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Compare OpenVAS and Tenable Nessus 
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At a Glance
Market Segments
Mid-Market (60.0% of reviews)
Mid-Market (100.0% of reviews)
Entry-Level Pricing
No pricing available
$3,390.00 1 License With One-Time Purchase
OpenVAS
Star Rating
(32)4.4 out of 5
Market Segments
Mid-Market (60.0% of reviews)
Entry-Level Pricing
No pricing available
Learn more about OpenVASTenable Nessus
Star Rating
(293)4.5 out of 5
Market Segments
Mid-Market (100.0% 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 Tenable Nessus excels in ease of use with a score of 8.9, while OpenVAS trails behind at 7.7, making Nessus a more user-friendly option for teams looking to quickly implement vulnerability scanning.
- Reviewers mention that Tenable Nessus has a superior quality of support, scoring 8.4 compared to OpenVAS's 6.9. This indicates that users of Nessus are more satisfied with the assistance they receive when issues arise.
- G2 users highlight the automated scanning capabilities of Tenable Nessus, which received a high score of 9.0, while OpenVAS scored 8.3. This suggests that Nessus provides a more efficient and effective automated scanning experience.
- Users on G2 note that Tenable Nessus has a higher detection rate at 8.8, compared to OpenVAS's 8.1. This difference indicates that Nessus may be more reliable in identifying vulnerabilities within systems.
- Reviewers say that Tenable Nessus shines in compliance testing with a score of 8.8, while OpenVAS scored 7.5. This makes Nessus a better choice for organizations that prioritize compliance with industry standards.
- Users report that Tenable Nessus has a more favorable product direction score of 8.9 compared to OpenVAS's 8.1, suggesting that Nessus is perceived as having a more promising future in terms of updates and feature enhancements.
Pricing
Entry-Level Pricing
OpenVAS
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
OpenVAS
No trial information availableTenable Nessus
Free Trial is available
Ratings
Meets Requirements
8.5
21
9.0
241
Ease of Use
7.7
21
8.9
243
Ease of Setup
7.9
15
8.8
165
Ease of Admin
7.7
15
8.9
158
Quality of Support
6.9
15
8.4
224
Has the product been a good partner in doing business?
7.5
10
8.7
146
Product Direction (% positive)
8.1
18
8.9
232
Features by Category
Dynamic Application Security Testing (DAST)Hide 13 FeaturesShow 13 Features
Not enough data
Not enough data
Administration
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Analysis
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Testing
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Performance
7.9
13
Feature Not Available
8.1
16
8.9
135
|
Verified
6.6
15
6.7
133
|
Verified
8.3
13
9.0
130
|
Verified
Network
7.5
12
8.8
131
|
Verified
8.0
14
8.8
124
|
Verified
7.0
11
8.4
108
|
Verified
Application
8.5
10
Feature Not Available
5.7
9
7.3
82
7.8
13
7.7
101
Agentic AI - Vulnerability Scanner
Not enough data
7.4
7
Not enough data
7.4
7
API 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
Security Testing
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Security Management
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Asset Management
Not enough data
6.3
5
Not enough data
7.0
5
Not enough data
3.7
5
Monitoring
Not enough data
8.0
5
Not enough data
10.0
5
Not enough data
8.3
5
Not enough data
9.0
5
Risk Management
Not enough data
9.0
5
Not enough data
9.0
5
Not enough data
8.3
5
Not enough data
9.3
5
Generative AI
Not enough data
Not enough data
Cloud Visibility
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Security
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Identity
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Not enough data
Categories
Categories
Shared Categories
OpenVAS and Tenable Nessus are categorized as Vulnerability Scanner
Unique Categories
OpenVAS has no unique categories
Tenable Nessus is categorized as Attack Surface Management, Dynamic Application Security Testing (DAST), and API Security
Reviews
Reviewers' Company Size
OpenVAS
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
Computer & Network Security
53.8%
Information Services
15.4%
Research
7.7%
Renewables & Environment
7.7%
Industrial Automation
7.7%
Other
7.7%
Information Technology and Services
32.7%
Computer & Network Security
21.4%
Financial Services
10.0%
Computer Software
7.7%
Government Administration
4.5%
Other
23.6%
Most Helpful Reviews
OpenVAS
Most Helpful Favorable Review
Verified User in Computer & Network Security
Highlights critical vulnerabilities in network systems that can be exploited by threats.
Most Helpful Critical Review
Verified User in Computer Software
long time to load and not dependable as database fails often
Tenable Nessus
Most Helpful Favorable Review
Verified User in Computer & Network Security
Been a fan of tenable for a long time the only thing I would actually say is I wish they stayed open source
Most Helpful Critical Review
Grace C.
Verified User in Mental Health Care
Does not conform to Mac application uninstall standards. You must piecemeal remove Nessus in subdirectories and becomes a hassle to remove safely. I doubt most people use Terminal to remove software in multiple directions. This lack of care makes Security...
Verified User in Computer & Network Security
Highlights critical vulnerabilities in network systems that can be exploited by threats.
Verified User in Computer & Network Security
Been a fan of tenable for a long time the only thing I would actually say is I wish they stayed open source
Verified User in Computer Software
long time to load and not dependable as database fails often
Grace C.
Verified User in Mental Health Care
Does not conform to Mac application uninstall standards. You must piecemeal remove Nessus in subdirectories and becomes a hassle to remove safely. I doubt most people use Terminal to remove software in multiple directions. This lack of care makes Security...
Alternatives
Discussions
OpenVAS has no 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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