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Fortify Application Defender vs HCL AppScan comparison

OpenText and HCLSoftware are both solutions in the Application Security Tools category. OpenText is ranked #32 with an average rating of 7.3, while HCLSoftware is ranked #14 with an average rating of 7.9. OpenText holds a 0.7% mindshare in AS, compared to HCLSoftware ’s 2.7% mindshare. Additionally, 81% of OpenText users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 83% of HCLSoftware users who would recommend it.
Fortify Application Defender
Read 11 Fortify Application Defender reviews
  • 1,002 Views
  • 803 Comparison Views
81% willing to recommend
HCL AppScan
Read 43 HCL AppScan reviews
  • 3,792 Views
  • 2,867 Comparison Views
83% willing to recommend
 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Oct 8, 2024

HCL AppScan and Fortify Application Defender compete in application protection. User reviews indicate Fortify Application Defender has the upper hand due to its comprehensive features despite HCL AppScan’s better pricing and support.

Features: HCL AppScan offers strong scanning capabilities, integration flexibility, and adaptability. Fortify Application Defender provides real-time threat protection, robust policy management, and advanced protective features.

Room for Improvement: HCL AppScan users suggest enhancements in scan speed, reporting clarity, and performance. Fortify users recommend improvements in ease of configuration, integration processes, and usability upgrades.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: HCL AppScan features straightforward deployment and responsive customer service. Fortify Application Defender has comprehensive installation support, but some users report complexity in initial setup.

Pricing and ROI: HCL AppScan is noted for cost-effectiveness and good ROI. Fortify has a higher upfront cost but is considered worthwhile due to its extensive security features.

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To learn more, read our detailed Fortify Application Defender vs. HCL AppScan Report (Updated: April 2025).
Buyer's Guide
Fortify Application Defender vs. HCL AppScan
April 2025
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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

Fortify Application Defender
Ranking in Application Security Tools
32nd
Average Rating
7.8
Reviews Sentiment
6.6
Number of Reviews
11
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
HCL AppScan
Ranking in Application Security Tools
14th
Average Rating
7.8
Reviews Sentiment
6.9
Number of Reviews
43
Ranking in other categories
Static Application Security Testing (SAST) (10th), Dynamic Application Security Testing (DAST) (1st)
 

Mindshare comparison

As of May 2025, in the Application Security Tools category, the mindshare of Fortify Application Defender is 0.7%, down from 0.8% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of HCL AppScan is 2.7%, up from 2.6% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Application Security Tools
 

Featured Reviews

HisaoOgata - PeerSpot reviewer
Saves time and warns about the vulnerabilities in the software, but the false positive rate should be lower
We use the solution to prevent cyberattacks Based on the alerts created by the solution during development, we modify the software we are developing. The product finds mistakes automatically. It warns us about the vulnerabilities in the software. The product saves us cost and time. The product…
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Rishi Anupam - PeerSpot reviewer
A stable and scalable scanning solution with good reporting feature
The solution is used for the vulnerabilities scan on the network side The reporting part is the most valuable feature. The penetration testing feature should be included. I have been using the solution for four years. It is a stable solution. I rate it seven out of ten. It is a scalable…
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

"The most valuable feature is that it analyzes data in real-time."
"Fortify Application Defender's most valuable features are machine learning algorithms, real-time remediation, and automatic vulnerability notifications."
"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."
"The information from Fortify Application Defender on how to fix and solve issues is very good compared to other solutions."
"The product saves us cost and time."
"The solution helped us to improve the code quality of our organization."
"The most valuable feature is the ability to automatically feed it rules what it's coupled with the WebInspect dynamic application scanning technology."
"Its ability to find security defects is valuable."
More Fortify Application Defender pros
"Technical support is helpful."
"Usually when we deploy the application, there is a process for ethical hacking. The main benefit is that, the ethical hacking is almost clean, every time. So it's less cost, less effort, less time to production."
"The solution is easy to install. I would rate the product's setup between six to seven out of ten. The deployment time depends on the applications that need to be scanned. We have a development and operations team to take care of the product's maintenance."
"It has certainly helped us find vulnerabilities in our software, so this is priceless in the end."
"It provides a better integration for our ecosystem."
"The solution is cheap."
"The product is useful, particularly in its sensitivity and scanning capabilities."
"It was easy to set up."
More HCL AppScan pros
 

