Vulnerability Management
Tenable is the industry-leading vulnerability management platform, offering a comprehensive suite of products including Tenable.io (cloud-based VM), Nessus (the world's most widely deployed vulnerability scanner), and Tenable.sc (on-premises management console). Tenable provides continuous visibility into every asset across the attack surface, identifying vulnerabilities, misconfigurations, and compliance violations across IT, cloud, containers, OT, and identity infrastructure. With over 200,000 organizations relying on Tenable, it has established itself as the de facto standard for enterprise vulnerability management.
Cloud-native vulnerability management platform with integrated detection, prioritization, and patch management
Custom pricing based on asset count / Typically from $3,000/year for small environments
Organizations wanting an all-in-one cloud-based VM platform with integrated patching and asset inventory
Risk-based vulnerability management platform with live dashboards and remediation project tracking
From $2.19/asset/month / Enterprise custom pricing
Organizations wanting risk-based VM with strong remediation tracking and integration across the Rapid7 Insight platform
EDR-integrated scanless vulnerability assessment built on the CrowdStrike Falcon platform
Add-on to CrowdStrike Falcon platform / Custom pricing
CrowdStrike Falcon customers wanting vulnerability visibility without deploying additional scanning infrastructure
Microsoft's built-in vulnerability management integrated with Defender for Endpoint
Included with Microsoft Defender for Endpoint P2 / Standalone add-on $3/user/month
Microsoft-centric organizations wanting vulnerability management bundled with their existing Defender for Endpoint deployment
The most widely used open-source vulnerability scanner with 100,000+ network vulnerability tests
Free (open source) / Greenbone Enterprise appliances from $5,000/year
Security teams wanting a free, open-source vulnerability scanner with no licensing costs and full customization control
Fast, template-based open-source vulnerability scanner with 8,000+ community-contributed detection templates
Free (open source) / ProjectDiscovery Cloud Platform from $100/month
Security teams and researchers wanting a fast, customizable, template-driven vulnerability scanner for web and infrastructure testing
Managed security operations platform with concierge-delivered vulnerability management services
Custom pricing based on environment size / Typically $3-5/asset/month
Organizations without in-house security expertise wanting fully managed vulnerability scanning and prioritized remediation guidance
Converged endpoint management platform with real-time vulnerability assessment at massive enterprise scale
Custom enterprise pricing / Typically $30-50/endpoint/year
Large enterprises needing real-time endpoint visibility and vulnerability assessment at massive scale with integrated remediation
Compare all 8 Tenable alternatives side-by-side across pricing, deployment, and key capabilities.
| Feature | Qualys VMDR 4.4/5 | Rapid7 InsightVM 4.3/5 | CrowdStrike Falcon Spotlight 4.2/5 | Microsoft Defender Vulnerability Management 4.1/5 | Greenbone OpenVAS 4/5 | Nuclei 4.3/5 | Arctic Wolf 4/5 | Tanium 4.2/5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pricing Model | Per-asset (annual subscription) | Per-asset (monthly or annual subscription) | Per-endpoint (annual subscription, bundled with Falcon) | Per-user (monthly subscription, bundled with Microsoft 365 E5) | Open source with commercial appliance options | Open source with optional cloud platform | Per-asset managed service (annual contract) | Per-endpoint (annual enterprise license) |
| Open Source | -- | -- | -- | -- | + | + | -- | -- |
| Cloud-Hosted | + | + | + | + | -- | + | + | + |
| Self-Hosted | -- | + | -- | -- | + | + | -- | + |
| Best For | Organizations wanting an all-in-one cloud-based VM platform with integrated patching and asset inventory | Organizations wanting risk-based VM with strong remediation tracking and integration across the Rapid7 Insight platform | CrowdStrike Falcon customers wanting vulnerability visibility without deploying additional scanning infrastructure | Microsoft-centric organizations wanting vulnerability management bundled with their existing Defender for Endpoint deployment | Security teams wanting a free, open-source vulnerability scanner with no licensing costs and full customization control | Security teams and researchers wanting a fast, customizable, template-driven vulnerability scanner for web and infrastructure testing | Organizations without in-house security expertise wanting fully managed vulnerability scanning and prioritized remediation guidance | Large enterprises needing real-time endpoint visibility and vulnerability assessment at massive scale with integrated remediation |
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The top Tenable alternatives include Qualys VMDR, Rapid7 InsightVM, CrowdStrike Falcon Spotlight, Microsoft Defender Vulnerability Management, Greenbone OpenVAS, and more. Each offers different strengths in vulnerability management.
Tenable is a leading vulnerability management tool, but the best choice depends on your specific needs, budget, and technical requirements. Compare alternatives on this page to find the best fit.
Tenable pricing: Nessus Professional from $3,990/year / Tenable.io from $2,275/year (65 assets) / Enterprise custom pricing. Pricing model: Per-asset (annual subscription). Compare with alternatives on this page to find the most cost-effective option.
Compare the best open source vulnerability scanner alternatives to Tenable in 2026. Greenbone OpenVAS, Nuclei — features, scanning depth, and deployment compared.
CategoryCompare the best cloud vulnerability management alternatives to Tenable in 2026. Qualys VMDR, Rapid7 InsightVM, CrowdStrike Falcon Spotlight — features, pricing, and capabilities compared.
CategoryCompare the best enterprise vulnerability management alternatives to Tenable in 2026. Microsoft Defender VM, Tanium, Arctic Wolf — enterprise features, scale, and pricing compared.
Use CaseCompare the best Tenable alternatives for continuous vulnerability scanning in 2026. Qualys VMDR, Rapid7 InsightVM, CrowdStrike Falcon Spotlight, Nuclei — scanning capabilities compared.
Use CaseCompare the best Tenable alternatives for compliance scanning in 2026. Qualys VMDR, Rapid7 InsightVM, Greenbone OpenVAS, Tanium — CIS, DISA STIG, and PCI compliance capabilities compared.
Use CaseCompare the best Tenable alternatives for cloud vulnerability management in 2026. Qualys VMDR, Rapid7 InsightVM, CrowdStrike Falcon Spotlight, Nuclei — cloud scanning capabilities compared.
Use CaseCompare the best Tenable alternatives for attack surface management in 2026. Qualys VMDR, CrowdStrike Falcon Spotlight, Nuclei, Arctic Wolf — attack surface discovery and assessment compared.