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HCL AppScan vs SonarQube Server (formerly SonarQube) comparison

HCLSoftware and Sonar are both solutions in the Application Security Tools category. HCLSoftware is ranked #15 with an average rating of 8.3, while Sonar is ranked #1 with an average rating of 8.3. HCLSoftware holds a 2.5% mindshare in AS, compared to Sonar’s 20.5% mindshare. Additionally, 84% of HCLSoftware users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 81% of Sonar users who would recommend it.
HCL AppScan
Read 43 HCL AppScan reviews
  • 4,377 Views
  • 3,108 Comparison Views
84% willing to recommend
SonarQube Server (formerly ...
Read 117 SonarQube Server (formerly SonarQube) reviews
  • 38,362 Views
  • 24,552 Comparison Views
81% willing to recommend
 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Sep 21, 2025

HCL AppScan and SonarQube Server both compete in the software security and code quality management category. Based on user feedback, HCL AppScan is favored for its comprehensive security features, while SonarQube Server is praised for its cost-effectiveness, especially its free community edition.

Features: HCL AppScan excels in vulnerability detection for web and dynamic applications, supports QR code scanning, and integrates with multiple languages. It also provides robust threat analysis and remediation guidance. SonarQube Server is known for its thorough static code analysis, seamless integration with CI/CD pipelines, and support for a wide range of programming languages. It aids developers in maintaining strong code quality through customizable quality gates and dashboards.

Room for Improvement: HCL AppScan could enhance its extensibility and tool integration, reduce false positives, and offer improved technical support. SonarQube Server could benefit from better dynamic analysis capabilities, increased accuracy in security assessments, and enhanced integration with popular development environments.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: HCL AppScan allows cloud and on-premises deployments but experiences challenges with customer service, especially post-IBM transition. SonarQube Server offers flexibility across various environments, including private and public clouds, with a supportive open-source community. However, improving technical documentation and enterprise edition customer service is suggested.

Pricing and ROI: HCL AppScan is considered expensive, with pricing seen as a barrier despite demonstrating ROI through vulnerability reduction. SonarQube Server is lauded for its free community edition's substantial functionality and transparent pricing for paid versions, with the enterprise edition offering features that justify its cost.

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To learn more, read our detailed HCL AppScan vs. SonarQube Server (formerly SonarQube) Report (Updated: September 2025).
Buyer's Guide
HCL AppScan vs. SonarQube Server (formerly SonarQube)
September 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:
 

ROI

Sentiment score
2.1
HCL AppScan enhances architecture with fewer errors and improved security, achieving 50% return and 20% cost savings.
Sentiment score
7.1
SonarQube Server boosts productivity, stability, and security through effective code analysis and vulnerability assessment, enhancing development processes.
No quotes available
For more quotes and insights, download the HCL AppScan report
I have seen a return on the investment from SonarQube Server (formerly SonarQube) because the value it adds relates to static code analysis and vulnerability assessments needed for our FDA approval process.
We see productivity increasing based on the fact that the code review is mostly automated, allowing the developer to fix the code themselves before assigning it to someone else to review, thus receiving that ROI.
It's more about maintaining standards and being able to prevent issues before they occur.
For more quotes and insights, download the SonarQube Server (formerly SonarQube) report
KH
Sthembiso Zondi - PeerSpot reviewerSathyamurthi Natarajan - PeerSpot reviewer
 

Customer Service

Sentiment score
5.4
HCL AppScan's support is responsive with mixed reviews, facing regional challenges and lagging behind competitors like Veracode.
Sentiment score
6.2
SonarQube Server's support is valued for community resources and documentation, though free version technical support is limited.
Veracode provides excellent assistance and regularly scheduled calls to address customer concerns and updates.
For more quotes and insights, download the HCL AppScan report
They showed us where we can actually get those granular level reporting extracted for Excel, which was a quick guide.
I would rate the technical support for SonarQube Server (formerly SonarQube) as a 10 because we have not faced any specific issues that required us to contact tech support, which is a very rare case.
The community support is quite effective.
For more quotes and insights, download the SonarQube Server (formerly SonarQube) report
MS
Sthembiso Zondi - PeerSpot reviewer
KH
DB
 

Scalability Issues

Sentiment score
4.9
HCL AppScan is scalable yet varies by license, integration issues, infrastructure compatibility, and CI/CD pipeline design effectiveness.
Sentiment score
7.0
SonarQube Server efficiently scales for various user volumes and project sizes, though infrastructure demands may rise in physical setups.
No quotes available
For more quotes and insights, download the HCL AppScan report
I find SonarQube Server (formerly SonarQube) very scalable because we're able to create a new repository and integrate all the tools on that project and it just works.
I would rate the scalability of SonarQube Server as a 10 because we can configure the server to scan multiple projects based on the number of lines.
For more quotes and insights, download the SonarQube Server (formerly SonarQube) report
 

