CodeSonar vs Qualys Web Application Scanning comparison

CodeSecure and Qualys are both solutions in the Application Security Tools category. CodeSecure is ranked #30, while Qualys is ranked #15 with an average rating of 7.7. CodeSecure holds a 1.1% mindshare in AS, compared to Qualys’s 1.7% mindshare. Additionally, 87% of CodeSecure users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 88% of Qualys users who would recommend it.

CodeSonar

Read 7 CodeSonar reviews

3,347 Views
2,309 Comparison Views

87% willing to recommend

Qualys Web Application Scan...

Read 40 Qualys Web Application Scanning reviews

5,745 Views
3,619 Comparison Views

88% willing to recommend

CodeSonar

Qualys Web Application Scan...

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Oct 8, 2024

Qualys Web Application Scanning and CodeSonar offer strong competition in the cybersecurity sector with each catering to different aspects of security needs. Qualys has the upper hand in user support and accessibility, while CodeSonar takes the lead in detailed code analysis, offering value for in-depth security pursuits.

Features: Qualys Web Application Scanning provides comprehensive vulnerability detection, seamless integration capabilities, and a user-friendly interface. CodeSonar focuses on static code analysis, depth in identifying potential security risks, and detailed examination of code.

Room for Improvement: Qualys Web Application Scanning could work on enhancing real-time report customization, speeding up scanning processes, and expanding integration options. CodeSonar might benefit from a simpler learning curve, more intuitive navigation, and enhanced UI design.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Qualys Web Application Scanning is known for straightforward deployment and reliable customer support, making it suitable for non-technical users. CodeSonar requires more technical understanding during deployment but offers a supportive service team for specialists familiar with in-depth analysis needs.

Pricing and ROI: Qualys generally offers a reasonable setup cost, providing good ROI with its comprehensive web security coverage suitable for organizations seeking broader security solutions. CodeSonar's higher initial investment is justified by the depth of its analysis, making it a beneficial long-term investment for companies focusing on detailed code security. Qualys is preferred for its quicker ROI, whereas CodeSonar's pricing aligns with more profound security analysis investments.

To learn more, read our detailed CodeSonar vs. Qualys Web Application Scanning Report (Updated: June 2026).

Buyer's Guide

CodeSonar vs. Qualys Web Application Scanning

June 2026

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Review summaries and opinions

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

Categories and Ranking

CodeSonar

Ranking in Application Security Tools

30th

Average Rating

8.2

Reviews Sentiment

6.9

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

Static Code Analysis (10th)

Qualys Web Application Scan...

Ranking in Application Security Tools

15th

Average Rating

7.6

Reviews Sentiment

6.3

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

Static Application Security Testing (SAST) (11th)

Mindshare comparison

As of June 2026, in the Application Security Tools category, the mindshare of CodeSonar is 1.1%, down from 1.5% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Qualys Web Application Scanning is 1.7%, down from 2.1% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Application Security Tools Mindshare Distribution
Product	Mindshare (%)
Qualys Web Application Scanning	1.7%
CodeSonar	1.1%
Other	97.2%

Application Security Tools

Featured Reviews

Mathieu ALBRESPY

Intigration Developer at ez-Wheel

Nice interface, quick to deploy, and easy to expand

This is the first time I've used this kind of software. It was the only one we could apply to analyze with MISRA rules. At my new company, I tried to use Klocwork. I tried to use it, just once so I cannot compare it exactly with CodeSonar. I also have a plugin for my Visual Studio and I try to make it work. It's not easy, however, I don't think that we have this kind of functionality with CodeSonar. It can do some incremental analysis. However, since this feature is also available on CodeSonar, it would be a good idea to have a plugin on Visual Studio just to have a quick analysis.

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AnkitSharma13

Security Officer at a tech vendor with 10,001+ employees

Web scanning needs improvement but offers good vulnerability detection

The downside of Qualys Web Application Scanning is that it cannot crawl automatically. If I provide an IP address and a login form, it does basic testing, but it doesn't go deep as IBM AppScan does. If Qualys Web Application Scanning could improve its crawling capability, it would be more user-friendly. Qualys Web Application Scanning does IP-level testing, requiring direct input of credentials, and can only scan a few pages to provide known generic vulnerabilities, which isn't as beneficial from my point of view. The Vulnerability Management also relies heavily on version numbers and will flag vulnerabilities based on the component version, but it doesn't check if a real fix exists, leading to flags on components that actually have workarounds available.

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Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"I would suggest trying out automated tools along with CodeSonar on your project, and you will find out that CodeSonar reports many more defects compared to other static analysis tools, so this is a very important tool."

"The most valuable features of CodeSonar were all the categorized classes provided, and reports of future bugs which might occur in the production code. Additionally, I found the buffer overflow and underflow useful."

