

HCL AppScan and Acunetix compete in the web application security tools category. Acunetix seems to have the upper hand due to superior speed, scalability, and effectiveness in reducing false positives compared to AppScan.
Features: HCL AppScan is recognized for its integration within the SDLC, efficient XSS detection, and strong security features. Acunetix offers automated vulnerability scanning, user-friendly dashboards, and comprehensive API scanning. Both solutions underscore robust security protocols and provide valuable insights.
Room for Improvement: AppScan requires improvements in reducing false positives, enhancing CI/CD integration, and boosting user experience and support. Acunetix could improve in handling complex modern authentication flows, reducing false positives, and enhancing API discovery capabilities. Pricing adjustments and more detailed reporting features are also desirable for Acunetix.
Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: AppScan is primarily on-premises, noted for straightforward deployment but lacks mobile platform support. Customer service varies, with some users missing IBM's service quality. Acunetix offers hybrid and public cloud deployments, which users find easy to manage. Its technical support is knowledgeable, though faster response times and better integration support are needed.
Pricing and ROI: HCL AppScan is perceived as expensive but valued by larger enterprises for its ROI. Acunetix has competitive pricing, appealing to smaller organizations but recent price increases have been noted, prompting some users to reassess its cost-effectiveness. Both tools contribute to cost savings through enhanced security and reduced vulnerability management expenses.
It saves a significant amount of time by covering attack surfaces.
I have seen a return on investment, as Acunetix helps reduce the man-days and effort needed for scanning bulk applications through automated assessments.
Acunetix has helped reduce the time spent on manual security reviews and vulnerability identification, catching potential issues early in the deployment and development cycle.
For high-severity issues, they reach out within two to three hours, and for critical issues, a response is received within 15 minutes.
The technical support from Invicti is very good and fast.
Support staff not being familiar with the problem.
Veracode provides excellent assistance and regularly scheduled calls to address customer concerns and updates.
There is still room for improvement when it comes to the speed of response.
Acunetix can handle increasing workloads and more applications easily.
Acunetix scales effectively for growing web application security testing needs.
Since we've been using HCL AppScan for about three months, we really have not encountered a false positive.
The main concern is related to false positives; Acunetix needs to work on identifying valid and invalid findings.
I could supply it with maybe a Swagger file or a JSON file, and Acunetix would pick it up, scan all the endpoints according to the OWASP Top Ten, and give me remediation and actionable remediation reports.
Acunetix should have better integration with newer tools such as GitHub and Azure DevOps.
If I'm scanning a web application, it shows me the various components being used. It tells me whether I have Java libraries, .NET frameworks, or other log management libraries such as Log4j, and what versions of those specific components are present.
The pricing cost is affordable for small and mid-sized organizations, and when compared to Checkmarx, it is significantly affordable, as Checkmarx is quite expensive.
We secured a special licensing model for penetration testing companies, which is cost-effective.
The pricing of Acunetix is pretty expensive and could be improved.
Companies often choose based on budget constraints, with Veracode being on the higher end cost-wise.
Its most valuable role is in enhancing security by identifying potential vulnerabilities efficiently.
The solution is excellent at detecting SQL injection and cross-site scripting vulnerabilities.
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.
AppScan's most valuable features include its ability to identify vulnerabilities accurately, provide detailed remediation steps, and the newly introduced AI-powered features that enhance its functionality further.
I have utilized its interactive application security testing, as well as both static application security testing, dynamic application security testing, and IAST.
| Product | Mindshare (%) |
|---|---|
| Acunetix | 2.4% |
| HCL AppScan | 2.3% |
| Other | 95.3% |


| Company Size | Count |
|---|---|
| Small Business | 18 |
| Midsize Enterprise | 7 |
| Large Enterprise | 19 |
| Company Size | Count |
|---|---|
| Small Business | 14 |
| Midsize Enterprise | 6 |
| Large Enterprise | 31 |
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?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.
HCL AppScan offers quick vulnerability detection with effective SDLC integration and is known for its user-friendly interface and seamless security integration.
HCL AppScan provides dynamic and static scanning to identify vulnerabilities like XSS and SQL injection. It integrates well into CI/CD pipelines, supports multiple languages, and offers web and dynamic scanning, helping businesses ensure security across development lifecycles. Users benefit from API coverage, Postman integration, and its ability to function in cloud and on-premise environments, facilitating a shift from DevOps to DevSecOps practices.
What features define HCL AppScan?HCL AppScan is leveraged in sectors requiring rigorous security checks, such as finance and healthcare, where it conducts comprehensive scans and offers insights into potential vulnerabilities. Its robust scanning capabilities aid companies in maintaining compliance and security standards.
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