Stability Issues

Sentiment score
6.8
HCL AppScan is stable and reliable, with minor hardware issues, improved by recent upgrades enhancing performance and stability.
Sentiment score
7.7
SonarQube Server is highly reliable, stable with minor issues often related to plugins or environments, and rarely crashes.
No quotes available
For more quotes and insights, download the HCL AppScan report
I think SonarQube Server (formerly SonarQube) is stable, and we did not face any problems unless there was a power outage or if the LAN cable was plugged out.
For more quotes and insights, download the SonarQube Server (formerly SonarQube) report
 

Room For Improvement

HCL AppScan requires improvements in vulnerability detection, usability, integration, performance, support, pricing, and language/codebase compatibility to stay competitive.
SonarQube Server needs better issue detection, usability, language support, integration, customizable features, and AI-driven dynamic testing enhancements.
No quotes available
For more quotes and insights, download the HCL AppScan report
We need to change it to more of a portfolio report, where configuring or setting up things on the portfolio requires tagging at the ADO level.
As soon as I see that they've got a new feature that integrates AI that is not as generative as other GenAI platforms that actually generate the code and help developers develop faster, I believe that capability is lacking.
If I fix some vulnerabilities today, they reappear in the next scan, and there will be completely different issues that need to be fixed.
For more quotes and insights, download the SonarQube Server (formerly SonarQube) report
Sathyamurthi Natarajan - PeerSpot reviewerSthembiso Zondi - PeerSpot reviewer
KH
 

Setup Cost

HCL AppScan is considered expensive but cost-effective, with varied pricing opinions influenced by its premium features and discounts.
SonarQube Server provides cost-effective solutions for code quality, with competitive pricing and enhanced features for various project sizes.
Companies often choose based on budget constraints, with Veracode being on the higher end cost-wise.
For more quotes and insights, download the HCL AppScan report
I would rate the pricing for SonarQube Server (formerly SonarQube) as an 8, where 1 is very cheap and 10 is very expensive, because Coverity is very expensive, and while SonarQube is not cheap, it is still less expensive than Coverity.
They always offer around a two-year contract, but we always take a one-year contract because it's expensive.
The freemium version of SonarQube Server offers excellent value, especially compared to the high costs of Snyk.
For more quotes and insights, download the SonarQube Server (formerly SonarQube) report
MS
KH
Sthembiso Zondi - PeerSpot reviewer
DB
 

Valuable Features

HCL AppScan detects vulnerabilities, integrates with agile processes, offers scalability, user-friendly features, and AI-enhanced rapid scanning for security.
SonarQube Server enhances code quality with language support, CI/CD integration, insightful dashboards, and an intuitive interface.
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.
For more quotes and insights, download the HCL AppScan report
The most valuable features of SonarQube Server (formerly SonarQube) for us include having control of the rules, enabling and disabling them.
Some of the static code analysis capabilities are the most beneficial.
We use SonarQube Server's centralized management and visualization of code quality metrics on the dashboard because that's the executive dashboard that we send to the executives to show where we are in terms of quality, security, and where the company can improve.
For more quotes and insights, download the SonarQube Server (formerly SonarQube) report
MS
KH
DB
Sthembiso Zondi - PeerSpot reviewer
 

Categories and Ranking

HCL AppScan
Ranking in Application Security Tools
15th
Ranking in Static Application Security Testing (SAST)
14th
Average Rating
7.8
Reviews Sentiment
5.9
Number of Reviews
43
Ranking in other categories
Dynamic Application Security Testing (DAST) (1st)
SonarQube Server (formerly ...
Ranking in Application Security Tools
1st
Ranking in Static Application Security Testing (SAST)
1st
Average Rating
8.0
Reviews Sentiment
7.2
Number of Reviews
117
Ranking in other categories
Software Development Analytics (1st)
 

Mindshare comparison

As of October 2025, in the Application Security Tools category, the mindshare of HCL AppScan is 2.5%, down from 2.6% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of SonarQube Server (formerly SonarQube) is 20.5%, down from 26.0% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Application Security Tools Market Share Distribution
ProductMarket Share (%)
SonarQube Server (formerly SonarQube)20.5%
HCL AppScan2.5%
Other77.0%
Application Security Tools
 

