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HCL AppScan vs SonarQube vs Veracode comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive Summary

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
1.7
HCL AppScan enhances architecture with fewer errors and improved security, achieving 50% return and 20% cost savings.
Sentiment score
6.7
SonarQube improves code quality and security in CI/CD, enhancing efficiency and compliance, but exact ROI is hard to quantify.
Sentiment score
6.5
Veracode optimizes development by automating vulnerability detection, reducing costs, improving security, compliance, and enhancing software reliability.
It is easily integrable with the CI/CD pipeline and supports multiple projects with its extensive plugin options.
Security Analyst at Dover Corporation
I have seen a return on the investment from SonarQube Server (formerly SonarQube) because the value it adds relates to static code analysis and vulnerability assessments needed for our FDA approval process.
Sr Software Engineering Supervisor at Mozarc Medical
We see productivity increasing based on the fact that the code review is mostly automated, allowing the developer to fix the code themselves before assigning it to someone else to review, thus receiving that ROI.
Head of Software Engineering at ronaldmariah@gmail.com
The scanners of Veracode bring status of the weaknesses in the current infrastructure. It scans and provides reports regarding the servers, the network, and the applications running on those servers.
Senior Solutions Architect at IDS Comercial
Regarding price, the evaluation should focus on how efficiently they will recover their investment, considering the time saved through the use of Veracode Fix, for example, and the ability to fix code at dev time compared to the problems faced when fixing after the product is already deployed.
Head of Security Architecture at a healthcare company with 5,001-10,000 employees
We did see a return on investment with Veracode, as we segregated our remediation efforts, which reduced our time to delivery as well as the number of engineers needed to help us in delivering a secure solution.
DevSecOps Engineer at a tech services company with 11-50 employees
 

Customer Service

Sentiment score
5.6
HCL AppScan's support is responsive with mixed reviews, facing regional challenges and lagging behind competitors like Veracode.
Sentiment score
6.2
SonarQube's community and documentation aid self-support, but direct support varies; Enterprise Edition offers satisfactory assistance.
Sentiment score
7.2
Veracode's support is praised for responsiveness and expertise, though some experience delays with complex issues.
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
The community support is quite effective.
Distinguish Engineer at Gtmhub
The customer service and support for SonarQube Cloud are responsive and helpful.
Security Analyst at Dover Corporation
Integrating it into different solutions is straightforward.
Architect at sigpsc inc
Access to the engineering team is crucial for faster feedback on the product fix process.
Principal Architect at a consultancy with 11-50 employees
I have communicated with the technical support of Veracode a couple of times, and this was a really great experience because these professionals know their material.
Application Security Specialist at Herrenknecht
They share detailed information via email, including screenshots or further clarification about the issue.
DevSecOps Engineer at a tech services company with 1,001-5,000 employees
 

Scalability Issues

Sentiment score
3.9
HCL AppScan is scalable yet varies by license, integration issues, infrastructure compatibility, and CI/CD pipeline design effectiveness.
Sentiment score
6.9
SonarQube is generally scalable and integrates well, but specific configurations and larger workloads may require careful management.
Sentiment score
7.4
Veracode offers efficient scalability with cloud architecture, supporting diverse applications and user roles across industries despite minor scan delays.
There are limitations, and it seems to have fewer capabilities than Veracode.
CEO at a computer software company with 1-10 employees
It has been used in multiple projects and performs well.
consultant at a computer software company with 1,001-5,000 employees
I would rate the scalability of SonarQube Server as a 10 because we can configure the server to scan multiple projects based on the number of lines.
Sr Software Engineering Supervisor at Mozarc Medical
Cloud solutions are easier to scale than on-premise solutions.
Senior Solutions Architect at IDS Comercial
It has a good capacity to scale effectively.
Lead Automation Quality Engineer in Leading UK Bank at a consultancy with 10,001+ employees
Implementing these features into our normal CI/CD was good, so I can say that scalability is really good.
Application Security Specialist at Herrenknecht
 