Cons

"The false positive rate should be lower."
"The solution is quite expensive."
"The product should integrate industry-standard code review tools internally with its system. This would streamline the coding process, as developers wouldn't need multiple tools for code review and security checks. Many independent and open-source tools are available, from Apache to various libraries. Using multiple DevOps pipeline tools can slow the turnaround time."
"I encountered many false positives for Python applications."
"Fortify Application Defender gives a lot of false positives."
"Fortify Application Defender could improve by supporting more code languages, such as GRAAS and Groovy."
"The solution could improve the time it takes to scan. When comparing it to SonarQube it does it in minutes while in Fortify Application Defender it can take hours."
"The licensing can be a little complex."
More Fortify Application Defender cons
"The databases for HCL are small and have room for improvement."
"A desktop version should be added."
"​IBM Security AppScan Source is rather hard to use​."
"The solution often has a high number of false positives. It's an aspect they really need to improve upon."
"The pricing has room for improvement."
"They should have a better UI for dashboards."
"The solution needs to improve in some areas. The tool needs to add more languages. It also needs to improve its speed."
"We would like to integrate with some of the other reporting tools that we're planning to use in the future."
More HCL AppScan cons
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"Fortify Application Defender is very expensive."
"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."
"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 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 price is very expensive."
"I would rate the product's pricing a nine out of ten. The product's pricing is expensive compared to the features that they offer."
"The product is moderately priced, though it's an investment due to extensive code analysis needs."
"The solution is cheap."
"The product has premium pricing and could be more competitive."
"The price of HCL AppScan is okay, in my opinion. You just buy HCL AppScan and don't pay anything anymore, meaning it is just a one-time purchase."
"Pricing was the main reason that we went ahead with this solution as they were the lowest in the market."
"Our clients are willing to pay the extra money. It is expensive."
More HCL AppScan pricing and cost advice
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Financial Services Firm
22%
Computer Software Company
14%
Manufacturing Company
12%
Government
9%
Computer Software Company
18%
Financial Services Firm
14%
Government
11%
Manufacturing Company
9%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
 

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about Fortify Application Defender?
I find the configuration of rules in Fortify Application Defender useful. Its integration is also easy.
See all answers
What needs improvement with Fortify Application Defender?
The product should integrate industry-standard code review tools internally with its system. This would streamline the coding process, as developers wouldn't need multiple tools for code review and...
See all answers
What is your primary use case for Fortify Application Defender?
We use the solution for fast code review. It is integrated into our DevOps pipeline.
See all answers
What do you like most about HCL AppScan?
The most valuable feature of HCL AppScan is its integration with the SDLC, particularly during the coding phase.
See all answers
What needs improvement with HCL AppScan?
AppScan needs to improve its handling of false positives. It also requires enhancements in customer support, similar to what Veracode provides. Regularly scheduling calls with clients to discuss fe...
See all answers
What is your primary use case for HCL AppScan?
The primary use case for AppScan is for security purposes. I compare AppScan with other tools such as Veracode. We use AppScan for vulnerability detection and auto-remediation of vulnerabilities wi...
See all answers
 

Comparisons

Checkmarx One vs Fortify Application Defender Logo
Checkmarx One vs Fortify Application Defender
Compared 24% of the time
SonarQube Server (formerly SonarQube) vs Fortify Application Defender Logo
SonarQube Server (formerly SonarQube) vs Fortify Application Defender
Compared 15% of the time
Coverity vs Fortify Application Defender Logo
Coverity vs Fortify Application Defender
Compared 14% of the time
Qualys Web Application Scanning vs Fortify Application Defender Logo
Qualys Web Application Scanning vs Fortify Application Defender
Compared 13% of the time
CAST Application Intelligence Platform vs Fortify Application Defender Logo
CAST Application Intelligence Platform vs Fortify Application Defender
Compared 12% of the time
More Fortify Application Defender Competitors
Acunetix vs HCL AppScan Logo
Acunetix vs HCL AppScan
Compared 16% of the time
SonarQube Server (formerly SonarQube) vs HCL AppScan Logo
SonarQube Server (formerly SonarQube) vs HCL AppScan
Compared 12% of the time
Veracode vs HCL AppScan Logo
Veracode vs HCL AppScan
Compared 10% of the time
Fortify on Demand vs HCL AppScan Logo
Fortify on Demand vs HCL AppScan
Compared 7% of the time
OWASP Zap vs HCL AppScan Logo
OWASP Zap vs HCL AppScan
Compared 7% of the time
More HCL AppScan Competitors
 

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide
Application Security Tools
April 2025
Fortify Application Defender reportDownload Fortify Application Defender product report
Buyer's Guide
HCL AppScan
April 2025
HCL AppScan reportDownload HCL AppScan product report
 

Also Known As

HPE Fortify Application Defender, Micro Focus Fortify Application Defender
IBM Security AppScan, Rational AppScan, AppScan
 

Overview

Micro Focus Security Fortify Application Defender is a runtime application self-protection (RASP) solution that helps you manage and mitigate risk from homegrown or third-party applications. It provides centralized visibility into application use and abuse while protecting from software vulnerability exploits and other violations in real time.

OpenText

IBM Security AppScan enhances web application security and mobile application security, improves application security program management and strengthens regulatory compliance. By scanning your web and mobile applications prior to deployment, AppScan enables you to identify security vulnerabilities and generate reports and fix recommendations.

HCLSoftware
 

Sample Customers

ServiceMaster, Saltworks, SAP
Essex Technology Group Inc., Cisco, West Virginia University, APIS IT
Buyer's Guide
Fortify Application Defender vs. HCL AppScan
April 2025
Free Report: Fortify Application Defender vs. HCL AppScan
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