Featured Reviews

Gladwin Christian - PeerSpot reviewer
A useful tool to scan applications that can be easily installed
Given that we have been using HCL AppScan for many years, I think the setup process is not difficult at all. Sometimes, some issues stop or prevent my company from moving forward with the product's setup phase. We have to call HCL's support team and engage in long discussions to smoothly carry out the setup phase. In general, the product's setup phase is not difficult in our company. The solution is deployed on an on-premises model. The licenses for the solution are available only on cloud deployments nowadays. The solution is already installed in our environment. Every time a new release or software comes out from HCL, our company does a scan, which takes maybe a day or two.
Read full review
Sthembiso Zondi - PeerSpot reviewer
Consistent improvements in code quality and security with effective integration and reliable technical support
The features of SonarQube Server (formerly SonarQube) that I find most useful are the suggestions received from reviewing the code. When they review the code, they provide suggestions on how to fix it, and we find those very useful from a development perspective. We use SonarQube Server's (formerly SonarQube) centralized management and visualization of code quality metrics on the dashboard because that's the executive dashboard that we send to the executives to show where we are in terms of quality, security, and where the company can improve. We use that for organizational improvement purposes. The ability to tailor metrics tracking in SonarQube Server (formerly SonarQube) has been beneficial to my team. There are team-specific dashboards which are related to specific repositories they utilize, and we have that aggregative dashboard that shows the whole organization's performance. We can drill down per specific repository, which makes it easier for the team to improve specific things.
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Computer Software Company
15%
Financial Services Firm
12%
Government
10%
Manufacturing Company
10%
Financial Services Firm
15%
Computer Software Company
14%
Manufacturing Company
14%
Government
6%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business13
Midsize Enterprise6
Large Enterprise31
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business32
Midsize Enterprise21
Large Enterprise75
 

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
Is SonarQube the best tool for static analysis?
I am not very familiar with SonarQube and their solutions, so I can not answer. But if you are asking me about which tools that are the best for for Static Code Analysis, I suggest you have a look...
See all answers
Which gives you more for your money - SonarQube or Veracode?
SonarQube is easy to deploy and configure, and also integrates well with other tools to do quality code analysis. SonarQube has a great community edition, which is open-source and free. Easy to use...
See all answers
How would you decide between Coverity and Sonarqube?
We researched Coverity, but in the end, we chose SonarQube. SonarQube is a tool for reviewing code quality and security. It helps to guide our development teams during code reviews by providing rem...
See all answers
 

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Compared 20% of the time
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Compared 10% of the time
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Compared 10% of the time
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Product Reports

Buyer's Guide
HCL AppScan
September 2025
HCL AppScan reportDownload HCL AppScan product report
Buyer's Guide
SonarQube Server (formerly SonarQube)
September 2025
SonarQube Server (formerly SonarQube) reportDownload SonarQube Server (formerly SonarQube) product report
 

Also Known As

IBM Security AppScan, Rational AppScan, AppScan
Sonar
 

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

SonarQube Server enhances code quality and security via static code analysis. It detects vulnerabilities, improves standards, and reduces technical debt, integrating into CI/CD pipelines.

SonarQube Server is a comprehensive tool for enhancing code quality and security. It offers static code analysis to identify vulnerabilities, improve coding standards, and reduce technical debt. By integrating into CI/CD pipelines, it provides automated checks for adherence to best practices. Organizations use it for code inspection, security testing, and compliance, ensuring development environments with better maintainability and fewer issues.

What are the key features of SonarQube Server?
  • Support for 20+ languages: Extensive programming language support suitable for diverse coding environments.
  • Custom coding rules: Allows for tailored rule sets to match specific coding standards.
  • Flexible quality gates: Define criteria for code acceptance at various intervals.
  • CI/CD integration: Seamless integration with Continuous Integration/Continuous Deployment tools.
  • Rich interface: User-friendly dashboard with detailed visual insights.
What benefits should users expect from SonarQube Server?
  • Improved code quality: Enhanced analysis contributes to fewer bugs and improved coding practices.
  • Security enhancements: Identifies and mitigates security vulnerabilities pre-emptively.
  • Maintainability: Reduces technical debt, yielding long-term development efficiency.
  • Customizable: Flexibility in configuration aligns with specific project needs.

Many industries implement SonarQube Server to uphold coding standards, maintain security protocols, and streamline their software development lifecycle. In sectors like finance and healthcare, adhering to regulations and ensuring reliable software is critical, making SonarQube Server invaluable. It is often integrated into CI/CD pipelines, ensuring that code changes meet set standards before deployment. This approach enhances productivity and maintains compliance with industry-specific requirements.

Sonar
 

Sample Customers

Essex Technology Group Inc., Cisco, West Virginia University, APIS IT
Information Not Available
Buyer's Guide
HCL AppScan vs. SonarQube Server (formerly SonarQube)
September 2025
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