Stability Issues

Sentiment score
7.2
HCL AppScan is stable and reliable, with minor hardware issues, improved by recent upgrades enhancing performance and stability.
Sentiment score
7.6
SonarQube is generally stable and reliable, with occasional issues related to plugins, configurations, or heavy deployments.
Sentiment score
7.8
Veracode is praised for stability and performance despite minor glitches, with continuous improvements ensuring reliability and minimal downtime.
Since we've been using HCL AppScan for about three months, we really have not encountered a false positive.
Founder Director at Techsa Services
I think SonarQube Server (formerly SonarQube) is stable, and we did not face any problems unless there was a power outage or if the LAN cable was plugged out.
Sr Software Engineering Supervisor at Mozarc Medical
From my team's feedback, it is almost an eight out of ten.
CEO at a computer software company with 1-10 employees
It is a quite stable solution.
Security Analyst at Dover Corporation
If the Veracode server is down, we experience many issues during the scan.
Lead Automation Quality Engineer in Leading UK Bank at a consultancy with 10,001+ employees
I have observed that it is not that reliable in terms of security because Veracode was not able to find some security threats in our application that existed since the product was developed.
Software Development Engineer II at Rocket Software
It's not that easy to onboard, but once they have been onboarded on the platform, and the pipeline configured alongside the product configured, it works effectively.
Head of Security Architecture at a healthcare company with 5,001-10,000 employees
 

Room For Improvement

HCL AppScan requires improvements in vulnerability detection, usability, integration, performance, support, pricing, and language/codebase compatibility to stay competitive.
SonarQube needs improvements in integration, vulnerability detection, language support, UI, documentation, security scanning, automation, and pricing.
Veracode requires improvements in reducing false positives, enhancing speed, improving integration, flexibility, support, UI, and customer service.
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
There is another website called Code Warrior that really takes you through the entire journey, so you can truly understand what the issue is along with some actual coding examples.
Independent Professional at Studio Dott. Ing. Angelo Quaglia
I would like to see SonarQube Cloud provide more detailed solutions for fixing code issues, especially solutions related to CVEs.
Security Analyst at Dover Corporation
I need a solution that can bring together three key areas: vulnerabilities, static scanning, and misarchitecture.
Architect at sigpsc inc
If it could be integrated directly with code repositories such as Bitbucket or GitHub, without the need to create a pipeline to upload and decode code, it would simplify the code scan process significantly.
We had issues with scanning large applications. Scanning took a lot of time, so we kept it outside the DevOps pipeline to avoid delaying deployments.
Lead Automation Quality Engineer in Leading UK Bank at a consultancy with 10,001+ employees
A nice addition would be if it could be extended for scenarios with custom cleansers.
IT App Security Senior Analyst at a transportation company with 10,001+ employees
 

Setup Cost

HCL AppScan is considered expensive but cost-effective, with varied pricing opinions influenced by its premium features and discounts.
SonarQube provides a cost-effective solution with varying licensing, though commercial plugins and support can increase costs.
Veracode's higher pricing offers comprehensive security for enterprises, posing challenges for smaller businesses, with negotiable licensing options.
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
I would rate the pricing for SonarQube Server (formerly SonarQube) as an 8, where 1 is very cheap and 10 is very expensive, because Coverity is very expensive, and while SonarQube is not cheap, it is still less expensive than Coverity.
Sr Software Engineering Supervisor at Mozarc Medical
They always offer around a two-year contract, but we always take a one-year contract because it's expensive.
Head of Software Engineering at ronaldmariah@gmail.com
The freemium version of SonarQube Server offers excellent value, especially compared to the high costs of Snyk.
Distinguish Engineer at Gtmhub
It's not the most expensive solution.
Senior Solutions Architect at IDS Comercial
Overall, Veracode's pricing is lower and more scalable than many alternatives in the market.
DevSecOps Engineer at a tech services company with 1,001-5,000 employees
If there's a security gap, you'll never know the cost or effect.
 

Valuable Features

HCL AppScan detects vulnerabilities, integrates with agile processes, offers scalability, user-friendly features, and AI-enhanced rapid scanning for security.
SonarQube enhances code quality and security with multi-language support, CI/CD integration, code analysis, quality gates, and user-friendly features.
Veracode offers comprehensive code analysis, seamless integration, and efficient vulnerability detection, improving security and development speed with minimal manual effort.
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
The most valuable aspect of SonarQube's scanning feature for me is its accuracy and seamless integration with our existing tools, and it provides reliable results with fewer false positives, which saves a lot of time for developers.
Network Security Engineer at Arrow PC Network Pvt Ltd
Some of the static code analysis capabilities are the most beneficial.
Distinguish Engineer at Gtmhub
I find SonarQube Cloud very easy to use and simple to integrate initially.
CEO at a computer software company with 1-10 employees
It offers confidence by preventing exposure to vulnerabilities and helps ensure that we are not deploying vulnerable code into production.
Site Leader (India) at Industrial Scientific
The best features in Veracode include static analysis and the early detection of vulnerable libraries; it integrates with tools such as Jenkins.
It fixes issues directly in the IDE while you're doing it.
IT App Security Senior Analyst at a transportation company with 10,001+ employees
 

