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Nessus vs Checkmarx Comparison

Last updated:

Nessus

4.4(580 reviews)

Starting at $2,790 /Year

  • Free Trial
  • Large Enterprises
  • Medium Business

Nessus is a vulnerability scanner of its kind, giving user a complete picture of organization's security status. Instantly scan thousands of systems for the latest vulnerabilities and react to them in real time. Nessus m…

Checkmarx

4.3(680 reviews)

Starting at Custom paid

  • Mid-Market
  • Enterprise

Checkmarx is an enterprise application security platform providing SAST, SCA, API security, and AI-assisted security testing in a unified solution. Founded in 2006, Checkmarx is one of the most established names in appli…

Nessus leads on user satisfaction with a 4.4-star rating across 580 reviews.

Nessus vs Checkmarx — at a glance

FeatureNessusCheckmarx
Rating4.4 / 54.3 / 5
Reviews580680
Starting price$2,790 /YearCustom paid
Free trial Yes No
Free version No No
Best forLarge Enterprises, Medium Business, Small BusinessMid-Market, Enterprise
CategoryVulnerability Management SoftwareVulnerability Management Software
PlatformsSaaS/Web/Cloud, Installed - Windows, Installed - MacCloud, On-Premise
APIAvailable
Support modes24/7 (Live rep), OnlineDedicated CSM, Phone Support, Email Support, Professional Services, SLA
Data residencyUS

Key differences between Nessus and Checkmarx

  • Pricing: Nessus starts at $2,790 /Year, while Checkmarx starts at Custom paid.
  • Free trial: Nessus offers a free trial; Checkmarx does not.
  • Target audience: Nessus is built for Large Enterprises and Medium Business, while Checkmarx targets Mid-Market and Enterprise.
  • User satisfaction: Nessus scores higher with a 4.4-star average.
  • Deployment: Nessus supports SaaS/Web/Cloud, Installed - Windows, Installed - Mac; Checkmarx supports Cloud, On-Premise.

Nessus vs Checkmarx — find the better fit before you commit.

01

Which tool fits your team best

02

Which is actually cheaper for your team size

03

Where each product wins, per real buyers

Most Vulnerability Management Software tools look identical on paper. This comparison cuts to the differences that matter — pricing structure, team fit, and what real buyers found after signing up.

Nessus - Vulnerability Management Software
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Checkmarx logo
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Biggest differences

Start here before you go deeper into features.

Nessus

Best for comprehensive, flexible vulnerability scanning across diverse IT environments.

Choose if
  • You need accurate, up-to-date vulnerability detection with automated scanning and reporting.
  • Your team values a user-friendly interface that supports both agent-based and credentialed scans.
  • You require scalable vulnerability management with flexible licensing for any organization size.
Consider alternatives if
  • You need extensive third-party integrations beyond core vulnerability scanning capabilities.
  • Your workflows demand highly customizable reporting without complex setup or cumbersome configuration.

Checkmarx

Best for

Mid-Market, Enterprise

Nessus typically suits Large Enterprises and Medium Business. Checkmarx tends to fit Mid-Market and Enterprise better. The right choice depends on your team size, workflow, and whether a free trial matters.

Description

Nessus is a vulnerability scanner of its kind, giving user a complete picture of organization's security status. Instantly scan thousands of systems for the latest vulnerabilities and react ... Read More about Nessus

Checkmarx is an enterprise application security platform providing SAST, SCA, API security, and AI-assisted security testing in a unified solution. Founded in 2006, Checkmarx is one of the ... Read More about Checkmarx

Entry Level Pricing

  • Starts from $2,790
  • Starts from Custom , per developer/year

Free Trial Availability

  • No free trial

SpotScore

What's this? ↗

Not Available

8.6/10

User Ratings

Based on verified Spotsaas reviews

Best Company Size

Small BusinessLarge Enterprises
Get pricing help
Get pricing help

Where each option fits best

See where each product is strongest, which teams it fits, and what causes buyers to keep looking — before you commit.

Based on buyer reviews and verified product data collected by Spotsaas.

Strengths

Key strengths

Nessus

No key benefits available yet.

Checkmarx

  • Catch What Simpler Tools Miss: Semantic dataflow analysis traces vulnerability paths across function boundaries and files — finding SQL injection where the source is three layers up from the sink.
  • One Platform, All AppSec: Consolidate SAST, SCA, API, IaC, secrets, and AI security into one tool rather than managing six separate vendors and dashboards.
  • Audit-Ready Compliance Reports: Pre-built PCI-DSS, HIPAA, and SOC2 reports give security teams audit evidence without manual evidence compilation.
Best fit

Best fit

Nessus

No best-fit guidance available yet.

Checkmarx

  • Enterprise software companies running comprehensive SAST on large codebases where false negative rate matters more than scan speed
  • Regulated industries (finance, healthcare) needing pre-built compliance reporting alongside security scanning
  • Security teams consolidating fragmented AppSec tooling (separate SAST, SCA, API tools) into a single vendor platform

Software Demo

Demo

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Step 1 of 4

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How do Nessus and Checkmarx Compare on Features?

