GitGuardian Platform vs HCL AppScan comparison

GitGuardian and HCLSoftware are both solutions in the Application Security Tools category. GitGuardian is ranked #8 with an average rating of 8.8, while HCLSoftware is ranked #20 with an average rating of 8.3. GitGuardian holds a 1.1% mindshare in AS, compared to HCLSoftware ’s 2.3% mindshare. Additionally, 100% of GitGuardian users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 84% of HCLSoftware users who would recommend it.

GitGuardian Platform

Read 32 GitGuardian Platform reviews

5,822 Views
2,503 Comparison Views

100% willing to recommend

HCL AppScan

Read 44 HCL AppScan reviews

4,387 Views
3,071 Comparison Views

84% willing to recommend

GitGuardian Platform

HCL AppScan

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Download the report

Executive SummaryUpdated on Nov 2, 2025

HCL AppScan and GitGuardian Platform compete in the cybersecurity tools category, focusing on vulnerability detection and secret management. GitGuardian Platform appears to have the upper hand due to its low false-positive rate and effective integration capabilities.

Features: HCL AppScan is recognized for its comprehensive vulnerability detection, including static, dynamic, and mobile scanning options. It integrates well with various development environments, enhancing security throughout the app development process. GitGuardian Platform excels in real-time secret detection, covering a wide range of secret types with minimal false positives. It offers pre-push hook integrations to prevent issues from infiltrating the codebase and provides efficient remediation tools for developers.

Room for Improvement: HCL AppScan faces challenges like false positives and limited CI/CD integration, along with needing enhancements in web services testing and additional programming language support. GitGuardian Platform could enhance its analytics and context-based secret scanning to further reduce false positives. It should improve seamless integration with existing developer tools and focus on bolstering historical scanning capabilities to better track data history.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: HCL AppScan offers flexible deployment options across on-premises and cloud environments but has received criticism for reduced support quality since its transition from IBM to HCL, with some users experiencing assistance delays. GitGuardian Platform supports deployment across public and private cloud models. It is praised for responsive technical support, though some regional challenges have been reported.

Pricing and ROI: HCL AppScan is viewed as expensive but valued for its comprehensive vulnerability scanning capabilities, saving costs and reducing vulnerabilities effectively. GitGuardian Platform is considered reasonably priced, especially with its free tier for small teams. Although perceived as costly by some, the platform is appreciated for effectively mitigating security risks, offering a significant return on investment.

To learn more, read our detailed GitGuardian Platform vs. HCL AppScan Report (Updated: December 2025).

Buyer's Guide

GitGuardian Platform vs. HCL AppScan

December 2025

Download the complete report

Helped 879,853 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:

ROI

Sentiment score

6.9

GitGuardian Platform boosts efficiency, reduces costs, and enhances security by automating secrets detection and issue management for organizations.

Sentiment score

1.7

HCL AppScan enhances architecture with fewer errors and improved security, achieving 50% return and 20% cost savings.

I can certainly say that we have saved significant time and resources in terms of people and automation.

Ney Roman

DevOps Engineer at Deuna App

The majority of our incidents for critical detectors and important secret types are remediated automatically or proactively by developers through GitGuardian's notification system, without security team involvement.

Ari Kalfus

Senior Manager, Product Security at DigitalOcean

For more quotes and insights, download the GitGuardian Platform report

No quotes available

For more quotes and insights, download the HCL AppScan report

Customer Service

Sentiment score

7.7

GitGuardian's platform offers exceptional customer support with quick, knowledgeable service, high satisfaction, and a seamless onboarding experience.

Sentiment score

5.6

HCL AppScan's support is responsive with mixed reviews, facing regional challenges and lagging behind competitors like Veracode.

It effectively helps us with credentials security and has been performing satisfactorily.

Kingsley Zikora

Senior DevOps Engineer

I would rate their technical support a nine out of ten.

Ari Kalfus

Senior Manager, Product Security at DigitalOcean

I would rate the technical support as excellent.

Ney Roman

DevOps Engineer at Deuna App

For more quotes and insights, download the GitGuardian Platform report

Veracode provides excellent assistance and regularly scheduled calls to address customer concerns and updates.