Mindshare comparison

As of May 2026, in the Application Security Tools category, the mindshare of HCL AppScan is 2.4%, down from 2.6% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of SonarQube is 13.6%, down from 25.3% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Veracode is 4.4%, down from 9.6% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Application Security Tools Mindshare Distribution
ProductMindshare (%)
SonarQube13.6%
Veracode4.4%
HCL AppScan2.4%
Other79.6%
Application Security Tools
 

Featured Reviews

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.
KH
Sr Software Engineering Supervisor at Mozarc Medical
Gains control over rule customization and achieves reliable vulnerability assessment
The deployment process took me about 2 or 3 hours to deploy SonarQube Server (formerly SonarQube), although I do not remember exactly since it was done about 2 years back. Currently, about 10 of my developers are using SonarQube Server (formerly SonarQube) in my company. I do not have plans to increase the usage of SonarQube Server (formerly SonarQube) in the future as there will not be any requirement to increase. I am a senior software engineer and supervisor at Mozark Medical. My corporate email address is karthik.k.a.r.t.h.i.k.h.a.r.p.a.n.h.a.l.l.i@mozarkmedical.com. Overall, I would rate SonarQube Server (formerly SonarQube) as a 9 out of 10.
reviewer2703864 - PeerSpot reviewer
Head of Security Architecture at a healthcare company with 5,001-10,000 employees
Onboarding developers successfully while improving code security through IDE integration
Regarding room for improvement, we have some problems when onboarding new projects because the build process has to be done in a certain way, as Veracode analyzes the binaries and not the code by itself alone. If the process is not configured correctly, it doesn't work. That's one of the things that we are discussing with Veracode. Something positive that we've been able to do is submit formal feature requests to them, and they are working on them; they've already solved some of them. This encourages us to propose new ideas and improvements. Another improvement that we asked for this use case is to be able to configure how Veracode Fix proposes and fixes because sometimes it makes proposals using libraries that go against our architecture design made by the enterprise architecture team. For example, we want them to propose using another library, and that's something we already asked Veracode, and they are working on it. We want to specify when you see this kind of vulnerability, you can only propose these two options.
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Financial Services Firm
11%
Government
10%
Computer Software Company
10%
Manufacturing Company
9%
Manufacturing Company
13%
Financial Services Firm
13%
Computer Software Company
12%
Comms Service Provider
6%
Financial Services Firm
16%
Computer Software Company
11%
Manufacturing Company
11%
Government
5%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business14
Midsize Enterprise6
Large Enterprise31
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business43
Midsize Enterprise24
Large Enterprise79
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business69
Midsize Enterprise45
Large Enterprise115
 

Questions from the Community

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...
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 w...
Is SonarQube the best tool for static analysis?
I am not very familiar with SonarQube and their solutions, so I can not answer. But if you are asking me about which ...
Which gives you more for your money - SonarQube or Veracode?
SonarQube is easy to deploy and configure, and also integrates well with other tools to do quality code analysis. Son...
How would you decide between Coverity and Sonarqube?
We researched Coverity, but in the end, we chose SonarQube. SonarQube is a tool for reviewing code quality and securi...
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Veracode Static Analysis?
My experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing for Veracode is that it is fairly moderate.
What needs improvement with Veracode Static Analysis?
Veracode can improve to stand in this market. They do not have to do much; they just need to improve their UI experie...
What is your primary use case for Veracode Static Analysis?
I have been using Veracode for the last two years, which is one of the security scans that is part of our organizatio...
 

Also Known As

IBM Security AppScan, Rational AppScan, AppScan
Sonar, SonarQube Cloud
Crashtest Security , Veracode Detect
 

Interactive Demo

Demo not available
Demo not available
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Essex Technology Group Inc., Cisco, West Virginia University, APIS IT
Snowflake, Booking.com, Deutsche Bank, AstraZeneca, and Ford Motor Company.
Manhattan Associates, Azalea Health, Sabre, QAD, Floor & Decor, Prophecy International, SchoolCNXT, Keap, Rekner, Cox Automotive, Automation Anywhere, State of Missouri and others.
Find out what your peers are saying about SonarSource Sàrl, Checkmarx, Veracode and others in Application Security Tools. Updated: May 2026.
894,668 professionals have used our research since 2012.