HCL AppScan vs Rapid7 AppSpider comparison

HCLSoftware and Rapid7 are both solutions in the Static Application Security Testing (SAST) category. HCLSoftware is ranked #10 with an average rating of 7.9, while Rapid7 is ranked #27 with an average rating of 8.0. HCLSoftware holds a 2.7% mindshare in SAST, compared to Rapid7’s 0.5% mindshare. Additionally, 83% of HCLSoftware users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 100% of Rapid7 users who would recommend it.

HCL AppScan

Read 43 HCL AppScan reviews

3,999 Views
3,020 Comparison Views

83% willing to recommend

Rapid7 AppSpider

Read 14 Rapid7 AppSpider reviews

909 Views
614 Comparison Views

100% willing to recommend

HCL AppScan

Rapid7 AppSpider

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Oct 8, 2024

HCL AppScan and Rapid7 AppSpider are both competing in web application security testing. Based on user feedback, HCL AppScan is preferred for pricing and support, while Rapid7 AppSpider stands out for its features, making it appealing to those who prioritize functionality over cost.

Features: HCL AppScan offers comprehensive application security testing, ease of integration with workflows, and user-friendly interfaces. Rapid7 AppSpider provides dynamic scanning capabilities, robust reporting features, and flexible configurations. Users find Rapid7 AppSpider's features slightly more advanced due to its depth and flexibility.

Room for Improvement: HCL AppScan users express a need for enhanced scanning speed, better documentation, and improved UI. Rapid7 AppSpider users seek better false-positive management, additional configuration options, and more intuitive interfaces. HCL AppScan's issues with scan speed and documentation are frequently noted.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: HCL AppScan offers a straightforward deployment process and reliable customer service. Rapid7 AppSpider provides a flexible deployment model but faces mixed reviews regarding customer support responsiveness. HCL AppScan tends to satisfy users more in setup and support accessibility.

Pricing and ROI: HCL AppScan is viewed as cost-effective with a favorable ROI, balancing cost and value well. Rapid7 AppSpider is generally more expensive but is considered a worthwhile investment for those valuing its advanced capabilities. Users perceive Rapid7 AppSpider's pricing as justified given its feature set.

To learn more, read our detailed HCL AppScan vs. Rapid7 AppSpider Report (Updated: March 2025).

Buyer's Guide

HCL AppScan vs. Rapid7 AppSpider

March 2025

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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

HCL AppScan

Ranking in Static Application Security Testing (SAST)

10th

Average Rating

7.8

Reviews Sentiment

6.9

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

Application Security Tools (14th), Dynamic Application Security Testing (DAST) (1st)

Rapid7 AppSpider

Ranking in Static Application Security Testing (SAST)

27th

Average Rating

7.8

Reviews Sentiment

6.7

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Mindshare comparison

As of April 2025, in the Static Application Security Testing (SAST) category, the mindshare of HCL AppScan is 2.7%, up from 2.7% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Rapid7 AppSpider is 0.5%, down from 0.6% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Static Application Security Testing (SAST)

Featured Reviews

Rishi Anupam

Senior Manager at Airtel

A stable and scalable scanning solution with good reporting feature

The solution is used for the vulnerabilities scan on the network side The reporting part is the most valuable feature. The penetration testing feature should be included. I have been using the solution for four years. It is a stable solution. I rate it seven out of ten. It is a scalable…

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Andrei Bigdan

Executive Manager at B2B-Solutions LLC

Useful vulnerability reporting data, flexible, and simple implementation

I have had some stability problems but it could be the Microsoft Windows operating system. I found that closing other applications helps with stability. It is helpful to have as much memory as possible, such as eight gigabytes. The more pages being processed the more resources you need. I rate the stability of Rapid7 AppSpider a nine out of ten.

Read full review

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"AppScan is stable."

"You can easily find particular features and functions through the UI."

"There's extensive functionality with custom rules and a custom knowledge base."

"Usually when we deploy the application, there is a process for ethical hacking. The main benefit is that, the ethical hacking is almost clean, every time. So it's less cost, less effort, less time to production."

"AppScan's most valuable features include its ability to identify vulnerabilities accurately, provide detailed remediation steps, and the newly introduced AI-powered features that enhance its functionality further."

"It provides a better integration for our ecosystem."

"The solution offers services in a few specific development languages."

"This solution saves us time due to the low number of false positives detected."

More HCL AppScan pros

"The initial deployment is very straightforward and simple. The product is stable if configured properly."

"AppSpider's most valuable feature is reporting - everything is stored in the local database so it can be sent to other machines."

"I like the ability the product has to detect vulnerabilities quickly, when it has been released in our environment, then displaying them to us."

"The entire solution is interactive and has a point-and-click user experience, which makes it easy to find items or drill down on information. You don't need specialized skills to use the product."

"The setup is usually straightforward."

"It scans all the components developed within a web application."

"It is really accurate and the rate of false positives is very low."

"The most valuable feature is the reporting, which is compliant with international standards."

More Rapid7 AppSpider pros

Cons

"If HCL AppScan is able to alert the clients over email once the scan is complete, it would be great. Right now, HCL AppScan doesn't let me know if the scanning part is finished or not, because of which I have to come back and check mostly."

"A desktop version should be added."

"One thing which I think can be improved is the CI/CD Integration"

"I would like to see the roadmap for this product. We are still waiting to see it as we have only so many resources."

