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GitHub vs HCL AppScan comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Oct 19, 2025

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
3.3
GitHub improves efficiency and cost savings with enhanced code management, secure storage, and streamlined version control for faster releases.
Sentiment score
1.7
HCL AppScan enhances architecture with fewer errors and improved security, achieving 50% return and 20% cost savings.
 

Customer Service

Sentiment score
4.7
GitHub's customer service is generally efficient, with community forums often preferred due to quick, effective solutions.
Sentiment score
5.6
HCL AppScan's support is responsive with mixed reviews, facing regional challenges and lagging behind competitors like Veracode.
The technical support from GitHub is generally good, and they communicate effectively.
Senior DevOps Engineer at Simplify3x Software Private Limited
Some forums help you get answers faster since you just type in your concern and see resolutions from other engineers.
Quality Assurance Analyst at a tech services company with 51-200 employees
I have not used GitHub's technical support extensively because there are many resources and a robust knowledge base available due to the large user community.
Platform Engineer at a recreational facilities/services company with 1,001-5,000 employees
Veracode provides excellent assistance and regularly scheduled calls to address customer concerns and updates.
Associate Principal, Software Engineering at LTI - Larsen & Toubro Infotech
There is still room for improvement when it comes to the speed of response.
Founder Director at Techsa Services
 

Scalability Issues

Sentiment score
7.3
GitHub excels in scalability, seamlessly supporting large user bases and complex projects with robust performance and adaptability.
Sentiment score
3.9
HCL AppScan is scalable yet varies by license, integration issues, infrastructure compatibility, and CI/CD pipeline design effectiveness.
We have never had a problem with scalability, so I would rate it at least eight to nine.
Consultant at a comms service provider with 10,001+ employees
GitHub is more scalable than on-prem solutions, allowing for cloud-based scaling which is beneficial for processing large workloads efficiently.
Platform Engineer at a recreational facilities/services company with 1,001-5,000 employees
 

Stability Issues

Sentiment score
8.3
GitHub is highly reliable, praised for seamless performance and minimal issues, with users rating its reliability very high.
Sentiment score
7.2
HCL AppScan is stable and reliable, with minor hardware issues, improved by recent upgrades enhancing performance and stability.
If a skilled developer uses it, it is ten out of ten for stability.
Lead Software Engineer at The 5 Chairs
It provides a reliable environment for code management.
Senior DevOps Engineer at Simplify3x Software Private Limited
GitHub is mostly stable, but there can be occasional hiccups.
Platform Engineer at a recreational facilities/services company with 1,001-5,000 employees
Since we've been using HCL AppScan for about three months, we really have not encountered a false positive.
Founder Director at Techsa Services
 

Room For Improvement

Users recommend improvements in GitHub's interface, integration, documentation, and tools addressing performance, learning curve, and licensing issues.
HCL AppScan requires improvements in vulnerability detection, usability, integration, performance, support, pricing, and language/codebase compatibility to stay competitive.
When working with the CI/CD pipeline and somebody is writing the workflow file, it would be best to include the AI feature so if they write incorrect code, it will notify me about it in the same dashboard, eliminating the need to use third-party tools to review the file.
AWS & Azure Engineer at a media company with 11-50 employees
I am providing this feedback for Copilot because it seems more widespread and more companies allow it rather than Amp, and it would be beneficial if they catch up with Amp on this capability.
Senior Software Engineer at a tech services company with 501-1,000 employees
Security could make GitHub better. OWASP Top Ten security advisors could be integrated on GitHub, and it could provide checks and advice.
Software Development Manager at a media company with 10,001+ employees
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.
Founder Director at Techsa Services
 

Setup Cost

GitHub provides cost-effective pricing options for enterprises with free public repositories and paid private ones, despite licensing challenges.
HCL AppScan is considered expensive but cost-effective, with varied pricing opinions influenced by its premium features and discounts.
Normally, GitHub is not expensive, but it would be welcome if it reduces costs for developing countries.
Lead Software Engineer at The 5 Chairs
The pricing of GitHub is reasonable, with the cost being around seven dollars per user per month for private repositories.
QA Manager at Next Solutions
The pricing of GitHub depends on the choice of solutions, such as building one's own GitHub Runners to save money or using GitHub's Runners with extra costs.
Platform Engineer at a recreational facilities/services company with 1,001-5,000 employees
Companies often choose based on budget constraints, with Veracode being on the higher end cost-wise.
Associate Principal, Software Engineering at LTI - Larsen & Toubro Infotech
 

