Compare Nessus with industry vulnerability assessment solutions
Nessus® is the gold standard for vulnerability assessment. See how Nessus compares to OpenVAS®, Rapid7® Nexpose® and Greenbone.
See why Nessus is trusted by tens of thousands of organizations worldwide.
Since our inception, we've collaborated with the security community to make Nessus the most accurate and comprehensive vulnerability assessment solution. Even after 20 years, our focus remains on community collaboration and product innovation. Compare Nessus with other popular tools to see how it measures up.
Learn more about Nessus
Vulnerability assessment
Security configuration assessment/audit (SCA)
Reporting and user interface
Security research
Platform support
Tenable supports the following:
- Amazon Linux 2023 & 2 (x86_64, AArch64)
- CentOS Stream 9 (x86_64)
- Debian 10 (i386), 10, 11, and 12 / Kali Linux 2020 (AMD64)
- Fedora 38 and 39 (x86_64)
- Raspberry Pi OS (ARMHF)
- Red Hat ES 6 / Oracle Linux 6 (including Unbreakable Enterprise Kernel) (x86_64)
- Red Hat ES 7 / CentOS 7 / Oracle Linux 7 (including Unbreakable Enterprise Kernel) (x86_64, AArch64)
- Red Hat ES 8 / CentOS 8 / Oracle Linux 8 (including Unbreakable Enterprise Kernel) / Rocky Linux 8 (x86_64, AArch64)
- Red Hat ES 9 / Oracle Linux 9 (including Unbreakable Enterprise Kernel) / Rocky Linux 9 / Alma Linux 9 (x86_64, AArch64)
- FreeBSD 12 (AMD64)
- SUSE Enterprise 12 and 15 SP1 and later (x86_64)
- Ubuntu 14.04, 6.04, and 17.10 (i386)
- Ubuntu 14.04, 16.04, 17.10, 18.04, 20.04, and 22.04 (AMD64)
- Ubuntu 18.04 (AArch64, Graviton2)
- Ubuntu Linux 22.04 LTS , 20.04 LTS, 18.04 LTS, 16.04 LTS
- Oracle Linux 8, 7
- SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 12
- Alma Linux 9
- Rocky Linux 9
- Windows Server Desktop experience only. Core not supported.
- Microsoft Windows Server 2022, 2019, 2016, 2012 R2
- Microsoft Windows 8.1
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server 9, 8, 7, 6
- CentOS 7
Total cost of ownership (TCO)
Full pricing here.
Extensive pre-built capabilities, automation, and vendor support minimize manual effort
Significant manual work required to deploy, operate, and self-support
Greenbone offers commercial distribution of OpenVas, pricing is not published
Product viability
Industry adoption
2Nexpose feature list
3Source: https://www.tenable.com/about-tenable/about-us. Virtually all Tenable customers are using Nessus or a product built on Nessus technology.
4Source: https://www.rapid7.com/about/customers. Not all of Rapid7’s customers are using Nexpose (or InsightVM).
5Source: https://www.tenable.com/products/nessus.
6According to IDC WorldWide Device Vulnerability Management: https://www.tenable.com/blog/idc-ranks-tenable-no-1-in-worldwide-device-vulnerability-management-market-share-for-the-fifth.
*Applies to Nessus Expert.
Data as of July 2024
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Nessus Expert—
Built for security professionals like you
Get the world’s most widely deployed vulnerability assessment solution.
Buy Nessus Expert
With Advanced Support for Nessus Pro, your teams will have access to phone, Community, and chat support 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. This advanced level of technical support helps to ensure faster response times and resolution to your questions and issues.
Advanced Support Plan Features
Phone Support
Phone support 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, available for up to ten (10) named support contacts.
Chat Support
Chat support available to named support contacts, accessible via the Tenable Community is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
Tenable Community Support Portal
All named support contacts can open support cases within the Tenable Community. Users can also access the Knowledge Base, documentation, license information, technical support numbers, etc.; utilize live chat, ask questions to the Community, and learn about tips and tricks from other Community members.
Initial Response Time
P1-Critical: < 2 hr
P2-High: < 4 hr
P3-Medium: < 12 hr
P4-Informational:
< 24 hr
Support Contacts
Support contacts must be reasonably proficient in the use of information technology, the software they have purchased from Tenable, and familiar with the customer resources that are monitored by means of the software. Support contacts must speak English and conduct support requests in English. Support contacts must provide information reasonably requested by Tenable for the purpose of reproducing any Error or otherwise resolving a support request.
Looking for a comprehensive vulnerability management solution?
Consider Tenable Security Center (on-premises) or Tenable Vulnerability Management (cloud-based) for complete vulnerability management – including extensive security and compliance dashboards, agents, multi-scanner support, cloud and container scanning, and more.