Total Features

6 Features

8 Features

Unique Features

No unique features

No unique features

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Get Quote

Compare Nessus and Checkmarx on pricing

Review starting price, plan structure, and free-trial access side by side so you can see which option fits your budget and buying process.

Pricing Option

      Starting From

      • $2,790
      • Custom , per developer/year

      Pricing Plans

      • Not Available
      • Enterprise

        Custom

        paid

        • All SAST/SCA/API

        • Unlimited scans

        • SSO

        Show more +

      Pricing Page

      Nessus pricing

      Pricing information not available

      Other Details

      Organization Types supported

      • Large Enterprises
      • Medium Business
      • Small Business
      • Individuals
      • Large Enterprises
      • Medium Business
      • Small Business
      • Individuals

      Platforms Supported

      • Browser Based (Cloud)
      • Installed - Windows
      • Installed - Mac
      • Browser Based (Cloud)
      • Browser Based (Cloud)
      • Installed - Windows
      • Installed - Mac
      • Browser Based (Cloud)

      Modes of support

      • 24/7 (Live rep)
      • Business Hours
      • Online
      • 24/7 (Live rep)
      • Business Hours
      • Online

      API Support

      • Not Available
      • Available
      Get help choosing
      Get help choosing

      Security & Compliance

      Certifications, data handling, and security controls for IT and compliance evaluators.

      Data Residency

      🇺🇸 US

      Nessus User Reviews & Rating Comparison

      User Ratings

      4.3

      (based on 680 reviews)

      Rating Distribution

      125

      53

      6

      0

      1

      0

      0

      0

      0

      0

      Spotsaas Editor’s POV generated by AI

      Buyer sentiment

      Overall positive sentiment highlights Nessus’s strong vulnerability detection and user-friendly interface, tempered by occasional scan inconsistencies and limited marketplace options.

      What buyers like

      • Ease of use
      • Comprehensive vulnerability coverage
      • Automation and reporting

      Common complaints

      • Scan time inconsistency
      • Limited marketplace integrations

      Buyer sentiment

      Buyer sentiment is positive across 680 reviews, with strong overall satisfaction.

      What buyers like

      • Deep semantic dataflow SAST catches complex multi-hop vulnerability patterns that pattern-based tools like Semgrep miss — higher accuracy on real enterprise codebases.
      • 1,800+ enterprise customers and 17+ years in the market provide strong vendor stability and a mature professional services ecosystem.
      • Unified Checkmarx One platform consolidates SAST, SCA, API, IaC, secrets, and AI security — reducing the tool sprawl that security teams manage separately.

      Common complaints

      • Enterprise-only pricing with no self-serve or free tier — requires a sales engagement and procurement cycle before teams can evaluate.
      • Scan times on large codebases can be slow compared to faster pattern-based tools; the depth of analysis comes at a speed cost.

      Pros and Cons

      • Comprehensive and accurate vulnerability detection with regularly updated plugin repository

      • User-friendly interface with automated scanning and reporting that boosts productivity

      • Supports both agent-based and credentials-based scanning implementations

      • Scan times and results can be inconsistent at times

      • Limited marketplace options for additional apps and connectors

      • Deep semantic dataflow SAST catches complex multi-hop vulnerability patterns that pattern-based tools like Semgrep miss — higher accuracy on real enterprise codebases.

      • 1,800+ enterprise customers and 17+ years in the market provide strong vendor stability and a mature professional services ecosystem.

      • Unified Checkmarx One platform consolidates SAST, SCA, API, IaC, secrets, and AI security — reducing the tool sprawl that security teams manage separately.

      • Enterprise-only pricing with no self-serve or free tier — requires a sales engagement and procurement cycle before teams can evaluate.

      • Scan times on large codebases can be slow compared to faster pattern-based tools; the depth of analysis comes at a speed cost.

      Positive Reviews

      No reviews available for the product

      No reviews available for the product

      Used Nessus or Checkmarx? Tell buyers what actually differs.

      List of Customers

      Customers

      VMware

      VMware

      DocuSign

      DocuSign

      American Eagle Outfitters

      American Eagle Outfitters

      No Customers information available.

      Media and Screenshots

      Screenshots

      Nessus Plugins

      5 Screenshots

      No screenshots available.

      Videos

      video-0

      3 Videos

      No videos available.

      Top Alternatives to Nessus and Checkmarx in 2026

      Alternatives

      No Alternative products available.

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      Add another option to compare side by side

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      Compare similar software options

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      Disclaimer: This research has been collated from a variety of authoritative sources. We welcome your feedback at [email protected].

      Frequently asked questions

      Which is better, Nessus or Checkmarx?
      Nessus edges out the other on user ratings (4.4 vs 4.3). That said, the best pick depends on your use case — use the comparison tables above to evaluate each dimension.
      Do Nessus and Checkmarx offer a free trial?
      Nessus offers a free trial. Checkmarx does not.
      What is the starting price of Nessus vs Checkmarx?
      Nessus starts at $2,790 /Year. Checkmarx starts at Custom paid.
      What are the top alternatives to Nessus?
      Top alternatives to Nessus include Tenable.io, BeyondTrust Vulnerability Management, Qualys VM, Microsoft Threat Vulnerability Management, Flexera Software Vulnerability Management.