"CodeSonar has helped our organization because it detects dead and nonusable parts of code to create a more optimized code."

"It has been able to scale."

"The tool is very good for detecting memory leaks."

"There is nice functionality for code surfing and browsing."

"What I like best about CodeSonar is that it has fantastic speed, analysis and configuration times. Its detection of all runtime errors is also very good, though there were times it missed a few. The configuration of logs by CodeSonar is also very fantastic which I've not seen anywhere else. I also like the GUI interface of CodeSonar because it's very user friendly and the tool also shows very precise logs and results."

"What I like best about CodeSonar is that it has fantastic speed, analysis and configuration times."

More CodeSonar pros

"Its most valuable features are patch management, vulnerability management, and PCI compliance."

"We’re a Linux shop and Qualys gave us good Linux vulnerability scanning; it reports only a few glaring false-positive errors, and the long baseline of iterative results was valuable to track changes and our rate of improvement while access to the API let us automate its use in our CI/CD pipeline for machine images."

"Licensing is the most valuable. Qualys provides the best licensing for companies. It is the best product for the development purposes of web applications. The product has a lot of integrations."

"It is a cloud-based solution, so it is easy to scale."

"What I remember from my experience with Qualys is that the simplicity of exporting reports and the simplicity and clarity of the reports included with the product is good."

"Qualys Web Application Scanning is very stable and reliable."

"Qualys is perfect, scalability-wise."

"WAS gave us visibility into our externally exposed web applications and showed us vulnerabilities that we were not aware of and did not know how to test for."

More Qualys Web Application Scanning pros

Cons

"In terms of areas for improvement, the use case for CodeSonar was good, but compared to other tools, it seems CodeSonar isn't a sound static analysis tool, and this is a major con I've seen from it. Right now, in the market, people prefer sound static analysis tools, so I would have preferred if CodeSonar was developed into a sound static analysis tool formally, in terms of its algorithms, so then you can see it extensively used in the market because at the moment, here in India, only fifty to sixty customers use CodeSonar. If the product is developed into a sound static analysis tool, it could compete with Polyspace, and from its current fifty customers, that number could go up to a hundred."

"The MISRA guidelines were not appropriately reported and there were some flags or errors."

"It was expensive."

"In a future release, the solution should upgrade itself to the current trends and differentiate between the languages. If there are any classifications that can be set for these programming languages that would be helpful rather than having everything in the generic category."

"It would be beneficial for the solution to include code standards and additional functionality for security."

"There could be a shared licensing model for the users."

"CodeSonar could improve by having better coding rules so we did not have to use another solution, such as MISRA C."

"It was difficult for us to apply a rule, especially to a part of the code, and not apply it to the rest of the code."

More CodeSonar cons

"The GUI could be a little less complicated as it opens a lot of new windows for creating search lists, templates, reports, or for scanning purposes."

"The scanner reports a lot of false positives, which is something that needs to be improved."

"The software’s pricing could be improved."

"The area of false positives could be improved. There are quite a number of false positives as compared to other solutions. They could probably fine tune the algorithm to be able to reduce the number of false positives being detected."

"There's a distinction between internal and external scanning processes that could be streamlined. Currently, for internal scanning, specific configurations and scanner appliances need to be deployed within the network, which differs from the simpler setup for external scans. This dual process complicates the setup for comprehensive scanning coverage."

"The licensing and user permissions are a little wonky for a DevOps team to use, probably because it’s traditionally an InfoSec tool."

"There should be better visibility into the application."

"It's missing some zero-day patches."

More Qualys Web Application Scanning cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"Our organization purchased a license to use the solution."

"Pricing is a bit costly."

"The application’s pricing is high compared to other tools."

"The solution's price depends on the number of licenses needed and the source code for the project."

"Pricing was reasonable and competitive. It was not too far above the other products."

"From my perspective, it is a budget-friendly option."

"We normally purchase an annual license."

"The cost is $30,000 USD for one year to cover WAS (Web Application Security) and the VM (Virtual Machine) security in a company with 200 employees."

"There are different options available with respect to licensing."

"Qualys Web Application Scanning's pricing is a bit expensive compared to other solutions available in the market."

"We are on an annual license for the solution and the pricing could be more affordable."

"The product is expensive, at least initially, in comparison to other products in this category."

More Qualys Web Application Scanning pricing and cost advice

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Manufacturing Company

24%

Computer Software Company

Financial Services Firm

University

Financial Services Firm

14%

Manufacturing Company

12%

Computer Software Company

Construction Company

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	5
Midsize Enterprise	1
Large Enterprise	2

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	8
Midsize Enterprise	6
Large Enterprise	27

Questions from the Community

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What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Qualys Web Application Scanning?

