best part is that whenever there is an outpost or any particular network, it can identify servers, routers, switches, etc. It immediately understands which component it…
Ankesh Raj - PeerSpot reviewer
Real-time responses and reporting streamline vulnerability management
Qualys VMDR provides a real-time response and reporting feature, which is excellent. It allows us to see real-time graphs and reports for every asset, server, and more, which is very user-friendly. Our clients have given good feedback, and they are satisfied with the tool. We use it daily to fix vulnerabilities by connecting with infrastructure to remediate. The feedback from the client side is very good.
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Use our free recommendation engine to learn which IT Asset Management solutions are best for your needs.
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Financial Services Firm
18%
Computer Software Company
17%
Manufacturing Company
8%
Government
7%
Financial Services Firm
15%
Educational Organization
12%
Computer Software Company
12%
Manufacturing Company
7%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
 

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about BMC Helix Discovery?
I like the artificial intelligence and machine learning that it uses in the solution. Because once the solution discovers all the assets, all the infrastructure, and all the dependencies between se...
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for BMC Helix Discovery?
The price of BMC Helix Discovery is licensed by asset. It is challenging to maintain licenses, as every piece of equipment is considered a license. We pay attention to the growth of assets. The pri...
What needs improvement with BMC Helix Discovery?
I would like to see a lower price and better technical support.
What do you like most about Qualys VMDR?
I like that we have many scanners and channels that don't overload. It helps us scan and track easily. Also, the tagging system is good for tagging. We can still use QualysAgent task ID tools even ...
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Qualys VMDR?
Qualys offers better pricing and is feature-packed compared to other tools.
What needs improvement with Qualys VMDR?
There were some issues later with Qualys VMDR regarding security, specifically with numerous false positive reports.
 

Also Known As

Discovery, ADDM, Atrium Discovery & Dependency Mapping
Qualys VM, QualysGuard VM, Qualys Asset Inventory, Qualys Container Security
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Windstream Communications, News UK, Mercator Group, Wageningen University and Research Centre (WUR)
Agrokor Group, American Specialty Health, American State Bank, Arval, Life:), Axway, Bank of the West, Blueport Commerce, BSkyB, Brinks, CaixaBank, Cartagena, Catholic Health System, CEC Bank, Cegedim, CIGNA, Clickability, Colby-Sawyer College, Commercial Bank of Dubai, University of Utah, eBay Inc., ING Singapore, National Theatre, OTP Bank, Sodexo, WebEx
Find out what your peers are saying about BMC Helix Discovery vs. Qualys VMDR and other solutions. Updated: June 2025.
860,592 professionals have used our research since 2012.