HackerOne vs Qualys Web Application Scanning comparison

HackerOne and Qualys are both solutions in the Application Security Tools category. HackerOne is ranked #19 with an average rating of 8.4, while Qualys is ranked #16 with an average rating of 7.7. HackerOne holds a 0.5% mindshare in AS, compared to Qualys’s 1.8% mindshare. Additionally, 87% of HackerOne users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 88% of Qualys users who would recommend it.

HackerOne

Read 6 HackerOne reviews

3,613 Views
325 Comparison Views

87% willing to recommend

Qualys Web Application Scan...

Read 40 Qualys Web Application Scanning reviews

3,821 Views
2,407 Comparison Views

88% willing to recommend

HackerOne

Qualys Web Application Scan...

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Dec 28, 2025

Qualys Web Application Scanning and HackerOne compete in the cybersecurity domain. Qualys has the upper hand for organizations needing comprehensive automated vulnerability scanning, whereas HackerOne excels in crowd-sourced security testing through its network of ethical hackers.

Features: Qualys Web Application Scanning is known for its comprehensive vulnerability detection, automated vulnerability management, and PCI-ASV scanning capabilities. HackerOne provides access to a diverse community of ethical hackers, direct communication with companies, and flexible bug bounty program designs.

Room for Improvement: Qualys needs to reduce false positives and improve integration with more Microsoft products. Its dashboard, while informative, could offer more customizable features. HackerOne could benefit from more streamlined communication processes within programs, clearer guidelines for bug validation timelines, and improving response times for some programs.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Qualys offers easy deployment due to its cloud-based infrastructure and seamless integration capabilities, coupled with efficient customer support. HackerOne supports flexible deployment and emphasizes strong community engagement, enabling collaborative support through active hacker interaction.

Pricing and ROI: Qualys showcases a cost-effective pricing model, yielding significant ROI by focusing on scalable vulnerability management solutions. HackerOne, despite higher upfront costs due to its human-centric approach, offers substantial returns by effectively addressing critical security concerns through its bug bounty programs.

To learn more, read our detailed HackerOne vs. Qualys Web Application Scanning Report (Updated: December 2025).

Buyer's Guide

HackerOne vs. Qualys Web Application Scanning

December 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

HackerOne

Ranking in Application Security Tools

19th

Average Rating

8.6

Reviews Sentiment

6.9

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

Vulnerability Management (27th), Bug Bounty Platforms (2nd), Penetration Testing Services (2nd), Attack Surface Management (ASM) (11th), AI Observability (11th)

Qualys Web Application Scan...

Ranking in Application Security Tools

16th

Average Rating

7.6

Reviews Sentiment

6.3

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

Static Application Security Testing (SAST) (13th)

Mindshare comparison

As of January 2026, in the Application Security Tools category, the mindshare of HackerOne is 0.5%, up from 0.1% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Qualys Web Application Scanning is 1.8%, down from 1.9% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Application Security Tools Market Share Distribution
Product	Market Share (%)
Qualys Web Application Scanning	1.8%
HackerOne	0.5%
Other	97.7%

Application Security Tools

Featured Reviews

Ruphus Muita

Senior ICT Security Consultant at Applied Principles Limited

Has improved my motivation to submit bugs consistently through fast response and clear filtering

I think HackerOne can be improved by allowing new users to gain access to certain programs that are only open to known, renowned users. Sometimes new users don't receive invites just because they are new, despite potentially being very skilled hackers, so I feel new users should get more chances and opportunities. I am currently satisfied with the rewards, response time, and other aspects of the platform, so I don't have anything else to add about the necessary improvements. I give HackerOne a nine out of ten because if new hackers are given more opportunities, it could be a perfect 10 for me. However, the reason I gave a nine is that I don't have much to complain about; I specifically love the program and don't have many concerns.

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AnkitSharma13

Security Officer at a tech vendor with 10,001+ employees

Web scanning needs improvement but offers good vulnerability detection

The downside of Qualys Web Application Scanning is that it cannot crawl automatically. If I provide an IP address and a login form, it does basic testing, but it doesn't go deep as IBM AppScan does. If Qualys Web Application Scanning could improve its crawling capability, it would be more user-friendly. Qualys Web Application Scanning does IP-level testing, requiring direct input of credentials, and can only scan a few pages to provide known generic vulnerabilities, which isn't as beneficial from my point of view. The Vulnerability Management also relies heavily on version numbers and will flag vulnerabilities based on the component version, but it doesn't check if a real fix exists, leading to flags on components that actually have workarounds available.

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Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"Apart from getting all the bug bounty opportunities, we also get the chance to practice in a safe environment, like a demo setup. These features are great for beginners who want to explore bug bounties in the future."

"It helps me to get new sales, profits, and other benefits."

"The fast verification process impacts my motivation significantly because a quick response keeps me motivated, and if I'm going to try and hunt bugs today, I would appreciate a response within the day or at least within a few days."

"The most valuable feature of HackerOne is its variety of programs. These programs provide depth into various areas, such as mobile, API, and websites."