Valuable Features

GitHub enhances collaboration with features like version control, automation, security, cloud access, and integration with Azure and Jenkins.
HCL AppScan detects vulnerabilities, integrates with agile processes, offers scalability, user-friendly features, and AI-enhanced rapid scanning for security.
The pull request facility for code review.
QA Manager at Next Solutions
GitHub Actions allow for creating multiple jobs that run in different stages such as build, test, and deploy, which enable better visibility and control over the deployment pipeline.
Senior DevOps Engineer at Simplify3x Software Private Limited
For branching, it works well, especially in an agile environment.
Quality Assurance Analyst at a tech services company with 51-200 employees
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.
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.
Founder Director at Techsa Services
 

Categories and Ranking

GitHub
Ranking in Application Security Tools
4th
Average Rating
8.8
Reviews Sentiment
6.7
Number of Reviews
97
Ranking in other categories
Version Control (3rd), Agile and DevOps Services (2nd)
HCL AppScan
Ranking in Application Security Tools
20th
Average Rating
7.6
Reviews Sentiment
5.9
Number of Reviews
44
Ranking in other categories
Static Application Security Testing (SAST) (17th), Dynamic Application Security Testing (DAST) (4th)
 

Mindshare comparison

As of January 2026, in the Application Security Tools category, the mindshare of GitHub is 1.1%, up from 0.8% 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
ProductMarket Share (%)
GitHub1.1%
HCL AppScan2.3%
Other96.6%
Application Security Tools
 

Featured Reviews

Murathan OK - PeerSpot reviewer
Software Development Manager at a media company with 10,001+ employees
CI/CD workflows have become streamlined and AI support has improved collaborative development
We are using GitHub because it is open-source software, which is the most valuable solution for us. The open source and community support are very good. We are always up-to-date with the community, and integration difficulty is very low. If you integrate any CI/CD solutions on GitHub, it's very easy. We started using GitHub about three months ago with AI integration. For our deployments, some developers can be very shy about asking for descriptions on their commits. We are using AI support for comments and deployment management, which is beautiful. We are not using the GitHub API for automating workflows in our projects. I give GitHub a five-star rating for the review capabilities. I also give GitHub five stars for integration with third-party applications. There is a lot of integration available on GitHub. If you want to integrate something, even if it could be integrated before GitHub, you can make your code and integrate your own in-house applications. It's a very easy and powerful aspect of GitHub.
Ravi Khanchandani - PeerSpot reviewer
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.
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Financial Services Firm
10%
Manufacturing Company
8%
Computer Software Company
8%
Comms Service Provider
8%
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 SizeCount
Small Business42
Midsize Enterprise13
Large Enterprise49
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business14
Midsize Enterprise6
Large Enterprise31
 

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about GitHub?
The control is the most valuable feature as developers can work on a single code.
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for GitHub?
I was paying approximately one hundred dollars annually about a year ago. I am uncertain of the current cost, but GitHub without Copilot is free as far as I know. I am not paying anything for my Gi...
What needs improvement with GitHub?
Security could make GitHub better. OWASP Top Ten security advisors could be integrated on GitHub, and it could provide checks and advice. That would be much better. Additionally, LLM integration on...
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.
What needs improvement with HCL AppScan?
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 interf...
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...
 

Comparisons

 

Also Known As

No data available
IBM Security AppScan, Rational AppScan, AppScan
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Dominion Enterprises, NASA, Braintree, SAP, CyberAgent
Essex Technology Group Inc., Cisco, West Virginia University, APIS IT
Find out what your peers are saying about GitHub vs. HCL AppScan and other solutions. Updated: December 2025.
879,853 professionals have used our research since 2012.