"The penetration testing feature should be included."

"The tool should improve its output. Scanning is not a challenge anymore since there are many such tools available in the market. The product needs to focus on how its output is being used by end users. It should be also more user-friendly. One of the major challenges is in the tool's integration with applications that need to be scanned. Sometimes, the scanning is not proper."

"The solution's scalability can be a matter of concern because one license runs on one machine only."

"The solution often has a high number of false positives. It's an aspect they really need to improve upon."

More HCL AppScan cons

"For Japanese customers, localization is needed. The product should offer a GUI in Japanese and provide Japanese reports for end-users."

"AppSpider has some problems with the RAM needed while scanning."

"One of the challenges I have with AppSpider is that it gives you a lot of false positives, especially when compared to other solutions."

"The solution is too slow. It could take a full day to scan. Competitors are much faster."

"The product needs to be able to scale for large companies, like ours. We have millions of IP addresses that need to be scanned, and the scalability is not great."

"The tech support is responsive but issues remain unresolved."

"It needs better integration with mobile applications."

"The product should offer a GUI in Japanese and provide Japanese reports for end-users."

More Rapid7 AppSpider cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"AppScan is a little bit expensive. IBM needs to work a little bit on the pricing model, decreasing the license cost."

"The solution is cheap."

"I would rate the product's pricing a nine out of ten. The product's pricing is expensive compared to the features that they offer."

"Pricing was the main reason that we went ahead with this solution as they were the lowest in the market."

"The tool was expensive."

"The product is moderately priced, though it's an investment due to extensive code analysis needs."

"I rate the product's price a seven on a scale of one to ten, where one is low, and ten is high. HCL AppScan is an expensive tool."

"The price of HCL AppScan is okay, in my opinion. You just buy HCL AppScan and don't pay anything anymore, meaning it is just a one-time purchase."

More HCL AppScan pricing and cost advice

"AppSpider is closed-source software and you need to acquire a license in order to use it."

"The licensing cost depends on the number of users."

"It is expensive if you want to buy the Enterprise version that is able to scan multiple applications at once."

"The price is pretty fair."

"The price of Rapid7 AppSpider cost 9,000 annually but there is limited usage. Large companies are able to negotiate a better price or a better deal for the usage with the vendor."

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Computer Software Company

19%

Financial Services Firm

14%

Government

11%

Manufacturing Company

Financial Services Firm

17%

Computer Software Company

14%

Healthcare Company

Government

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about HCL AppScan?

The most valuable feature of HCL AppScan is its integration with the SDLC, particularly during the coding phase.

See all answers

What needs improvement with HCL AppScan?

AppScan needs to improve its handling of false positives. It also requires enhancements in customer support, similar to what Veracode provides. Regularly scheduling calls with clients to discuss fe...

See all answers

What is your primary use case for HCL AppScan?

The primary use case for AppScan is for security purposes. I compare AppScan with other tools such as Veracode. We use AppScan for vulnerability detection and auto-remediation of vulnerabilities wi...

See all answers

What do you like most about Rapid7 AppSpider?

The most valuable feature of Rapid7 AppSpider is the vulnerability reporting data. Additionally, the data is reported in a convenient way rather than seeing them as a PDF. We are able to generate a...

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Rapid7 AppSpider?

The price is not high, but for Japanese customers, localization may incur additional costs.

See all answers

What needs improvement with Rapid7 AppSpider?

For Japanese customers, localization is needed. The product should offer a GUI in Japanese and provide Japanese reports for end-users.

See all answers

Comparisons

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Compared 10% of the time

Fortify on Demand vs HCL AppScan

Compared 8% of the time

OWASP Zap vs HCL AppScan

Compared 8% of the time

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Rapid7 InsightAppSec vs Rapid7 AppSpider

Compared 43% of the time

Acunetix vs Rapid7 AppSpider

Compared 9% of the time

Invicti vs Rapid7 AppSpider

Compared 9% of the time

OWASP Zap vs Rapid7 AppSpider

Compared 7% of the time

Checkmarx One vs Rapid7 AppSpider

Compared 5% of the time

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Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

HCL AppScan

March 2025

Download HCL AppScan product report

Buyer's Guide

Rapid7 AppSpider

March 2025

Download Rapid7 AppSpider product report

Also Known As

IBM Security AppScan, Rational AppScan, AppScan

AppSpider

Overview

IBM Security AppScan enhances web application security and mobile application security, improves application security program management and strengthens regulatory compliance. By scanning your web and mobile applications prior to deployment, AppScan enables you to identify security vulnerabilities and generate reports and fix recommendations.

HCLSoftware

SPAs, APIs, mobile—the evolution of application technology is measured in months, not years. Is your web application security testing tool designed to keep up? AppSpider lets you collect all the information needed to test all the apps so that you aren’t left with gaping application risks.

Our dynamic application security testing (DAST) solution crawls to the deepest, darkest corners of even the most modern and complex apps to effectively test for risk and get you the insight you need to remediate faster. With AppSpider on your side (or, rather, all of your sides), you’ll be able to scan all the apps today and always be ready for whatever comes next.

Rapid7

Sample Customers

Essex Technology Group Inc., Cisco, West Virginia University, APIS IT

Microsoft

Buyer's Guide

HCL AppScan vs. Rapid7 AppSpider

March 2025

Free Report: HCL AppScan vs. Rapid7 AppSpider

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