"HackerOne is larger than WebCloud and has a better reputation than BugCloud, which results in a smoother process."

"You can integrate your Burp Suite results and create an integrated report. Also, the way it shows the results - threats and exploit details - makes remediation very easy."

"Licensing is the most valuable. Qualys provides the best licensing for companies. It is the best product for the development purposes of web applications. The product has a lot of integrations."

"I have found the detection of vulnerabilities tool thorough with good results and the graphical display output to be wonderful and full of colors. It allows many types of outputs, such as bar and chart previews."

"Qualys' process of updating signatures is something we really appreciate, and it's way ahead of its industry peers."

"The advantage of Qualys Web Application Scanning lies in its user-friendly dashboard and appealing reports, which are useful for presentation to leadership."

"By using QualysGuard, we are able to finish external scans with assured results in half the time."

"Automated scanning has significantly improved our web application security management by reducing manual work."

"The features of Qualys Web Application Scanning are impressive as the scan is faster and gets completed quickly, the dashboards look great, the option for scheduled scans makes it fully automated, and customizable reports can be downloaded anytime in CSV, PDF, or whichever format required."

More Qualys Web Application Scanning pros

Cons

"The ability to view the conversation between the triagers and the programs will be really good."

"One issue I've experienced is traffic. Many people try to participate when an opportunity with a bounty of around 1,000-15,000 dollars comes up. In this case, the first person to report the vulnerability gets the bounty. If a second person reports the same vulnerability, they are marked as duplicated instead of receiving some recognition. The second person also invested time finding the issue, so I think this can be improved."

"Response time can be improved. The HackerOne Trust team can be slow to respond sometimes. They're not using AI, which could help reduce the number of duplicate reports."

"Sometimes new users don't receive invites just because they are new, despite potentially being very skilled hackers, so I feel new users should get more chances and opportunities."

"Everything has become slower on HackerOne."

"Everything has become slower on HackerOne. I have noticed that older researchers receive all the private invites while newer ones receive fewer."

"The product should allow users to upload their payloads."

"I have dealt with Qualys's technical support, and any enhancements are challenging. I would rate them a five out of ten."

"The GUI could be a little less complicated as it opens a lot of new windows for creating search lists, templates, reports, or for scanning purposes."

"The authenticated scanning feature could be improved by adding support for real-time scanning tokens and authorization tokens."

"There should be better visibility into the application."

"There could be better management and faster scanning."

"The scanner reports a lot of false positives, which is something that needs to be improved."

"There's a distinction between internal and external scanning processes that could be streamlined. Currently, for internal scanning, specific configurations and scanner appliances need to be deployed within the network, which differs from the simpler setup for external scans. This dual process complicates the setup for comprehensive scanning coverage."

More Qualys Web Application Scanning cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The tool is open-source and free for bug bounty hunters."

"The solution is free."

"It is best to be an institutional buyer and directly contact the sales team, as they can provide over-the-top discounts for bulk orders."

"Qualys has an IT-based licensing based on a yearly license, which is a good way of handling it. However, in some cases, when we do the PCI scanning, the host will not like the scanning and we lose the IT license. So, this could be improved."

"We are on an annual license for the solution and the pricing could be more affordable."

"The product is expensive, at least initially, in comparison to other products in this category."

"The cost is $30,000 USD for one year to cover WAS (Web Application Security) and the VM (Virtual Machine) security in a company with 200 employees."

"I rate the software’s pricing a six out of ten."

"The product pricing is fair and reasonably priced."

"Licensing was based on the number of assets that you want to scan on your network. You can also do licensing on subscription. On subscription, it is easier and more flexible. You tell Qualys that you want to move from the 1000 to 2000 band or the 3000 or 5000 band, then they will give you the quotation for it. Once you pay for it, applying the licensing is quite easy and effective."

More Qualys Web Application Scanning pricing and cost advice

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Computer Software Company

15%

Manufacturing Company

11%

Comms Service Provider

10%

Financial Services Firm

10%

Financial Services Firm

14%

Manufacturing Company

13%

Computer Software Company

12%

Government

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	4
Large Enterprise	3

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	8
Midsize Enterprise	6
Large Enterprise	27

Questions from the Community

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for HackerOne?

I have not experienced any costs since I use HackerOne independently, just logging into the site, hunting bugs, and submitting them without any expenses.

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What needs improvement with HackerOne?

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What is your primary use case for HackerOne?

My main use case for HackerOne is mostly for submitting bugs. I get into the programs listed there, find one that is suitable for me, do my penetration testing on the systems, try to bypass some co...

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What do you like most about Qualys Web Application Scanning?

The vulnerability management feature is a strong one. And also the patch management feature.

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What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Qualys Web Application Scanning?

Regarding pricing, I think for personal use, it is costly, but if organizations are ready to pay, then it is fine as they are using it.

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What needs improvement with Qualys Web Application Scanning?

