Qualys Web Application Scanning vs Tenable.io Web Application Scanning comparison

Qualys Web Application Scanning vs. Tenable.io Web Application Scanning

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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

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)

Tenable.io Web Application ...

Ranking in Application Security Tools

22nd

Average Rating

7.8

Reviews Sentiment

5.8

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Mindshare comparison

As of June 2026, in the Application Security Tools category, the mindshare of Qualys Web Application Scanning is 1.7%, down from 2.1% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Tenable.io Web Application Scanning is 1.4%, up from 1.2% 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%
Tenable.io Web Application Scanning	1.4%
Other	96.9%

Application Security Tools

Featured Reviews

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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Hatem Langar

Security Analyst at TOPNET

Web audits have identified vulnerabilities and now provide clear visibility into compliance gaps

We have experience with Tenable.io Web Application Scanning, and we use it as well; we have approximately ten licenses for web application scanning. We use it to find vulnerabilities, but Tenable.io Web Application Scanning does not include remediation; we remediate with other products. We use the…

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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

"Qualys Web Application Scanning is user-friendly, easy to understand, easy to use, and easy to deploy."

"It is a good product for website penetration testing to detect vulnerabilities."

"It combines both web application vulnerability management and internal vulnerability management on one platform and dashboard. Usually, you have to purchase separate tools."

"Key features include: Cloud-based, so the installation is not so tedious, easily deployed, highly scalable, and provides comprehensive reporting."

"The feature that I have found most valuable is the progressive scan. It is good. It's done in 24 hours."

"It protects against zero-day vulnerabilities, like Heartbleed."

"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."

"This product is designed for easy scalability and can easily scale up without major challenges."

More Qualys Web Application Scanning pros

"Now that the license is centralized, it's a significant feature to manipulate assets based on their functions."

"The most valuable feature is the reporting, which provides a good level of detail with respect to vulnerabilities."

"The solution's instant reports feature is the most effective for detecting threats."

"Tenable provides the end analysis results covering all the published vulnerabilities and information on the market."

"Our customers adopt this solution because of the replication testing and the vulnerability assessment it can do. It is a multi-faceted product."

"The initial setup is straightforward."

"Tenable.io Web Application Scanning is very easy to use, provides very reliable results, and is easily managed by someone who lacks prior knowledge, information, or experience."

"The most valuable features of Tenable.io Web Application Scanning are the integration into specific use cases and scanning. All of the features of the solution are useful."

More Tenable.io Web Application Scanning pros

Cons

"Deployment can be complicated."

"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 pricing does not seem to be competitive."

"Qualys Web Application Scanning is very complex to use, and its graphical interface is not very user-friendly."

"The authenticated scanning feature could be improved by adding support for real-time scanning tokens and authorization tokens."

"The support could be faster."

"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."

"One area for improvement is the user interface. The new UI, which was recently upgraded, feels more complex and less user-friendly than the old version."

More Qualys Web Application Scanning cons

"The reporting in Tenable.io Web Application Scanning is not as good as the reporting in Tenable SC."

"Tenable.io Web Application Scanning is not very user-friendly and you need a lot of information to get proper reports. The tool's support is not very responsive."

"The reporting has a very limited customization capability."

"The cloud and the on-premises versions have their own controllers, and there is no way to centrally manage controllers."

"The technical support should be improved. Currently, some attacks are detected while others are not."

"The platform's technical support services could be better."

"We have encountered some problems with the technical support from Tenable; I would rate it a five out of ten. It is not efficacious, especially the first-level support."

"They have a general dashboard for web application scanning, but the dashboards and reporting can be improved. They probably have some features in their roadmap."

More Tenable.io Web Application Scanning cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The product has a very good licensing model."

"I rate the software’s pricing a six out of ten."

"It is an expensive platform."

"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."

"Licensing was based on the number of assets that you want to scan on your network. You can also do licensing on subscription. On subscription, it is easier and more flexible. You tell Qualys that you want to move from the 1000 to 2000 band or the 3000 or 5000 band, then they will give you the quotation for it. Once you pay for it, applying the licensing is quite easy and effective."

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

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

"Qualys has an IT-based licensing based on a yearly license, which is a good way of handling it. However, in some cases, when we do the PCI scanning, the host will not like the scanning and we lose the IT license. So, this could be improved."

More Qualys Web Application Scanning pricing and cost advice

"I rate the product's pricing a four out of ten."

"For Tenable.io Web Application Scanning, it comes to around 6,50,000 Indian rupees, plus taxes."

"Tenable.io Web Application Scanning is expensive for small businesses."

"It follows the same licensing scheme as Tenable.io and Tenable. sc."

"The price of the solution is reasonable compared to the competitors. The license cost is based on the number of users and the annual usage."

"The pricing is okay."

"The application is extremely affordable. There are no additional costs involved with licensing. We switched to Tenable.io Web Application Scanning from other solutions due to pricing."

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Financial Services Firm

14%

Manufacturing Company

12%

Computer Software Company

Construction Company

Financial Services Firm

15%

Manufacturing Company

Comms Service Provider

Computer Software Company

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

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

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	7
Midsize Enterprise	5
Large Enterprise	7

Questions from the Community

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.

What needs improvement with Qualys Web Application Scanning?

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...

What needs improvement with Tenable.io Web Application Scanning?

If there were a solution, I would like to see automation and an integrated remediation solution for vulnerability or patch management.

What advice do you have for others considering Tenable.io Web Application Scanning?

I do not understand what API approach means; I do not understand this term. I think Tenable.io Web Application Scanning is the best option on the market at the moment. My review rating for this pro...

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Tenable.io Web Application Scanning?

I think the price is expensive. We do not have an idea of how much we have to pay approximately, but comparing to other products, Tenable.io Web Application Scanning is expensive.

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Product Reports

Qualys Web Application Scanning

Download Qualys Web Application Scanning product report

Application Security Tools

Download Tenable.io Web Application Scanning product report

Tenable.io Web Application Scanning report

Also Known As

Qualys WAS

No data available

Overview

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

Tenable.io Web Application Scanning delivers automated scanning and robust risk mitigation for diverse cloud environments, prioritizing security and compliance for modern organizations.

Tenable.io Web Application Scanning leverages scalable architecture for comprehensive vulnerability detection across applications and systems. It integrates with cloud services, providing an interface to analyze complex functions and enhance security. Detailed reports guide vulnerability management and ensure compliance with key standards.

What are the critical features of Tenable.io Web Application Scanning?

Priority Ratings: Streamlines risk assessment by ranking vulnerabilities based on severity.
Automated Scanning: Simplifies continuous security checks across environments.
Scalable Architecture: Ensures adaptability across expansive networks.
Cloud Integration: Supports various cloud platforms for consistent security.
Comprehensive Reporting: Offers detailed insights into vulnerabilities and risk mitigation measures.

What benefits or ROI should users expect?

Enhanced Security Posture: Strengthens defenses with thorough vulnerability analysis.
Compliance Assurance: Facilitates adherence to OWASP Top 10 and NISC standards.
Streamlined Management: Simplifies processes with a cloud-based approach.
Insightful Dashboards: Provides easy access to important security metrics.

Organizations across industries employ Tenable.io Web Application Scanning for routine vulnerability assessments, safeguarding container exposure, internal networks, and more. Dashboards and reports aid in informed decision-making, supporting comprehensive threat detection and compliance.

Tenable

Sample Customers

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.

IMDEX

Qualys Web Application Scanning vs. Tenable.io Web Application Scanning