Qualys
Qualys is a cloud-based security platform that helps you identify vulnerabilities, ensure compliance, and protect your entire IT infrastructure from cyber threats through a single, integrated dashboard.
Tenable Nessus
Nessus is a vulnerability assessment solution providing deep-point-in-time scans to identify security flaws, misconfigurations, and malware across your modern IT infrastructure, including cloud, containers, and traditional assets.
Quick Comparison
| Feature | Qualys | Tenable Nessus |
|---|---|---|
| Website | qualys.com | tenable.com |
| Pricing Model | Custom | Freemium |
| Starting Price | Custom Pricing | Free |
| FREE Trial | ✓ 30 days free trial | ✓ 7 days free trial |
| Free Plan | ✘ No free plan | ✓ Has free plan |
| Product Demo | ✓ Request demo here | ✓ Request demo here |
| Deployment | ||
| Integrations | ||
| Target Users | ||
| Target Industries | ||
| Customer Count | 0 | 0 |
| Founded Year | 1999 | 2002 |
| Headquarters | Foster City, USA | Columbia, USA |
Overview
Qualys
Qualys provides you with a unified view of your entire IT environment, from on-premise systems and endpoints to clouds and mobile devices. You can automatically discover every asset in your network and identify security gaps before attackers find them. The platform simplifies the complex task of managing vulnerabilities by prioritizing the most critical risks based on real-time threat intelligence, allowing your team to focus on what matters most.
You can also automate your compliance audits and ensure your systems meet industry standards like PCI DSS or HIPAA without manual spreadsheets. Because it operates as a cloud-based service, you don't have to manage hardware or software updates. It scales effortlessly with your business, whether you are securing a small office or a global enterprise with thousands of remote endpoints.
Tenable Nessus
Nessus helps you identify and fix security vulnerabilities before attackers can exploit them. You can scan your entire environment—including cloud instances, web applications, and traditional network hardware—to find missing patches, software flaws, and configuration errors. It provides a clear view of your attack surface so you can prioritize the most critical risks to your business.
You can choose between different versions depending on your needs, ranging from a free version for educators and students to professional and expert versions for security consultants. It simplifies the complex task of vulnerability assessment with pre-built templates and automated reporting. Whether you are securing a small office or a complex hybrid-cloud environment, you can rely on its extensive plugin library to stay protected against the latest threats.
Overview
Qualys Features
- Asset Inventory Discover and categorize every device on your network automatically so you never have to worry about blind spots.
- Vulnerability Management Scan your systems continuously to find security weaknesses and get actionable instructions on how to fix them quickly.
- Threat Prioritization Focus your efforts on the vulnerabilities most likely to be exploited using real-time data and risk scoring.
- Patch Management Deploy software updates and security patches directly from the console to remediate vulnerabilities across your entire fleet.
- Compliance Monitoring Automate your configuration checks and generate audit-ready reports to prove you meet internal and external regulatory requirements.
- Cloud Security Secure your public cloud workloads in AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud with specialized tools for container and serverless environments.
Tenable Nessus Features
- Pre-Built Scan Templates. Start scanning immediately using over 450 pre-configured templates for common audits like PCI-DSS and HIPAA compliance.
- Live Results. Perform offline vulnerability analysis against your scan history to find new threats without running a new scan.
- Cloud Infrastructure Scanning. Assess your cloud-native assets and identify misconfigurations in AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud environments easily.
- Customizable Reporting. Create tailored reports in multiple formats like HTML or PDF to share critical security findings with your stakeholders.
- Web Application Scanning. Identify vulnerabilities in your web applications and APIs to prevent common attacks like SQL injection and cross-site scripting.
- External Surface Discovery. Find and map your internet-facing assets to understand what an attacker sees when looking at your organization.
Pricing Comparison
Qualys Pricing
Tenable Nessus Pricing
- Scan up to 16 IP addresses
- High-speed accurate scanning
- Community support access
- Standard vulnerability assessment
- Free for educators and students
- Everything in Essentials, plus:
- Unlimited IP address scanning
- Advanced support access
- Configuration audits
- Live Results analysis
- Customizable reporting
Pros & Cons
Qualys
Pros
- Extensive library of vulnerability signatures updated daily
- Centralized dashboard provides excellent visibility across assets
- Cloud-native architecture eliminates the need for local servers
- Highly accurate scanning with very low false-positive rates
Cons
- Interface can feel complex for new security users
- Reporting engine requires a learning curve to master
- Pricing can be high for smaller organizations
Tenable Nessus
Pros
- Extremely high accuracy with very low false-positive rates
- Massive library of plugins updated daily for new threats
- Easy to set up and run your first scan quickly
- Detailed remediation instructions help you fix issues faster
Cons
- Annual subscription cost is high for small businesses
- Interface can feel dated compared to newer cloud platforms
- Reporting customization requires a learning curve to master