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Compared 7% of the time

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Compared 4% of the time

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Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

HackerOne

December 2025

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Buyer's Guide

Qualys Web Application Scanning

December 2025

Download Qualys Web Application Scanning product report

Also Known As

HackerOne Assets, HackerOne Pentesting Services, HackerOne Security Assessments, HackerOne Vulnerability Management

Qualys WAS

Overview

HackerOne leads in offensive security with a platform that expertly identifies and remedies security vulnerabilities using AI and a vast researcher community. Trusted by industry giants, it integrates bug bounties, vulnerability disclosure, and code security in software development.

The HackerOne Platform offers a comprehensive suite of services, combining advanced AI technology with the skills of a global security researcher community to address complex security challenges. It facilitates an understanding of vulnerabilities, promoting better remediation practices across software lifecycles. Notable clients include Anthropic, Crypto.com, General Motors, GitHub, Goldman Sachs, Uber, and U.S. Department of Defense. Recognized for innovation and workplace excellence, HackerOne continues to set standards in security solutions.

What key features does HackerOne offer?

Skilled Hacker Community: Access a large pool of expert security researchers.
Third-Party Integrations: Seamless compatibility with various tools like payment systems and project management applications.
Bug Bounty Programs: Incentivized vulnerability discovery across industries.
Direct Communication: Facilitates dialogue for better understanding of vulnerabilities.
Safe Practice Environments: Supports learning for both beginners and seasoned professionals.

Why is HackerOne beneficial for your needs?

Speed of Delivery: Quickly identifies and resolves security issues.
Responsive Support: Reliable assistance enhances user experience.
Transparency in Communication: Clear reporting processes aid in issue resolution.
Income Opportunities: Bug bounties offer financial incentives.

HackerOne finds significant applications in various sectors with its focus on vulnerability assessment, testing, and responsible disclosure. Organizations utilize it for ethical hacking and efficient vulnerability coordination, making it essential in cybersecurity strategies. The platform's reliability is evident in its ability to identify and document security threats effectively.

HackerOne

Qualys Web Application Scanning (WAS) is a fully cloud-based web application security scanner. The scanner will automatically crawl periodically and test web applications to discover potential vulnerabilities, including cross-site scripting (XSS) and SQL injection. The consistent testing equips the automated service to generate consistent results, lessen false positives, and offer the ability to scale to protect thousands of websites effortlessly.

Qualys Web Application Scanning is bundled with different scanning technology to carefully scan websites for malware infections and will send notifications to website owners to assist in preventing blacklisting and brand reputation damage. As digital transformation takes place in various organizations, Qualys WAS gives organizations the ability to track and document their web app security status through its interactive reporting capabilities.

Qualys WAS empowers organizations to remediate any web application vulnerabilities quickly. Some of the key tools offered are:

Deep Scanning: All apps and APIs on your internal network and public cloud are covered by Qualys WAS deep scanning to show you any visible vulnerabilities.
DevSec Ops Tool: Detect security issues in your code while still in app development stages and generate comprehensive reports.
Comprehensive Discovery: Discover and catalog new and unknown web apps in your network.
Malware Detection: Scan a website, identify vulnerabilities, and receive alerts to any infections.

Benefits of Qualys Web Application Scanning

Qualys Web Application Scanning offers many benefits, including:

Quick Deployment: Requires no infrastructure or software to upkeep.
Effortless Scalability: Effortlessly launch a deep scan and protect thousands of websites.
Centralized Management: Manage and mend all web app vulnerabilities through a single interface.
Excellent Integration Capabilities: Integrates with Qualys Web App Firewall (WAF) for a single-click virtual patching of found vulnerabilities.
Respond to Threats Immediately: Qualys Continuous Monitoring offers the user a hands-free service by automatically launching scanning and sending notifications of a potential threat.
Cost-effective Solution: Data is analyzed in real time as Qualys WAS is an end-to-end solution; this helps avoid costs associated with managing multiple security vendors.

Reviews from Real Users

Qualys Web Application Scanning stands out among its competitors for a variety of reasons. Two of those reasons are its progressive scan and quick detection of vulnerabilities.

P.K., a senior software developer at a tech vendor, writes, "The feature that I have found most valuable is the progressive scan. It is good. It's done in 24 hours."

Nagaraj S., lead cybersecurity engineer at a tech service company, notes, "I have found the detection of vulnerabilities tool thorough with good results and the graphical display output to be wonderful and full of colors. It allows many types of outputs, such as bar and chart previews."

Qualys

Sample Customers

Anthropic, Crypto.com, General Motors, GitHub, Goldman Sachs, Uber, and the U.S. Department of Defense

BskyB, Cartagena, ClearPoint Learning Systems, Connect Group, du, Fortrex Technologies, HBOR, HDI, Highlights for Children, The Lithuanian State Enterprise Centre of Registers, City of Miami Beach, Microsoft, MidlandHR, MSCI Inc., Northern Arizona University, Ofgem, Olympus Europa, PhoneFactor, RTL Nederland, ThousandEyes, VGZ Organisatie B.V.

Buyer's Guide

HackerOne vs. Qualys Web Application Scanning

December 2025

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