Acunetix vs Fortify Application Defender comparison

Why PeerSpot?

Invicti and OpenText are both solutions in the Application Security Tools category. Invicti is ranked #16 with an average rating of 8.0, while OpenText is ranked #33. Invicti holds a 2.4% mindshare in AS, compared to OpenText’s 1.6% mindshare. Additionally, 89% of Invicti users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 81% of OpenText users who would recommend it.

Acunetix

Read 36 Acunetix reviews

12,369 Views
5,937 Comparison Views

89% willing to recommend

Fortify Application Defender

Read 11 Fortify Application Defender reviews

3,685 Views
3,132 Comparison Views

81% willing to recommend

Acunetix

Fortify Application Defender

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Oct 8, 2024

Acunetix and Fortify Application Defender are widely used in the application security sector. User feedback highlights Acunetix for its ease of use and direct value, while Fortify Application Defender stands out with comprehensive features suitable for those who can maximize its capabilities.

Features: Acunetix is recognized for precise scanning, detailed reporting, and actionable insights into vulnerabilities. It provides straightforward tools for quick resolutions. Fortify Application Defender is noted for its robust integration, extensive application protection, and broad feature set catering to complex environments.

Room for Improvement: Acunetix users recommend enhancing customization options and increasing adaptability to meet specialized needs. Fortify Application Defender users see a need for a more streamlined update mechanism and improved user experience during updates. Both tools identify areas that could benefit from further refinement.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Acunetix receives commendation for quick setup and responsive customer service, crucial for immediate protection. Although Fortify Application Defender is effective after deployment, it requires detailed setup but maintains efficient customer support, satisfying users with comprehensive service.

Pricing and ROI: Acunetix provides competitive pricing that aligns with a fast return on investment, beneficial for cost-conscious buyers. Fortify Application Defender demands a higher initial investment but is valued for its long-term impact on security posture, appealing to those looking for sustained benefits.

To learn more, read our detailed Acunetix vs. Fortify Application Defender Report (Updated: September 2026).

Buyer's Guide

Acunetix vs. Fortify Application Defender

September 2026

Download the complete report

Helped 915,341 peers since 2012

Review summaries and opinions

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:

Categories and Ranking

Acunetix

Ranking in Application Security Tools

16th

Average Rating

7.8

Reviews Sentiment

6.7

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

Static Application Security Testing (SAST) (11th), Vulnerability Management (30th), DevSecOps (7th)

Fortify Application Defender

Ranking in Application Security Tools

33rd

Average Rating

7.8

Reviews Sentiment

6.6

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Mindshare comparison

As of October 2026, in the Application Security Tools category, the mindshare of Acunetix is 2.4%, down from 2.5% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Fortify Application Defender is 1.6%, up from 0.7% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Application Security Tools Mindshare Distribution
Product	Mindshare (%)
Acunetix	2.4%
Fortify Application Defender	1.6%
Other	96.0%

Application Security Tools

Featured Reviews

Rahul Kumar

Senior Engineer - Penetration Tester at a government with 10,001+ employees

Identifies vulnerabilities across bulk web applications but needs better support and cleaner reports

The best feature Acunetix offers is the centralized dashboard and the quality of reports it generates, which includes various options for selecting reports and developer options for directly sharing the reports with developers. The centralized dashboard of Acunetix gives visibility into the security aspects of mass applications; for instance, with more than 200 applications, it provides a valuable overview of findings and necessary fixes, along with a high-level summary that helps us achieve compliance through monthly and sometimes weekly scanning. In terms of reporting, Acunetix is excellent because it can generate different types of reports, such as an executive summary report, detailed reports, and developer reports that can be shared directly with developers. Acunetix positively impacts my organization by helping identify outdated libraries and applications, including legacy applications vulnerable to old attacks based on OWASP Top 10, thus aiding in compliance checks for PCI DSS and OWASP. Acunetix provides a centralized report with compliance-related aspects and a vulnerability timeline, effectively helping reduce vulnerabilities and save time.

Read full review

VinothSivam

CTO at Abcl

Useful for fast code review in devOps pipelines

I rate the tool's scalability a seven out of ten. However, I'm concerned about how it handles an increasing number of lines of code. As the complexity grows, so does the time it takes for the tool to review everything. I want more clarity on how Fortify Application Defender handles multiple threats. We have numerous endpoints, but the tool runs in our pipeline, meaning it operates in the cloud. All our code is configured there, and the tool runs integration testing, unit testing, user testing, and final production code tests. It's a day-to-day experience. It's utilized almost every day as part of our pipeline runs. Each team responsible for integration testing, human testing, user access testing, and preproduction testing runs it whenever they take a build.

Read full review

Quotes from Members

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:

Pros

"Every organization who has their assets over the internet and are exposed to a public website needs to have vulnerability assessment using Acunetix."

"Our developers can run the attacks directly from their environments, desktops."