MukeshSaha

Associate Principal, Software Engineering at LTI - Larsen & Toubro Infotech

There is still room for improvement when it comes to the speed of response.

Ravi Khanchandani

Founder Director at Techsa Services

For more quotes and insights, download the HCL AppScan report

Scalability Issues

Sentiment score

7.9

GitGuardian efficiently manages large deployments, ensuring speed and reliability, though some desire features for automatic assignment as usage increases.

Sentiment score

3.9

HCL AppScan is scalable yet varies by license, integration issues, infrastructure compatibility, and CI/CD pipeline design effectiveness.

In terms of scalability, I would rate it around a ten out of ten, as it handles all the repositories and commit activity we have.

Glenn McDonald

Head of Engineering Services at IRESS

I would rate it a ten out of ten for scalability.

Ari Kalfus

Senior Manager, Product Security at DigitalOcean

Currently, what GitGuardian Platform is doing works effectively.

reviewer2721312

Director, Corporate Security Operations at a tech vendor with 5,001-10,000 employees

For more quotes and insights, download the GitGuardian Platform report

No quotes available

For more quotes and insights, download the HCL AppScan report

Stability Issues

Sentiment score

8.4

GitGuardian Platform is highly praised for its stability, fast functionality, and rare maintenance needs, ensuring reliable performance.

Sentiment score

7.2

HCL AppScan is stable and reliable, with minor hardware issues, improved by recent upgrades enhancing performance and stability.

We set up a lot of the repository, so GitGuardian is a required check.

Glenn McDonald

Head of Engineering Services at IRESS

The SaaS platform has experienced two significant moments of downtime or instability in the last six months, requiring notices and retrospectives.

Ari Kalfus

Senior Manager, Product Security at DigitalOcean

I would rate the stability of the GitGuardian Platform as excellent with no downtimes.

Ney Roman

DevOps Engineer at Deuna App

For more quotes and insights, download the GitGuardian Platform report

Since we've been using HCL AppScan for about three months, we really have not encountered a false positive.

Ravi Khanchandani

Founder Director at Techsa Services

For more quotes and insights, download the HCL AppScan report

Room For Improvement

Users seek enhanced GitGuardian features like customization, integration, improved detection, intuitive UI, and broader token support options.

HCL AppScan requires improvements in vulnerability detection, usability, integration, performance, support, pricing, and language/codebase compatibility to stay competitive.

Another thing that would be good to see is some more metrics on the usage of the GitGuardian pre-push hooks.

Glenn McDonald

Head of Engineering Services at IRESS

The self-healing activity by developers isn't reflected in the analytics, requiring us to collect this data ourselves.

Ari Kalfus

Senior Manager, Product Security at DigitalOcean

We are looking for better metrics and audit data, wanting more features such as knowing which users are creating the most secrets or committing the most secrets, what repository, what directory, and who is not checking in secrets.

reviewer2721312

Director, Corporate Security Operations at a tech vendor with 5,001-10,000 employees

For more quotes and insights, download the GitGuardian Platform report

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.

Ravi Khanchandani

Founder Director at Techsa Services

For more quotes and insights, download the HCL AppScan report

Setup Cost

GitGuardian is costly but valued for its effectiveness and offers a free tier for small teams, with scalable licensing.

HCL AppScan is considered expensive but cost-effective, with varied pricing opinions influenced by its premium features and discounts.

Overall, the secret detection sector is expensive, but we are happy with the value we get.

Ari Kalfus

Senior Manager, Product Security at DigitalOcean

It's fairly priced, as it performs a lot of analysis and is a valuable tool.

Glenn McDonald

Head of Engineering Services at IRESS

For more quotes and insights, download the GitGuardian Platform report

Companies often choose based on budget constraints, with Veracode being on the higher end cost-wise.

MukeshSaha

Associate Principal, Software Engineering at LTI - Larsen & Toubro Infotech

For more quotes and insights, download the HCL AppScan report

Valuable Features

GitGuardian Platform enhances security with rapid secret detection, automated alerts, pre-push hooks, and customizable integrations for developers.

HCL AppScan detects vulnerabilities, integrates with agile processes, offers scalability, user-friendly features, and AI-enhanced rapid scanning for security.

