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IBM Guardium Vulnerability Assessment vs Rapid7 InsightVM comparison

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Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive Summary

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

Qualys TotalCloud
Sponsored
Ranking in Vulnerability Management
11th
Average Rating
8.6
Reviews Sentiment
7.3
Number of Reviews
39
Ranking in other categories
Container Security (11th), Cloud Workload Protection Platforms (CWPP) (8th), Cloud Security Posture Management (CSPM) (8th), SaaS Security Posture Management (SSPM) (1st), Cloud-Native Application Protection Platforms (CNAPP) (6th)
IBM Guardium Vulnerability ...
Ranking in Vulnerability Management
53rd
Average Rating
6.0
Reviews Sentiment
8.1
Number of Reviews
4
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
Rapid7 InsightVM
Ranking in Vulnerability Management
12th
Average Rating
8.0
Reviews Sentiment
6.9
Number of Reviews
66
Ranking in other categories
Risk-Based Vulnerability Management (4th)
 

Mindshare comparison

As of June 2026, in the Vulnerability Management category, the mindshare of Qualys TotalCloud is 1.0%, up from 0.9% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of IBM Guardium Vulnerability Assessment is 0.7%, up from 0.5% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Rapid7 InsightVM is 2.0%, down from 4.5% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Vulnerability Management Mindshare Distribution
ProductMindshare (%)
Qualys TotalCloud1.0%
Rapid7 InsightVM2.0%
IBM Guardium Vulnerability Assessment0.7%
Other96.3%
Vulnerability Management
 

Featured Reviews

RO
IT Security Expert at Alior Bank S.A.
Unified risk scoring has improved our cloud visibility and simplifies remediation priorities
Qualys TotalCloud provides unified vulnerability and threat assessment across both IAS and SaaS. This solution provides a single prioritized view of risk, which helps reduce the work I would have to do. We are no longer based on CVSS; we are based on Qualys risk scoring, which is based on CVSS plus internal findings made by Qualys, and then assigns its own score. The TruRisk insight feature has found a small number of assets with high vulnerability scores, though I am cautious since some information is classified. Qualys TotalCloud has positively impacted our bank's performance, and we have definitely seen benefits after implementing this solution.
SL
Guardium Administrator at Interactive Group
Improvements sought in database optimization while benefiting from robust security monitoring
We use the analytical functionality of Guardium, but the analytical functionality is not so powerful or flexible because it does not include the application user ID. It only includes the database user ID. To identify risky users, it does not support end users, so IBM must incorporate this feature into the built-in analytical engine of the Guardium. There is only one problem I experienced while using Guardium: the internal database of the collector is MySQL, which is not so powerful or flexible. When you make a query in a MySQL database, it takes too much time to respond. IBM should replace this MySQL database with a more powerful internal database for the logging mechanism so that Guardium can collect logging data flexibly and ensure optimization. My overall experience with Guardium is good. The only problem is that IBM must replace the internal DB, MySQL, with a more powerful enterprise-level database because enterprises use it at an enterprise level, and MySQL does not support optimally.
reviewer2775840 - PeerSpot reviewer
Manager at a financial services firm with 5,001-10,000 employees
Manages vulnerabilities effectively over time but needs improvement in web coverage and dashboard flexibility
Most of the dynamic asset tagging we use is manual, not dynamic. To manage the assets, we employed the manual approach because we have a limitation regarding the license, so we don't use the dynamic approach much. I don't know how the configuration assessment has assisted with meeting compliance standards. The product that we use is the on-premise solution where we configure assets and dynamically scan them. However, we use the default policies more, the template, so Rapid7 InsightVM on-premise version is not that effective in the web-related systems. However, it is best on the OS to identify and discover the OS-related vulnerabilities, more of open ports and the discovery of vulnerable ports or services. It would be better to improve Rapid7 InsightVM by including or working better to add web-related templates because it's not that effective in regard to web. I don't know if they may have a separate product regarding the web, but for the on-premise type, they are not strong in this area. I would prefer to see web-related templates in addition to improving the dashboard-related things because the dashboard has been constant for a very long time. It would be better to see various kinds of, perhaps a flexible type of dashboard. If it's not customizable at all, I would want to see the risk and asset over time with more flexibility. The current dashboard is not flexible in this regard; I have to dig down every day, so they should work on this as well, in addition to the web.