"The most valuable feature of the solution is the speed at which it can scan multiple domains in just a few hours."

"Overall, it's a very good tool and a very good engine."

"The solution is comprehensive and easy to use."

"The features of Acunetix have proved most effective in identifying vulnerabilities."

"The scalability is more than good; it can operate both as a standalone and it can be integrated with other applications, which makes it a very versatile solution to have, and this solution is simple enough, especially with the cloud."

"We use the solution for the scanning of vulnerabilities like SQL injections."

More Acunetix pros

"We are able to provide out customers with a secure application after development. They are no longer left wondering if they are vulnerable to different threats within the market following deployment."

"The tool's most valuable feature is software composition analysis. This feature works well with my .NET applications, providing a better understanding of library vulnerabilities."

"Fortify Application Defender's most valuable features are machine learning algorithms, real-time remediation, and automatic vulnerability notifications."

"The most valuable feature is that it analyzes data in real-time."

"The solution helped us to improve the code quality of our organization."

"The most valuable features of Fortify Application Defender are the code packages that are default."

"The information from Fortify Application Defender on how to fix and solve issues is very good compared to other solutions."

"Fortify Application Defender has a few drawbacks, it has its own pros and cons, but it's a good tool to use in any industry."

More Fortify Application Defender pros

Cons

"The pricing is a bit on the higher side."

"We have had issues during upgrades where their scans worked on some apps better with previous versions. Then, we had to work with their tech support, who were great, to get it fixed for the next version."

"It would be nice to have a feature to "retest" only a single vulnerability that the customer reports as patched, and delete it from the next scans since it has already been patched."

"The solution is generally stable, however, there might be room for improvement regarding glitches or bugs."

"The solution can be improved by adding the ability to scan subdomains automatically, and by providing reports that can be exported to external databases to share with other solutions."

"The cost can be reduced as management has noted it to be on the higher side."

"I had some issues with the JSON parameters where it found some strange vulnerabilities, but it didn't alert the person using it or me about these vulnerabilities, e.g., an error for SQL injection."

"The Acunetix licensing and pricing model is somewhat complicated. If we calculated all of our domains and sub-domains, the sum would be huge; that's why we thought of leaving Acunetix."

More Acunetix cons

"The licensing is very complex, it's project based and can range from $10,000 to $200,000+ depending on the project type and size."

"The biggest complaint that I have heard concerns additional platform support because right now, it only supports applications that are written in .NET and Java."

"The workbench is a little bit complex when you first start using it."

"Fortify Application Defender gives a lot of false positives."

"The licensing can be a little complex."

"Support for older compilers/IDEs is lacking."

"Fortify Application Defender could improve by supporting more code languages, such as GRAAS and Groovy."

"The solution is quite expensive."

More Fortify Application Defender cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The pricing and licensing are reasonable to a point. In order to run multiple scans at a time, we are going to have to purchase a 100 count license, which is an overkill. Though, compared to what we were paying for, the cost seems reasonable."

"When we looked at all other vendors and what they were asking for, to provide a third of what Acunetix was capable of doing, it was an easy decision... But now that it's coming to a cost where it's line with market value, it becomes more of a competition... Acunetix is raising the cost of licensing. It's 3.5 times what we were initially quoted."

"The cost is based on two types of licenses, ConsultLite, and ConsultPlus, as well as the number of domains that are scanned."

"I would say that Acunetix is expensive because there are products on the market with similar features that are equally or better-priced."

"Implementing Acunetix needs a medium or larger business agency, because you need some money to get Acunetix. It is costly, but if you care about your agency's security, then maybe it's a cost that might help you in the future."

"Acunetix was around the same price as all the other vendors we looked at, nothing special."

"When compared with other products, the pricing is a little bit high. But it gives value for the price. It serves the purpose and is worthwhile for the price we pay."

"The solution is expensive."

More Acunetix pricing and cost advice

"I rate the solution's pricing a five out of ten. It comes as an annual cloud subscription. The tool's pricing is around 50 lakhs."

"The base licensing costs for the SaaS platform is about $900 USD per application, per year."

"The product’s price is much higher than other tools."

"The price of this solution could be less expensive."

"The licensing is very complex, it's project based and can range from $10,000 to $200,000+ depending on the project type and size."

"Fortify Application Defender is very expensive."

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Manufacturing Company

12%

Financial Services Firm

11%

Comms Service Provider

Computer Software Company

Financial Services Firm

15%

Construction Company

10%

Manufacturing Company

Comms Service Provider

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	18
Midsize Enterprise	7
Large Enterprise	19

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	3
Midsize Enterprise	1
Large Enterprise	8

Questions from the Community

What is your primary use case for Acunetix Vulnerability Scanner?

In a typical enterprise environment, Acunetix is mainly used for visibility, detection, and investigation across network traffic. The main use cases usually fall into a few core areas, with primary...

See all answers

What advice do you have for others considering Acunetix Vulnerability Scanner?

