VulnAPI review
A self-hosted API security scanner covering discovery, contracts, GraphQL, and CI/CD checks.
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
VulnAPI is an open-source dynamic application security testing tool for developers and security teams that need to assess APIs before deployment or during continuous integration. It scans REST and GraphQL APIs through OpenAPI contracts, GraphQL endpoints, curl-like requests, well-known paths, and exposed files. Coverage includes discovery, input validation, authentication, JWT, authorization, business logic, and the OWASP API Top 10.
Its standout strength is the breadth of API-focused scanning in a self-hosted tool. VulnAPI can report affected operations, risk levels, vulnerability details, and remediation recommendations with triggered requests. Teams can use proxy support for APIs behind a proxy and choose JSON, YAML, or table reports. Severity-based CI/CD build thresholds add a practical control for preventing builds from passing when findings reach defined risk levels. Docker support and integrations with GitHub Actions, GitLab CI, and Jenkins support common development workflows.
VulnAPI fits organizations that want open-source API security automation and are prepared to manage deployment themselves. Its platform support covers Windows, macOS, Linux, and self-hosted environments, while its API formats include REST, OpenAPI, GraphQL, and curl-like requests. The product is less suited to teams seeking a managed service or a wider application-security platform beyond APIs. Choose it when API discovery, contract scanning, authentication checks, and CI/CD enforcement are the priority; consider an alternative when broader ecosystem coverage or managed operations matter more.
VulnAPI pros and cons
- Where it wins
- Scans OpenAPI, GraphQL, curl-like requests, paths, and exposed files
- Covers OWASP API Top 10, authentication, JWT, authorization, and business logic
- Supports CI/CD thresholds, proxy use, Docker, and JSON, YAML, or table reports
- Where it doesn't
- Self-hosted deployment puts maintenance responsibility on the team
- Its integration set is narrower than broader security platforms
- Its focus is API security rather than wider application security
VulnAPI fact sheet, pricing and score →
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