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"Qualys TotalCloud has significantly improved our organization by automating our reporting processes, reducing the time spent on report creation from two hours to less than fifteen to twenty minutes."
"TotalCloud's best feature is the integration of cloud accounts. It helps with the risk and security posture management of our cloud infrastructure."
"One of the most valuable features of Qualys TotalCloud is FlexScan, which is specifically for internet-facing VMs. We found this feature to be very useful. It was a key differentiator for us."
"Qualys TotalCloud's most valuable feature is its agent versatility."
"The dashboards are particularly valuable as they offer a comprehensive view of the environment, highlighting any misconfigurations."
"By integrating TotalCloud, we have significantly reduced vulnerabilities in our deployment pipeline."
"Qualys TotalCloud provides a single, prioritized view based on requirements such as identifying the most vulnerable assets and calculating the average time to remediate vulnerabilities."
"Its excellent graphical interface makes the scanning process simple."
"It helped with some of the regulatory requirements, and it also helped with some of the security analytics and analysis, making it worthwhile from that perspective."
"The reporting features are good and there are many built-in reports that can be quickly configured."
"The best feature is that you can see the activity in your data environment and have the ability to get the vulnerability assessments done quickly with scores that can be compared."
"The most valuable feature is that it provides a simple English recommendation on actions that you need to take once a vulnerability is discovered."
"The Vulnerability Assessment feature is quite stable and helps identify numerous vulnerabilities in databases."
"This solution is very easy to use and easy to install."
"The most valuable feature is the vulnerability scan."
"With Rapid7 InsightVM, the deployment process is more user-friendly."
"The most valuable feature of the Rapid7 InsightVM solution is the Live Risk Score."
"InsightVM allows customers to manage assets from anywhere, whether they need the ICS compiler or users to work from home."
"I liked the dashboard on it. I could customize my dashboard with different widgets and different heat maps."
"We are very satisfied with the reports, as they provide us with the information that is required for our management."
"The most valuable features of the solution are the agent and the scanning."
 

