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Head-to-head · Vulnerability Scanner Software

Tenable Nessus vs OWASP ZAP

  • Updated Sep 2026
  • Both researched from official sources
  • 2 checks side by side
Higher score Tenable Nessus #6 in Vulnerability Scanner Software 5.1/10 From $4,790/yr ✓ 1 of 3 features Visit Tenable
OWASP ZAP #7 in Vulnerability Scanner Software —/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 0 of 3 features Visit OWASP ZAP

Tenable Nessus leads on 1 check, OWASP ZAP on 1, and 0 are 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 scoreTenable Nessus · 5.1/10
  • Free planonly OWASP ZAP
  • Most featuresTenable Nessus · 1 of 3

Our editors rank Tenable Nessus at #6 and OWASP ZAP at #7 for vulnerability scanner software; OWASP ZAP has no rubric score yet (facts researched, not yet scored), so the checks below decide.

OWASP ZAP offers free plan; Tenable Nessus doesn't. Tenable Nessus offers continuous scanning; OWASP ZAP doesn't publish it.

Tenable Nessus is the better fit for practitioners needing credentialed network and IP scans. OWASP ZAP is the better fit for developers seeking a free, extensible web scanner.

  • Tenable Nessus fits best

    Practitioners needing credentialed network and IP scans

  • OWASP ZAP fits best

    Developers seeking a free, extensible web scanner

Advertiser disclosure: iTechGuides is reader-supported. We may earn a commission when you click some links. It never changes our verdict. How we rank.

Side by side

Feature Tenable Nessus 5.1/10 Visit ↗ OWASP ZAP —/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score 5.1 —
Ranking #6 in Vulnerability Scanner Software #7 in Vulnerability Scanner Software
Best for Practitioners needing credentialed network and IP scans Developers seeking a free, extensible web scanner
Pricing model Paid Free
Starting price Not published Not published
Free plan — ✓ (best)
Free trial — —
Deployment Self-hosted, Desktop Self-hosted, Desktop, Browser extension
Platforms Windows, macOS, Linux Windows, macOS, Linux
Support Phone, Email, Live chat, Community, Docs · 24/7 Community, Docs
Built for Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise
Features Tenable Nessus 1/3 · OWASP ZAP 0/3
Authenticated scans Not published Not published
Continuous scanning ✓ (best) Not published
Report exports Not published Not published
Specs
Scan targets Not published Not published
Deployment Not published Not published
Asset limit Not published Not published
Our review
Pros
  • Credentialed and scheduled scans cover IP-based assets and network environments.
  • Professional includes compliance checks, configuration auditing, and Live Results.
  • Expert adds web application and Infrastructure as Code scanning.
  • Combines active and passive scanning with several spidering methods
  • Supports authenticated web scans and OpenAPI, Swagger, and GraphQL scanning
  • REST API, YAML automation, Docker scans, and add-ons support extensibility
Cons
  • Professional starts at $4,790 per year, with no permanent free plan.
  • Self-hosted deployment requires installing and operating the software.
  • Professional lacks Expert's web application and Infrastructure as Code scanning.
  • Self-hosted deployment means teams run the scanner in their own environment
  • Listed integrations are limited to Docker and GitHub Actions
  • Support channels are community and documentation
Our verdict

Tenable Nessus is vulnerability assessment software for security teams, consultants, penetration testers, and organizations that need to assess IP-based assets. Its scans can identify vulnerabilities, missing patches, configuration issues,…

Read the review →

OWASP ZAP is a free, open-source tool for finding vulnerabilities in web applications. It is aimed at developers, testers, and security specialists who want to inspect traffic and scan web applications, including authenticated applications…

Read the review →
  1. Tenable NessusVulnerability Scanner Software 5.1From $4,790/yr
  2. OWASP ZAPVulnerability Scanner Software —Free plan

Strengths and trade-offs

  • Tenable Nessus — where it wins

    • Credentialed and scheduled scans cover IP-based assets and network environments.
    • Professional includes compliance checks, configuration auditing, and Live Results.
    • Expert adds web application and Infrastructure as Code scanning.

    Where it doesn't

    • Professional starts at $4,790 per year, with no permanent free plan.
    • Self-hosted deployment requires installing and operating the software.
    • Professional lacks Expert's web application and Infrastructure as Code scanning.

  • OWASP ZAP — where it wins

    • Combines active and passive scanning with several spidering methods
    • Supports authenticated web scans and OpenAPI, Swagger, and GraphQL scanning
    • REST API, YAML automation, Docker scans, and add-ons support extensibility

    Where it doesn't

    • Self-hosted deployment means teams run the scanner in their own environment
    • Listed integrations are limited to Docker and GitHub Actions
    • Support channels are community and documentation

More comparisons

All vulnerability scanner software comparisons → · Full ranking →

Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Sep 2026