Qualys Web Application Scanning Reviews

Name: Qualys Web Application Scanning
Brand: Qualys
Rating: 3.9 (39 reviews)

3.9 out of 5

39 reviews
87% willing to recommend

What is Qualys Web Application Scanning?

Qualys Web Application Scanning (WAS) is a fully cloud-based web application security scanner. The scanner will automatically crawl periodically and test web applications to discover potential vulnerabilities, including cross-site scripting (XSS) and SQL injection. The consistent testing equips the automated service to generate consistent results, lessen false positives, and offer the ability to scale to protect thousands of websites effortlessly.

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Qualys Web Application Scanning is the #9 ranked solution in AST tools and #13 ranked solution in application security solutions. PeerSpot users give Qualys Web Application Scanning an average rating of 7.8 out of 10. Qualys Web Application Scanning is most commonly compared to SonarQube Server (formerly SonarQube): Qualys Web Application Scanning vs SonarQube Server (formerly SonarQube). Qualys Web Application Scanning is popular among the large enterprise segment, accounting for 65% of users researching this solution on PeerSpot. The top industry researching this solution are professionals from a computer software company, accounting for 15% of all views.

Buyer's Guide

Qualys Web Application Scanning

August 2025

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Featured Qualys Web Application Scanning reviews

Kelvin Oladipo

Team Lead, Cyber Security at Uridium Technologies

Qualys Web Application Scanning is user-friendly, easy to understand, easy to use, and easy to deploy. Credential scanning is very effective because it goes in-depth into the system, crawling the pages, and reporting on vulnerabilities. The product helps by providing options for remediating vulnerabilities it finds, making it really useful.

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SubhajitAich

Security Consultant at Cognizant

I simultaneously work with Tenable and Rapid7, along with Qualys Web Application Scanning. We do not procure the licensing for these solutions. Instead, clients come to us and ask us which solution is best for them. We review their current architecture and define the best solution for them. Later, they purchase the license, and we configure it.

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PankajKhullar

Senior Security Engineer at Charter Communications

We use Qualys Web Application Scanning for compliance requirements, scanning all applications once a month. We mainly focus on host-based scanning and PCI compliance. We also utilize its global asset view module Qualys Web Application Scanning is robust and mature from industry standards. I…

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Qualys Web Application Scanning mindshare

Product category:

As of August 2025, the mindshare of Qualys Web Application Scanning in the Application Security Tools category stands at 2.2%, up from 2.0% compared to the previous year, according to calculations based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Application Security Tools

PeerResearch reports based on Qualys Web Application Scanning reviews

Type	Title	Date
Category	Application Security Tools	Aug 18, 2025	Download
Product	Reviews, tips, and advice from real users	Aug 18, 2025	Download
Comparison	Qualys Web Application Scanning vs SonarQube Server (formerly SonarQube)	Aug 18, 2025	Download
Comparison	Qualys Web Application Scanning vs Veracode	Aug 18, 2025	Download
Comparison	Qualys Web Application Scanning vs Checkmarx One	Aug 18, 2025	Download

Title	Rating	Mindshare	Recommending
SonarQube Server (formerly SonarQube)	4.0	22.4%	81%	116 interviews Add to research
GitLab	4.2	2.6%	97%	85 interviews Add to research

Valuable Features

Qualys Web Application Scanning offers valuable features like integration with Selenium IDE, OWASP Top 10 scanning, ease of use, scalable cloud-based deployment, and a comprehensive console. It reports minimal false positives, supports iterative scanning, and integrates well with other tools. Users appreciate its effective vulnerability management, detailed reporting, API accessibility, and customization options. The tool provides excellent support, accurate scanning, risk ratings, and a user-friendly interface for monitoring and remediation.

"Qualys Web Application Scanning is robust and mature from industry standards."
"Qualys Web Application Scanning is accurate and provides minimal false positives."
"Qualys Web Application Scanning is user-friendly, easy to understand, easy to use, and easy to deploy."

Room for Improvement

Qualys Web Application Scanning requires improvement in user interface usability and organization of assets. It should enhance capabilities for discovering vulnerabilities, especially XSS, reduce false positives, and improve authenticated scanning. APIs should be more mature, automation more feasible, and pricing adjusted. Integration with different applications should be expanded and responsive scanning enhanced. It also needs to address business logic vulnerabilities and provide better reporting and support for multiple security standards.

"I have dealt with Qualys's technical support, and any enhancements are challenging. I would rate them a five out of ten."
"New features need to be added, specifically LLM-based solutions."
"I would like it to be cheaper because it is a bit expensive compared to competitors like Tenable Nessus."

ROI

Qualys Web Application Scanning provided significant benefits by improving visibility across environments with competitive licensing. Users noticed good returns on investment and appreciated its scalability and lack of operational costs for installation. Automation in scanning and scheduling tasks saved approximately 70% of time. Over five years, users observed a reduction in the failure rate of web applications from 20% to 2%. While some users had limited usage experience, they appreciated the software's potential.

Pricing

Qualys Web Application Scanning pricing is often seen as expensive compared to competitors, though some find it competitive for its features. Licensing is typically annual, based on the number of assets or IP addresses. Discounts are available for bulk purchases. Some users report high initial costs, but flexible subscription options help manage expenses. Pricing covers maintenance and consulting; the annual cost for Web Application Security and Virtual Machine security can reach $30,000 USD.

"The product pricing is fair and reasonably priced."
"From my perspective, it is a budget-friendly option."
"Qualys Web Application Scanning's pricing is a bit expensive compared to other solutions available in the market."