Regarding pricing, I think for personal use, it is costly, but if organizations are ready to pay, then it is fine as they are using it.

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What needs improvement with Qualys Web Application Scanning?

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What is your primary use case for Qualys Web Application Scanning?

I use Qualys Web Application Scanning, and we are using Vulnerability Management. By Vulnerability Management, I mean not TotalCloud; they have some on-premises solutions also. Patch Management and...

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Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Application Security Tools

June 2026

Download CodeSonar product report

Buyer's Guide

Qualys Web Application Scanning

June 2026

Download Qualys Web Application Scanning product report

Also Known As

No data available

Qualys WAS

Overview

CodeSonar offers a potent tool for static code analysis, adept in detecting runtime errors and security vulnerabilities, with a fast deployment process and scalable capabilities. Its quick analysis and efficient web interface provide a strong basis for code quality validation.

CodeSonar specializes in identifying runtime errors, dead code, and security threats while providing features like code surfing and browsing. It offers a highly efficient web interface, though users find initial setup complex and highlight the need for better static analysis, broader language support beyond C and C++, and an improved licensing model. Despite these challenges, its integration with Jenkins and technical guidance support makes it a reliable choice for teams in defense and software quality assessment. Deployment is quick and easy, yet initial costs are a common concern among users.

What are the key features of CodeSonar?

Quick Analysis: Delivers fast runtime error detection and reporting.
GUI Interface: Offers a user-friendly experience for code browsing.
Scalability: Efficiently deploys across various environments.
Security and Code Detection: Identifies vulnerabilities and potential bugs.
Effective Configuration: Simplified log and analysis configuration.

What benefits can be seen in user reviews?

Detection of Code Vulnerabilities: Enhances security with robust threat detection.
Process Integration: Seamlessly integrates with DevOps tools such as Jenkins.
Scalable Deployment: Quickly adaptable in expanding environments.
GUI Usability: Highly efficient for technical teams to navigate.

CodeSonar is primarily implemented in industries like defense and companies prioritizing code quality. Teams utilize its static code analysis and threat detection capabilities, integrating with Jenkins for continuous integration workflows. Security checks post-builds and technical support are common, aiding in effective defect management.

CodeSecure

Qualys Web Application Scanning offers advanced vulnerability management, progressive scheduling, and seamless integration with DevOps environments. Its user-friendly design enables enterprises to enhance security with comprehensive scanning and detailed forensic insights.

Qualys Web Application Scanning addresses enterprise-level security challenges by providing robust solutions for vulnerability management, penetration testing, and compliance checks. While easing the navigation process, it supports risk mitigation with precise risk ratings, minimal false positives, and detailed reporting. However, it faces challenges with its complex interface, authenticated scanning, and automation features. Integrating smoothly with CI/CD pipelines, it is suitable for continuous and automated scanning, adapting to diverse company requirements.

What are the standout features of Qualys Web Application Scanning?

Progressive Scheduling: Enables efficient management of scanning activities, optimizing for time-sensitive scenarios.
Vulnerability Management: Offers robust identification and management of vulnerabilities across various applications.
Integration with DevOps: Seamlessly integrates with CI/CD pipelines, supporting rapid development cycles.
Risk Ratings: Provides precise risk assessments, crucial for prioritizing security efforts.
Engaging Dashboard: Offers an intuitive interface for navigating security tasks efficiently.

What benefits or ROI should users look for in Qualys Web Application Scanning reviews?

Scalability: Supports enterprise needs with a design adaptable to diverse security demands.
Risk Mitigation: Detailed alerts and forensic insights aid in reducing potential threats.
Comprehensive Reporting: Facilitates informed decision-making with clear, concise reports.
Penetration Testing: Enhances security assessments with ongoing evaluation capabilities.

Organizations across sectors like education, banking, and international data centers leverage Qualys Web Application Scanning for conducting penetration testing, scanning web applications, and managing vulnerabilities. It aids in audit security and compliance, identifying threats, and generating user-friendly reports, making it a valuable asset for maintaining strong security postures.

Qualys

Sample Customers

Viveris, Micrel Medical Devices, Olympus, SOFTEQ, SONY

BskyB, Cartagena, ClearPoint Learning Systems, Connect Group, du, Fortrex Technologies, HBOR, HDI, Highlights for Children, The Lithuanian State Enterprise Centre of Registers, City of Miami Beach, Microsoft, MidlandHR, MSCI Inc., Northern Arizona University, Ofgem, Olympus Europa, PhoneFactor, RTL Nederland, ThousandEyes, VGZ Organisatie B.V.

Buyer's Guide

CodeSonar vs. Qualys Web Application Scanning

June 2026

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