One of the best features of the solution is the ability to use pre-push hooks.

Glenn McDonald

Head of Engineering Services at IRESS

A high number of our exposures are remediated by developers before security needs to step in, as the self-healing playbook process engages them automatically.

Ari Kalfus

Senior Manager, Product Security at DigitalOcean

GitGuardian Platform performs the capability to detect secrets in real time exceptionally, as it activates from the commit and can detect it immediately.

reviewer2721312

Director, Corporate Security Operations at a tech vendor with 5,001-10,000 employees

For more quotes and insights, download the GitGuardian Platform report

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.

MukeshSaha

Associate Principal, Software Engineering at LTI - Larsen & Toubro Infotech

I have utilized its interactive application security testing, as well as both static application security testing, dynamic application security testing, and IAST.

Ravi Khanchandani

Founder Director at Techsa Services

For more quotes and insights, download the HCL AppScan report

Categories and Ranking

GitGuardian Platform

Ranking in Application Security Tools

8th

Ranking in Static Application Security Testing (SAST)

4th

Average Rating

8.8

Reviews Sentiment

7.3

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

Data Loss Prevention (DLP) (8th), Threat Intelligence Platforms (TIP) (5th), Software Supply Chain Security (5th), DevSecOps (4th), Non-Human Identity Management (NHIM) (2nd)

HCL AppScan

Ranking in Application Security Tools

20th

Ranking in Static Application Security Testing (SAST)

17th

Average Rating

7.6

Reviews Sentiment

5.9

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

Dynamic Application Security Testing (DAST) (4th)

Mindshare comparison

As of January 2026, in the Application Security Tools category, the mindshare of GitGuardian Platform is 1.1%, up from 0.5% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of HCL AppScan is 2.3%, down from 2.6% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Application Security Tools Market Share Distribution
Product	Market Share (%)
GitGuardian Platform	1.1%
HCL AppScan	2.3%
Other	96.6%

Application Security Tools

Featured Reviews

Ney Roman

DevOps Engineer at Deuna App

Facilitates efficient secret management and improves development processes

Regarding the exceptions in GitGuardian Platform, we know that within the platform we have a way to accept a path or a directory from a repository, but it is not that visible at the very beginning. You have to figure out where to search for it, and once you have it, it is really good, but it is not that visible at the beginning. This should be made more exposed. The documentation could be better because it was not that comprehensively documented. When we started working with GitGuardian Platform, it was difficult to find some specific use cases, and we were not aware of that. It might have improved now, but at that time, it was not something we would recommend.

Read full review

Ravi Khanchandani

Founder Director at Techsa Services

Has improved identification of encryption and authentication issues across cloud and on-prem applications

During the learning curve of onboarding HCL AppScan, we learned that HCL has altered the portfolio and now offers HCL AppScan 360, which has a much better look and feel with an improved user interface. However, there is one feature called SCA, which stands for Software Composition Analysis, that could be improved. When I'm doing an application scan, HCL AppScan has the ability to generate information about what components are in use. For example, 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. I would like to see more detailed reports from the tool. Currently, you can find out the components belonging to a specific software, but if detailed reporting became available, you would be in a better position to identify vulnerabilities. For instance, I could identify that I had the Log4j vulnerability and know that I need to fix my application accordingly. If they add the features I'm describing, I would consider giving them a higher rating. However, I've only been experienced with the product for three months.

Read full review

See which vendors are best for you

Use our free recommendation engine to learn which Application Security Tools solutions are best for your needs.

See recommendations

879,853 professionals have used our research since 2012.

Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Government

17%

Computer Software Company

15%

Financial Services Firm

10%

Comms Service Provider

Computer Software Company

12%

Financial Services Firm

11%

Government

10%

Manufacturing Company

10%

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	10
Midsize Enterprise	9
Large Enterprise	13

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	14
Midsize Enterprise	6
Large Enterprise	31

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about GitGuardian Internal Monitoring ?

It's also worth mentioning that GitGuardian is unique because they have a free tier that we've been using for the first twelve months. It provides full functionality for smaller teams. We're a smal...

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for GitGuardian Internal Monitoring ?

It's competitively priced compared to others. Overall, the secret detection sector is expensive, but we are happy with the value we get.

