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Compare Qualys WAS and Tenable Nessus 
At a Glance
Market Segments
Mid-Market (47.4% of reviews)
Mid-Market (39.8% of reviews)
Entry-Level Pricing
No pricing available
$3,390.00 1 License With One-Time Purchase
Qualys WAS
Star Rating
(20)4.5 out of 5
Market Segments
Mid-Market (47.4% of reviews)
Entry-Level Pricing
No pricing available
Learn more about Qualys WASTenable Nessus
Star Rating
(286)4.5 out of 5
Market Segments
Mid-Market (39.8% of reviews)
Entry-Level Pricing
$3,390.00 1 License With One-Time Purchase
Free Trial is available
Browse all 4 pricing plansSummary
AI Generated Summary
AI-generated. Powered by real user reviews.
- Users report that Qualys WAS excels in ease of setup, achieving a perfect score of 10.0, while Tenable Nessus falls behind with a score of 8.7. Reviewers mention that the streamlined onboarding process of Qualys WAS significantly reduces the time to deployment.
- Reviewers mention that Qualys WAS has a superior detection rate of 9.1 compared to Tenable Nessus's 8.8. Users on G2 highlight that Qualys WAS's advanced scanning capabilities allow for more accurate vulnerability identification, which is crucial for maintaining security.
- Users say that Qualys WAS has a lower false positive rate, scoring 6.2, compared to Tenable Nessus's 6.7. Reviewers mention that this difference can lead to more efficient remediation efforts, as teams spend less time investigating false alarms with Qualys WAS.
- G2 users report that Qualys WAS shines in automated scans, scoring 9.6, while Tenable Nessus scores 9.0. Users highlight that the automation features in Qualys allow for more frequent and thorough assessments without manual intervention.
- Reviewers mention that Tenable Nessus offers better manual application testing capabilities, scoring 8.3 compared to Qualys WAS's 7.1. Users say that this feature is particularly beneficial for organizations that require in-depth analysis of their applications.
- Users on G2 report that Qualys WAS has a higher overall satisfaction rating with a score of 9.6 for meeting requirements, while Tenable Nessus scores 9.0. Reviewers mention that this reflects Qualys's ability to align closely with user needs and expectations.
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Vulnerability Scanner
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Pricing
Entry-Level Pricing
Qualys WAS
No pricing availableTenable Nessus
Pro - 1 Year
$3,390.00
1 License With One-Time Purchase
1-year license of the industry-leading vulnerability assessment solution.
- Automate your vulnerability scanning process
Free Trial
Qualys WAS
No trial information availableTenable Nessus
Free Trial is available
Ratings
Meets Requirements
9.6
14
9.0
235
Ease of Use
9.3
14
8.9
236
Ease of Setup
10.0
5
8.8
158
Ease of Admin
10.0
5
8.9
152
Quality of Support
9.3
14
8.4
218
Has the product been a good partner in doing business?
9.7
5
8.6
140
Product Direction (% positive)
10.0
12
8.9
225
Features by Category
Performance
8.5
13
Feature Not Available
9.1
13
8.9
128
|
Verified
6.2
13
6.7
126
|
Verified
9.6
13
9.0
123
|
Verified
Network
8.9
12
8.7
124
|
Verified
8.3
12
8.8
117
|
Verified
8.2
12
8.3
101
|
Verified
Application
7.1
11
Feature Not Available
7.0
11
7.2
75
8.7
13
7.7
95
Agentic AI - Vulnerability Scanner
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Asset Management
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Monitoring
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Risk Management
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Generative AI
Not enough data
Not enough data
Categories
Categories
Shared Categories
Qualys WAS and Tenable Nessus are categorized as Vulnerability Scanner
Unique Categories
Qualys WAS has no unique categories
Tenable Nessus is categorized as Attack Surface Management
Reviews
Reviewers' Company Size
Qualys WAS
Small-Business(50 or fewer emp.)
Mid-Market(51-1000 emp.)
Enterprise(> 1000 emp.)
Tenable Nessus
Small-Business(50 or fewer emp.)
Mid-Market(51-1000 emp.)
Enterprise(> 1000 emp.)
Small-Business
(50 or fewer emp.)
Mid-Market
(51-1000 emp.)
Enterprise
(> 1000 emp.)
Reviewers' Industry
Information Technology and Services
31.6%
Computer Software
31.6%
Computer & Network Security
21.1%
Outsourcing/Offshoring
5.3%
Internet
5.3%
Other
5.3%
Information Technology and Services
26.7%
Computer & Network Security
17.4%
Financial Services
7.0%
Computer Software
6.3%
Banking
4.8%
Other
37.8%
Most Helpful Reviews
Qualys WAS
Most Helpful Favorable Review
Sanhita S.
Verified User in Computer & Network Security
easy to use platform, very helpful to learn about vulnerability management;etc.
Most Helpful Critical Review
Verified User in Computer Software
1. Redundantly scans pages in vain with little to no modification in the alphanumeric query parameter values 2. It doesn’t cover automatic patching for all types of vulnerabilities.
Tenable Nessus
Most Helpful Favorable Review
Verified User in Government Administration
Speed! I can get accurate results from a Nessus scan much faster than I get from other products costing 1000% more. The interface is extremely intuitive and I can configure a scan quickly compared to my other tools. It is my 'Go To' system when a client...
Most Helpful Critical Review
Dylan B.
Verified User in Higher Education
Nessus generates a large amount of false positives, particularly on Linux systems for applications like Apache, Tomcat, etc. It generally only reads the banners, and even if you run an authenticated scan, it often times does not detect patches that are...
Sanhita S.
Verified User in Computer & Network Security
easy to use platform, very helpful to learn about vulnerability management;etc.
Verified User in Government Administration
Speed! I can get accurate results from a Nessus scan much faster than I get from other products costing 1000% more. The interface is extremely intuitive and I can configure a scan quickly compared to my other tools. It is my 'Go To' system when a client...
Verified User in Computer Software
1. Redundantly scans pages in vain with little to no modification in the alphanumeric query parameter values 2. It doesn’t cover automatic patching for all types of vulnerabilities.
Dylan B.
Verified User in Higher Education
Nessus generates a large amount of false positives, particularly on Linux systems for applications like Apache, Tomcat, etc. It generally only reads the banners, and even if you run an authenticated scan, it often times does not detect patches that are...
Alternatives
Discussions
What are the typical features offered by vulnerability scanner?
1 comment
HQ
Vulnerability scanners are essential tools for identifying and mitigating security risks in computer systems and networks. They offer a range of features to...Read more
Qualys WAS has no more discussions with answers
I'm a consultant; can I use Nessus Professional to conduct my client's vulnerability scanning?
2 comments
AS
Yes, you can.Read more
Is Nessus professional the right product for me?
2 comments
Official Response from Tenable Nessus
Nessus Professional has always been designed for the security professional. The typical Nessus user is a consultant or contractor who is very experienced...Read more
Can I use Nessus professional data in other applications?
2 comments
Official Response from Tenable Nessus
Yes. Many third party applications can incorporate a Nessus file. This allows consultants to share the data with their clients’ other applications for the...Read more
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