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Head-to-head · Offensive Security

Burp Suite Professional vs OWASP ZAP

  • Updated Oct 2026
  • Both researched from official sources
  • 2 checks side by side
Higher score Burp Suite Professional #3 in Offensive Security 9.1/10 Paid ✓ 1 of 2 features Visit PortSwigger
OWASP ZAP #4 in Offensive Security 9.0/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 0 of 2 features Visit OWASP ZAP

Burp Suite Professional leads on 0 checks, OWASP ZAP on 1, and 1 is even. Who comes out ahead on the 2 yes/no, price and count checks where we have data for both products. The editor score weighs everything else too.

Our verdict

  • Highest scoreBurp Suite Professional · 9.1/10
  • Free planonly OWASP ZAP
  • Most featuresBurp Suite Professional · 1 of 2

Burp Suite Professional scores higher on our rubric for offensive security: 9.1 against 9.0 out of 10; our editors rank them #3 and #4.

OWASP ZAP offers free plan; Burp Suite Professional doesn't.

Burp Suite Professional is the better fit for web testers who need manual control and scanning. OWASP ZAP is the better fit for teams seeking free, automated web application testing.

  • Burp Suite Professional fits best

    Web testers who need manual control and scanning

  • OWASP ZAP fits best

    Teams seeking free, automated web application testing

Advertiser disclosure: iTechGuides is reader-supported. Vendors can pay for top positions in our rankings and for a place on other products' pages, and we may earn a commission when you click some links. Bought places stand at the number bought; this page and our disclosure say so. Paying vendors may get a fuller, more detailed review from our editors, and that review can change their score. How we rank.

Side by side

Feature Burp Suite Professional 9.1/10 Visit ↗ OWASP ZAP 9.0/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score 9.1 9.0
Ranking #3 in Offensive Security #4 in Offensive Security
Best for Web testers who need manual control and scanning Teams seeking free, automated web application testing
Pricing model Paid Free
Starting price $499/user/yr Free plan
Free plan — ✓ (best)
Free trial — —
Deployment Desktop Self-hosted, Desktop, Browser extension
Platforms Windows, macOS, Linux Windows, macOS, Linux
Support Email, Community, Docs Community, Docs
Built for Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise
Features Burp Suite Professional 1/2 · OWASP ZAP 0/2
Automated attacks ✓ (best) Not checked yet
Attack simulation library Not checked yet Not checked yet
Specs
Deployment Self-hosted Not checked yet
Testing scope Web Not checked yet
Listed integrations Not checked yet Not checked yet
Our review
Pros
  • Intercept, inspect, and modify web traffic with Proxy
  • Combines manual testing tools with automated vulnerability scanning
  • Extend and customize workflows with extensions, Bambdas, and BChecks
  • Active and passive scans pair with traditional, AJAX, and client-side spiders.
  • Authenticated scans support browser, form, JSON, HTTP/NTLM, and script-based methods.
  • REST API, YAML automation, Docker scans, and GitHub Actions support CI/CD workflows.
Cons
  • The $499 annual per-user price may be high for a focused web-testing tool
  • Testing scope is limited to web applications
  • Desktop deployment requires Windows, macOS, or Linux
  • Self-hosted and desktop deployment puts setup and operation on the team.
  • Scanning focus is web applications and APIs, not a broad security testing suite.
  • Support channels are community and documentation.
Our verdict

Burp Suite Professional is a desktop toolkit for penetration testers and other web security testers who want direct control over testing. Its Proxy lets testers intercept, inspect, and modify web traffic, while manual penetration testing…

Read the review →

OWASP ZAP is an open-source penetration-testing tool for finding vulnerabilities in web applications. It is suited to developers, testers, and security specialists who want to run manual or automated checks without a paid plan. The product…

Read the review →
  1. Burp Suite ProfessionalOffensive Security 9.1Paid
  2. OWASP ZAPOffensive Security 9.0Free plan

Strengths and trade-offs

  • Burp Suite Professional — where it wins

    • Intercept, inspect, and modify web traffic with Proxy
    • Combines manual testing tools with automated vulnerability scanning
    • Extend and customize workflows with extensions, Bambdas, and BChecks

    Where it doesn't

    • The $499 annual per-user price may be high for a focused web-testing tool
    • Testing scope is limited to web applications
    • Desktop deployment requires Windows, macOS, or Linux

  • OWASP ZAP — where it wins

    • Active and passive scans pair with traditional, AJAX, and client-side spiders.
    • Authenticated scans support browser, form, JSON, HTTP/NTLM, and script-based methods.
    • REST API, YAML automation, Docker scans, and GitHub Actions support CI/CD workflows.

    Where it doesn't

    • Self-hosted and desktop deployment puts setup and operation on the team.
    • Scanning focus is web applications and APIs, not a broad security testing suite.
    • Support channels are community and documentation.

More comparisons

All offensive security comparisons → · Full ranking →

Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026

Last updated · How we research and update