See all answers

What needs improvement with GitGuardian Internal Monitoring ?

GitGuardian Platform does what it is designed to do, but it still generates many false positives. We utilize the automated playbooks from GitGuardian Platform, and we are enhancing them. We will pr...

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?

See all answers

What is your primary use case for HCL AppScan?

I'm currently working with BigFix and HCL AppScan. At least three people in my company are using HCL AppScan. Since we are a reseller, we run it in both lab environments and live production applica...

See all answers

Comparisons

SonarQube vs GitGuardian Platform

Compared 10% of the time

Snyk vs GitGuardian Platform

Compared 10% of the time

SafeGuard Cyber Security vs GitGuardian Platform

Compared 9% of the time

Microsoft Purview Data Loss Prevention vs GitGuardian Platform

Compared 8% of the time

GitHub Advanced Security vs GitGuardian Platform

Compared 6% of the time

More GitGuardian Platform Competitors

SonarQube vs HCL AppScan

Compared 11% of the time

Veracode vs HCL AppScan

Compared 11% of the time

Acunetix vs HCL AppScan

Compared 9% of the time

PortSwigger Burp Suite Professional vs HCL AppScan

Compared 8% of the time

OWASP Zap vs HCL AppScan

Compared 7% of the time

More HCL AppScan Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

GitGuardian Platform

December 2025

Download GitGuardian Platform product report

Buyer's Guide

HCL AppScan

December 2025

Download HCL AppScan product report

Also Known As

GitGuardian Internal Monitoring, GitGuardian Public Monitoring

IBM Security AppScan, Rational AppScan, AppScan

Interactive Demo

GitGuardian

Demo not available

HCLSoftware

Overview

GitGuardian is a comprehensive platform focused on enhancing Non-Human Identity security by integrating Secrets Security and Secrets Observability to detect and manage secrets across development environments.

As cybersecurity threats increasingly target NHIs like service accounts and applications, GitGuardian offers a robust solution by supporting over 450 types of secrets and deploying honeytokens for additional defense. Trusted by leading organizations and developers, its monitoring and quick alert system enable effective detection and management of sensitive data, strengthening operational security across platforms.

What are the key features of GitGuardian?

Secrets Detection: Identifies various secrets types such as AWS keys and passwords.
Quick Alerts: Provides timely notifications for immediate risk management.
Integration: Seamlessly integrates with development tools and workflows.
Dev in the Loop: Facilitates rapid issue resolution.
Historical Scanning: Enhances security through thorough scanning practices.

What benefits and ROI should companies consider?

Efficiency: Streamlined remediation processes with minimal false positives.
Customizability: Adaptable detection features cater to specific needs.
Risk Reduction: Proactive management of sensitive data threats.
Team Integration: Improved collaboration through connected workflows.
Development Continuity: Maintains seamless operation during security processes.

In the tech industry, GitGuardian is employed to safeguard APIs and sensitive credentials across code repositories like GitHub. Companies benefit from instant alerts and integrations with tools like Slack, effectively managing risks and enhancing security policies. While popular in sectors dependent on development agility, there is room for further improvement in customization and integration to meet specific industry needs.

GitGuardian

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

Widely adopted by developer communities, GitGuardian is used by over 600 thousand developers and leading companies, including Snowflake, Orange, Iress, Mirantis, Maven Wave, ING, BASF, and Bouygues Telecom.

Essex Technology Group Inc., Cisco, West Virginia University, APIS IT

Buyer's Guide

GitGuardian Platform vs. HCL AppScan

December 2025

Free Report: GitGuardian Platform vs. HCL AppScan

Find out what your peers are saying about GitGuardian Platform vs. HCL AppScan and other solutions. Updated: December 2025.

DOWNLOAD NOW

879,853 professionals have used our research since 2012.

See our GitGuardian Platform vs. HCL AppScan report.

See our list of best Application Security Tools vendors and best Static Application Security Testing (SAST) vendors.

We monitor all Application Security Tools reviews to prevent fraudulent reviews and keep review quality high. We do not post reviews by company employees or direct competitors. We validate each review for authenticity via cross-reference with LinkedIn, and personal follow-up with the reviewer when necessary.