

Qualys VMDR and Tenable Nessus are leading solutions in the vulnerability management category. While both have their strengths, Tenable Nessus seems to have an edge in affordability and ease of use, making it more appealing for smaller organizations.
Features: Qualys VMDR offers comprehensive module integration with cloud-based features, making it highly scalable. Users benefit from continuous monitoring and strong vulnerability management with policy compliance capabilities. In contrast, Tenable Nessus is praised for its extensive vulnerability database, accurate predictive prioritization, and a user-friendly design. With local and network-based testing, Nessus effectively addresses network vulnerability management needs.
Room for Improvement: For Qualys VMDR, users seek better reporting and improved integration, especially for customization and patch management. There are also challenges with asset management and complexity in its modular services. Users of Tenable Nessus suggest enhancing reporting efficiency and deepening scanning capabilities while reducing false positives. Improving real-time system integration is another key area.
Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Deployment experiences vary significantly, with Qualys VMDR offering flexible cloud deployment suitable for dynamic environments, though setup can be complex. Tenable Nessus users benefit from straightforward on-premises deployments, finding it easy to set up. Qualys customer service is noted for mixed reviews, while Tenable has a solid reputation for responsive support.
Pricing and ROI: Qualys VMDR is seen as more costly, offering a comprehensive solution but raising affordability concerns. Tenable Nessus stands out for competitive pricing, making it ideal for smaller organizations. Both deliver significant ROI through cybersecurity enhancements, but Tenable is preferred by budget-conscious buyers due to its lower pricing and flexible licensing options.
We saw a return on investment through significant savings in time, money, and resources.
We usually get on calls with tech support, and they are very helpful.
The response time takes a while.
The technical support provided by Qualys is pretty good.
We received support within one to three hours.
Whenever any issue arises, we contact the support, and they are always there for us.
The technical support is good yet could improve in terms of response time.
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.
Qualys VMDR's scalability is good, and the customer support is good.
Whether managing 50 servers today or 500 tomorrow, performance or capacity are not hindered.
Tenable Nessus is definitely scalable, especially for license formats designed for scalability.
Qualys VMDR is stable.
We have not encountered any issues with missing network items or errors in API and webhook interactions.
The stability of Tenable Nessus is extraordinary.
It does not automate patching unless the patch management module is purchased separately.
If AI features were integrated, it could enhance the capabilities significantly.
One area where Qualys VMDR can be improved is the missing feature for deploying agents for over 1,000 assets, as we need to do it manually.
This is Tenable's property. They want to sell Tenable Security Center, and they closed all the API capability for Tenable Nessus Professional.
An AI feature that helps them discover options without requiring them to deep dive into all features or guides them through advisory functions would be beneficial.
The documentation is not well-organized, which can be confusing when searching for solutions or specific information related to Tenable Nessus Professional.
I would rate the pricing between seven to eight out of ten.
I have a notion that Qualys might be more expensive than Rapid7.
Qualys offers better pricing and is feature-packed compared to other tools.
The pricing for Tenable Nessus has increased significantly, tripling over the last few years.
Tenable Nessus's pricing is adequate if it is fully utilized.
When we compare it to other solutions, it is more difficult for us to negotiate the price for Tenable Nessus than to negotiate the price with Rapid7.
The prioritization of vulnerabilities has improved our remediation efforts by around thirty to thirty-five percent.
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.
Qualys VMDR's continuous monitoring capabilities help us respond to emergent threats by enabling my team to reach out to the security engineers whenever there is any detection of a vulnerability, informing them about it, and creating an incident.
I mostly use the configuration audit feature for the audit configuration as a scan policy, and I will use it for credential audit, which helps me scan credentials access such as local administrator or root access, performing a deeper and more accurate check of local configuration settings and file systems, making it a highly recommended feature.
The scanning and reporting features are the most valuable aspects of Tenable Nessus.
The most valuable features of Tenable Nessus include its ease of access and quick usability.
| Product | Mindshare (%) |
|---|---|
| Tenable Nessus | 5.0% |
| Qualys VMDR | 4.9% |
| Other | 90.1% |


| Company Size | Count |
|---|---|
| Small Business | 20 |
| Midsize Enterprise | 12 |
| Large Enterprise | 70 |
| Company Size | Count |
|---|---|
| Small Business | 40 |
| Midsize Enterprise | 19 |
| Large Enterprise | 35 |
Vulnerability Management, Detection, and Response (VMDR) is a cornerstone product of the Qualys TruRisk Platform and a global leader in the enterprise-grade vulnerability management (VM) vendor space. With VMDR, enterprises are empowered with visibility and insight into cyber risk exposure - making it easy to prioritize vulnerabilities, assets, or groups of assets based on business risk. Security teams can take action to mitigate risk, helping the business measure their actual risk exposure over time.
Qualys VMDR offers an all-inclusive risk-based vulnerability management solution to prioritize vulnerabilities and assets based on risk and business criticality. VMDR seamlessly integrates with configuration management databases (CMDB), Qualys Patch Management, Custom Assessment and Remediation (CAR), Qualys TotalCloud and other Qualys and non-Qualys solutions to facilitate vulnerability detection and remediation across the entire enterprise.
With VMDR, users are empowered with actionable risk insights that translate vulnerabilities and exploits into optimized remediation actions based on business impact. Qualys customers can now aggregate and orchestrate data from the Qualys Threat Library, 25+ threat intelligence feeds, and third-party security and IT solutions, empowering organizations to measure, communicate, and eliminate risk across on-premises, hybrid, and cloud environments.
Tenable Nessus enhances cybersecurity by detecting vulnerabilities with comprehensive scanning, user-friendly dashboards, and automated reporting, providing value in asset management, configuration audits, and compliance.
Providing real-time monitoring and ease of use, Nessus stands out with its integration capabilities, predictive prioritization, extensive plugin system, and cost-effectiveness. It supports vulnerability assessments for networks, applications, and devices, offering detailed reports for continuous security improvement. Nessus' capabilities extend across on-premise and cloud deployments, aiding compliance and remediation processes while aligning with security standards. While robust, it could benefit from enhanced cloud capabilities, improved scanning accuracy, and more flexible licensing options.
What are the standout features of Tenable Nessus?Tenable Nessus is implemented widely across industries for internal and external vulnerability assessments and management, aiding organizations in scanning servers, workstations, and network devices. Benefiting sectors prioritize security within their unique environments, leveraging Nessus for its thorough reports and compliance assurance.
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