Popular Use Cases

Primary use of Qualys Web Application Scanning involves penetration testing, vulnerability detection, compliance auditing for public and internal assets, and automated scanning. It's accessed remotely for frequent scans of numerous applications in diverse environments including e-learning, financial, and cloud. It integrates well with development practices such as SecOps and DevOps, supports multifactor authentication, API scanning, and cloud deployment. Used widely in sectors like education and banking for secure web-based applications.

Service and Support

Users report mixed experiences with Qualys Web Application Scanning's customer service and technical support. Some describe it as excellent with responsive assistance, rating it highly. Others mention challenges with the support model, speed of issue resolution, and dealing with call centers. A dedicated support channel and efficient ticket-raising process are beneficial, but improvements in customer relations and faster responses are suggested. Some users experience help from third-party vendors.

Deployment

Qualys Web Application Scanning's initial setup is generally described as straightforward and easy, especially due to its SaaS nature. Some organizations found it to be a quick process taking just hours or days. However, the level of complexity can vary based on whether scanning is for internal or external purposes, potentially involving different configurations. A few encountered challenges, particularly with internal virtual machine configuration, but many appreciated the provided documentation and support.

Scalability

Qualys Web Application Scanning leverages cloud-based scalability, allowing easy expansion. Users appreciate its ability to manage assets with minimal configuration changes. Some face limitations with concurrent scans, impacting scalability perception. Typically rated between eight and nine, it supports operational flexibility for organizations with varying user bases. The system adapts efficiently to different environments, making it a preferred choice for those needing scalable infrastructure.

Stability

Qualys Web Application Scanning is noted for its high stability and reliability. Companies report no major issues or downtime, indicating a strong platform with excellent performance. Users consistently rate its stability between eight and nine out of ten. While a few minor bugs have appeared, they have been effectively resolved. Feedback highlights that it operates well across various environments without major errors, affirming its dependable nature for web application scanning needs.

These insights are based on the in-depth reviews provided by peers to help you make a better buying decision.

Download our Qualys Web Application Scanning Buyer's Guide for additional reliable information.

Review data by company size

By reviewers

By visitors reading reviews

Top industries

By visitors reading reviews

Computer Software Company

15%

Financial Services Firm

14%

Manufacturing Company

11%

Government

Insurance Company

Retailer

Comms Service Provider

Performing Arts

University

Healthcare Company

Educational Organization

Media Company

Energy/Utilities Company

Wholesaler/Distributor

Construction Company

Hospitality Company

Outsourcing Company

Transportation Company

Real Estate/Law Firm

Non Profit

Pharma/Biotech Company

Consumer Goods Company

Logistics Company

Legal Firm

Venture Capital & Private Equity Firm

Recreational Facilities/Services Company

Marketing Services Firm

Compare Qualys Web Application Scanning with alternative products

Learn more about Qualys Web Application Scanning

Qualys Web Application Scanning is bundled with different scanning technology to carefully scan websites for malware infections and will send notifications to website owners to assist in preventing blacklisting and brand reputation damage. As digital transformation takes place in various organizations, Qualys WAS gives organizations the ability to track and document their web app security status through its interactive reporting capabilities.

Qualys WAS empowers organizations to remediate any web application vulnerabilities quickly. Some of the key tools offered are:

Deep Scanning: All apps and APIs on your internal network and public cloud are covered by Qualys WAS deep scanning to show you any visible vulnerabilities.
DevSec Ops Tool: Detect security issues in your code while still in app development stages and generate comprehensive reports.
Comprehensive Discovery: Discover and catalog new and unknown web apps in your network.
Malware Detection: Scan a website, identify vulnerabilities, and receive alerts to any infections.

Benefits of Qualys Web Application Scanning

Qualys Web Application Scanning offers many benefits, including:

Quick Deployment: Requires no infrastructure or software to upkeep.
Effortless Scalability: Effortlessly launch a deep scan and protect thousands of websites.
Centralized Management: Manage and mend all web app vulnerabilities through a single interface.
Excellent Integration Capabilities: Integrates with Qualys Web App Firewall (WAF) for a single-click virtual patching of found vulnerabilities.
Respond to Threats Immediately: Qualys Continuous Monitoring offers the user a hands-free service by automatically launching scanning and sending notifications of a potential threat.
Cost-effective Solution: Data is analyzed in real time as Qualys WAS is an end-to-end solution; this helps avoid costs associated with managing multiple security vendors.

Reviews from Real Users

Qualys Web Application Scanning stands out among its competitors for a variety of reasons. Two of those reasons are its progressive scan and quick detection of vulnerabilities.

P.K., a senior software developer at a tech vendor, writes, "The feature that I have found most valuable is the progressive scan. It is good. It's done in 24 hours."

Nagaraj S., lead cybersecurity engineer at a tech service company, notes, "I have found the detection of vulnerabilities tool thorough with good results and the graphical display output to be wonderful and full of colors. It allows many types of outputs, such as bar and chart previews."

Qualys Web Application Scanning was previously known as Qualys WAS.

Qualys Web Application Scanning customers

BskyB, Cartagena, ClearPoint Learning Systems, Connect Group, du, Fortrex Technologies, HBOR, HDI, Highlights for Children, The Lithuanian State Enterprise Centre of Registers, City of Miami Beach, Microsoft, MidlandHR, MSCI Inc., Northern Arizona University, Ofgem, Olympus Europa, PhoneFactor, RTL Nederland, ThousandEyes, VGZ Organisatie B.V.