I advise that Acunetix is the best option. Invest time in proper initial configuration and scope definitions. The tool is powerful, but its effectiveness depends heavily on how the authenticated ar...

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Acunetix?

Everything is perfect and good, including the pricing and all related aspects.

See all answers

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Comparisons

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Compared 5% of the time

OWASP Zap vs Acunetix

Compared 5% of the time

Checkmarx One vs Acunetix

Compared 4% of the time

Invicti vs Acunetix

Compared 4% of the time

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SonarQube vs Fortify Application Defender

Compared 16% of the time

Checkmarx One vs Fortify Application Defender

Compared 10% of the time

Veracode vs Fortify Application Defender

Compared 8% of the time

Klocwork vs Fortify Application Defender

Compared 6% of the time

NSFOCUS WVSS vs Fortify Application Defender

Compared 4% of the time

More Fortify Application Defender Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Acunetix

October 2026

Download Acunetix product report

Buyer's Guide

Application Security Tools

September 2026

Download Fortify Application Defender product report

Also Known As

AcuSensor

HPE Fortify Application Defender, Micro Focus Fortify Application Defender

Overview

Acunetix is a dynamic application security tool used globally for web application vulnerability scanning, focusing on SQL injection and cross-site scripting.

Acunetix provides a comprehensive web vulnerability assessment platform designed for identifying and remediating security threats. Users benefit from its ability to schedule scans, boasting a fast detection rate for common vulnerabilities. The tool's centralized dashboard helps organizations with compliance monitoring and features such as crawling and login sequence enhancements, contributing depth to its security assessments. Despite high praise for its integration capabilities and automated scanning that saves time, pricing and false positives present challenges. Organizations often use Acunetix to maintain internal security and evaluate pre-release environments.

What are Acunetix's main features?

Comprehensive Reporting: Detailed reports assist in security analysis and compliance audits.
User-Friendly Interface: Simple navigation enhances user experience.
Scheduled Scans: Automation of scans allows for continuous monitoring.
Fast Detection: Quickly identifies vulnerabilities like SQL injection and cross-site scripting.
Integration Capabilities: Scalable solutions with compatibility across applications.
Crawling & Login Sequence: Improves depth in security analysis.

What benefits should businesses look for in reviews?

Low False Positive Rate: Accurate vulnerability detection saves time in analysis.
Time Efficiency: Automated scans reduce manual workload, improving team productivity.
Scalability: Integration features help accommodate growth and complexity.
Compliance Support: Centralized dashboard supports regulatory compliance checks.

In industries like finance, healthcare, and technology, Acunetix assists in protecting sensitive data through robust scanning and reporting capabilities. Its ability to perform dynamic assessments makes it a chosen tool in regulatory environments and development settings, offering both internal security inspections and pre-release evaluations.

Invicti

Fortify Application Defender offers strong protection by identifying and resolving security defects using machine learning and real-time remediation. Its user-friendly interface simplifies integration in CI/CD workflows and supports security scanning across operating systems and compilers.

Fortify Application Defender is a comprehensive tool for static code analysis and security scanning. It integrates machine learning algorithms to identify vulnerabilities quickly and offers real-time remediation solutions. Its seamless integration with WebInspect allows for tailored rule sets that significantly improve defense against application-specific threats. The tool's efficiency in static and software composition analysis provides actionable repair insights. As part of a DevOps pipeline, it aids in maintaining code quality, helping organizations protect sensitive information within their applications. Additionally, it supports multiple operating systems and environments, allowing users to scan for vulnerabilities in both code and libraries effectively.

What are the key features of Fortify Application Defender?

Security Defect Identification: Uses advanced algorithms to detect security flaws.
Real-time Remediation: Provides immediate solutions for vulnerabilities.
WebInspect Integration: Customizable rule sets enhance protection.
Actionable Insights: Delivers clear repair strategies.
User-friendly Configuration: Easy set-up in CI/CD pipelines.

What benefits should users consider when evaluating Fortify Application Defender?

Scalable Integration: Works with multiple operating systems and compilers.
Improved Code Quality: Prevents exposure of sensitive data.
Efficient Scanning: Reduces time to identify threats.
Customizable Rules: Enhances security measures specific to applications.

Fortify Application Defender is commonly used in industries like banking and finance to secure applications by inspecting source code for vulnerabilities. Companies can integrate it seamlessly into their DevOps pipelines, ensuring that their applications are protected against cyberattacks while maintaining high code quality. They can thereby avoid common risks such as IP and password exposure by leveraging static code analysis and other integrated technologies available within this tool.

OpenText

Sample Customers

Joomla!, Digicure, Team Random, Credit Suisse, Samsung, Air New Zealand

ServiceMaster, Saltworks, SAP

Buyer's Guide

Acunetix vs. Fortify Application Defender

September 2026

Free Report: Acunetix vs. Fortify Application Defender

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