Overview
Tenable makes Nessus, which it describes as the world’s most widely deployed vulnerability assessment solution[7], and the cloud-based Tenable Vulnerability Management platform that builds on it. Tenable was founded in 2002 and says it serves more than 40,000 customers, including 65% of the Fortune 500, with coverage of more than 336,000 CVEs[5].
Nessus is sold in two paid editions. Nessus Professional, aimed at consultants and security teams, costs US$4,790 for a one-year licence, with multi-year discounts; Nessus Expert adds web application scanning and external attack surface discovery for US$6,790 a year[6]. Tenable Vulnerability Management, the platform for organisations that need asset tracking, dashboards and remediation workflows, is sold online from US$3,700 a year, with online purchase available for up to 250 assets, and Tenable Web App Scanning costs US$6,790 a year for five fully qualified domain names[6]. Advanced 24×365 support is an extra US$400[7].
Tenable reported revenue of US$999 million for 2025[20]. Its weaknesses are the price step from a single scanner to the platform, and the fact that agents, web scanning and attack surface discovery are separate products or editions.
Tenable features
- Network vulnerability scanning with frequent plugin updates
- Coverage of more than 336,000 CVEs
- Nessus Expert adds web app and attack surface scanning
- Cloud-based Tenable Vulnerability Management platform
- Configurable reports
- Self-serve online purchase
Tenable pricing
Nessus Professional: US$4,790/year (US$9,330.95 for two years; US$13,637.54 for three). Nessus Expert: US$6,790/year. Tenable Vulnerability Management: from US$3,700/year online, up to 250 assets. Web App Scanning: US$6,790/year for 5 FQDNs. Advanced Support: US$400; on-demand training: US$275. Free trial available.
Tenable strengths and limitations
Strengths
- Published, self-serve pricing
- Very large vulnerability check library
- Mature product used by consultants and enterprises
- Clear upgrade path to a full platform
Limitations
- Platform features cost extra beyond Nessus
- Web app scanning sold separately or in Expert
- Online purchase limited to 250 assets
- Large result volumes need tuning
Appears in
Tenable alternatives and competitors
Alternatives to Tenable: companies ranked in the same lists.
Rapid7- Qualys
- Palo Alto Networks
- A10 Networks
Snyk
ProjectDiscovery Nuclei
PortSwigger Burp Suite
Invicti (incl. Acunetix)
Intruder
Greenbone OPENVAS
Detectify
Aqua Security Trivy
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