Cons

"There is a lack of data segregation according to criticality or inventory."
"Qualys TotalCloud has the potential to improve by integrating a hybrid platform for comprehensive management of both on-premises and cloud infrastructures."
"I sometimes have difficulty detecting or uninstalling certain versions of applications, which I have to do manually."
"In TotalCloud, I would suggest improvements in policy checks to cater to various inventory types like VPCs, subnets, S3 buckets, or IAMs. There is a lack of data segregation according to criticality or inventory."
"The response part of the Cloud Detection and Response (CDR) module can be improved."
"There is room for improvement in vulnerability scanning, particularly for PaaS environments. Currently, Qualys does not have full access to these instances, which limits its effectiveness."
"From a downside perspective, the UI is not user-friendly and feels dated compared to other tools like Prisma Cloud."
"The vulnerability part is good, but the policy compliance module needs improvement because it involves a lot of manual work. Specifically, the remediation part of the controls requires enhancements."
"Building policies is not that easy. There are some things that are turned off by default, for example, displaying values."
"The only problem is that some of the reports come up with blanks and missing data."
"It was not as easy to use. The user-friendliness of it was somewhat lower than what I was expecting. It was also lacking in terms of the ease of the setup. There should be an automatic agent for deployment."
"The interface could be improved by having sub-groups of tests, ultimately making the process of collecting tests faster."
"There is only one problem I experienced while using Guardium: the internal database of the collector is MySQL, which is not so powerful or flexible."
"I wouldn't use it. That would be my advice to others looking into implementing IBM Guardium Vulnerability Assessment."
"The authentication scan is not working."
"It gives false positives at times, and this a problem. It causes problems with reporting."
"The team needs to improve the speed and focus on the new bandwidth feed. Sometimes, it takes a while to scan, especially with new updates."
"A definite improvement would be to make it easier to run ad-hoc scans without needing to assign the asset to a site or group."
"I would say that it improved our visibility, but it left things open."
"The reporting is very bad when you compare it with other vulnerability assessment tools."
"I would like to see more integration."
"All products have room for increased security and Rapid7 InsightVM is no exception."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The pricing is comparable. It is built into our other product, so I cannot piecemeal it. It is a part of our subscription."
"The pricing for TotalCloud is attractive and competitive in the market. Given the features, especially the dashboard, I have no concerns regarding pricing."
"Qualys TotalCloud offers cost-effective licensing flexibility."
"Although Qualys TotalCloud is relatively expensive due to its unique automation features, its cost-effectiveness is rated an eight out of ten, with ten being the most costly."
"It isn't cheap, but it's reasonable. It helps us to manage things with very few resources."
"Qualys TotalCloud is cost-efficient and was selected for its value compared to other products."
"The cost is high, but it meets our organizational needs."
"Qualys TotalCloud offers competitive pricing given its comprehensive suite of features, including integration, assessment, remediation, and detection capabilities, all within a single platform."
"One thing not advantageous for it was that it was a little bit more expensive. I would rate it one out of five in terms of pricing."
"The license is annual and this is the optimal approach when it comes to most software."
"In some cases, we procure the licenses. In some cases, the customers directly buy the license from Rapid7."
"The product is cheaper than the other similar tools available in the market."
"Its licensing is yearly. Everything is included in the price for one year."
"The solution's pricing is better than Nexus which charges a high amount for very little use."
"The price of the solution is less than the competitors."
"Its price is too high. My only concern or issue with Rapid7 is its pricing."
"Licensing fees are paid on a yearly basis."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Manufacturing Company
17%
Financial Services Firm
14%
Construction Company
8%
Comms Service Provider
7%
Financial Services Firm
30%
Comms Service Provider
7%
Construction Company
7%
Government
7%
Financial Services Firm
12%
Manufacturing Company
9%
Computer Software Company
7%
Comms Service Provider
6%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business10
Midsize Enterprise3
Large Enterprise29
No data available
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business29
Midsize Enterprise14
Large Enterprise25
 

Questions from the Community

What needs improvement with Qualys TotalCloud?
Areas that need improvement in every solution include the remediation part. The remediation steps should be simple en...
What is your primary use case for Qualys TotalCloud?
Our use case involves the assets that we have under cloud, the assets exposed to the internet, and the internal appli...
What needs improvement with IBM Guardium Vulnerability Assessment?
We use the analytical functionality of Guardium, but the analytical functionality is not so powerful or flexible beca...
What is your primary use case for IBM Guardium Vulnerability Assessment?
We are still using IBM Guardium Vulnerability Assessment. We only use IBM Guardium Data Protection and monitoring, da...
What advice do you have for others considering IBM Guardium Vulnerability Assessment?
We do not use IBM Guardium Vulnerability Assessment for data encryption or any other tool for analytics, or identity ...
How would you choose between Rapid7 InsightVM and Tenable Nessus?
You have full visibility across cloud, network, virtual, and containerized infrastructures with Rapid7 Insight VM. Yo...
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Rapid7 InsightVM?
My experience with the pricing, setup cost, and licensing is that both the setup cost and licensing are great.
What needs improvement with Rapid7 InsightVM?
To improve Rapid7 InsightVM, I wish to have integration with patching systems, which would be useful to us. The usabi...
 

Also Known As

Qualys TotalCloud with FlexScan
No data available
InsightVM, NeXpose
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Information Not Available
Information Not Available
ACS, Acosta, AllianceData, amazon.com, biogen idec, CBRE, CATERPILLAR, Deloitte, COACH, GameStop, IBM
Find out what your peers are saying about IBM Guardium Vulnerability Assessment vs. Rapid7 InsightVM and other solutions. Updated: June 2026.
900,747 professionals have used our research since 2012.