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Qualys VMDR vs Tenable.io Container Security comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Jan 25, 2026

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

Qualys VMDR
Ranking in Container Security
9th
Average Rating
8.4
Reviews Sentiment
7.0
Number of Reviews
96
Ranking in other categories
IT Asset Management (3rd), Vulnerability Management (3rd), Configuration Management Databases (3rd), Risk-Based Vulnerability Management (1st)
Tenable.io Container Security
Ranking in Container Security
26th
Average Rating
8.0
Reviews Sentiment
6.1
Number of Reviews
9
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of May 2026, in the Container Security category, the mindshare of Qualys VMDR is 2.1%, down from 2.3% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Tenable.io Container Security is 1.1%, up from 1.0% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Container Security Mindshare Distribution
ProductMindshare (%)
Qualys VMDR2.1%
Tenable.io Container Security1.1%
Other96.8%
Container Security
 

Featured Reviews

Vaibhav Ghule - PeerSpot reviewer
Soc Lead & Edr Administration at Persistent Systems
Continuous risk-based monitoring has strengthened incident response and vulnerability prioritization
I haven't explored Qualys VMDR's vulnerability lifecycle automation yet. One of my analysts mentioned that queries lack grouping operators in Qualys VMDR. From my experience, I would appreciate improvements in the query options in Qualys VMDR, specifically in the query-building process where I would need more features and operators. Additionally, we have been facing issues with Qualys on the cloud level. We cannot download the configuration profile from the cloud agent, and it is showing a pending action for download. During 2025, we noticed outages of Qualys a couple of times. I want to mention that there is an issue with receiving timely RCA deliveries. While this is not necessarily about the tool, it relates to support. The support has not been very responsive, and we are receiving RCAs a little delayed whenever we raise support cases or communicate with the TAMs. Additionally, the UI has a slight latency, which I and my team have experienced. They have also reported this latency issue when navigating through different pages.
AS
Cyber Security Architect at a security firm with 201-500 employees
Detailed container image reports have improved vulnerability insight and support secure operations
Most valuable are the reports that are quite good, particularly the detailed ones for container image scanning. Tenable.io Container Security is giving me the vulnerability information of Docker images and the information about software bill of materials. However, my challenge at this time is that I am using all these solutions with GitLab Ultimate, and it does not support integration, so I am doing some alternate arrangements which are giving me operational complexity because I need to introduce something else instead of GitLab Ultimate. That is the primary concern regarding the benefits of real-time visibility into my containerized application security status.

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"Detects new hosts along with vulnerabilities."
"The reporting is fine."
"The initial setup was good; we didn't have any problems with it."
"The most valuable feature is the vulnerability assessment."
"I find Qualys VM very robust, and it's very useful for vulnerability management and patch management."
"The top one for me is that the vulnerabilities are kept up to date."
"The product's patch management is excellent for keeping our critical servers and third-party applications updated efficiently."
"I value the scheduling of scans and reports as per the desired timeframes."
"It helps us secure our applications from the build phase and identify the weaknesses from scratch."
"The tool's most valuable feature is scanning, reporting, and troubleshooting."
"The strong security provided by the product in the container environment is its most valuable feature."
"Currently, I haven't implemented the solution due to its deprecation by the site. However, I can highlight some benefits of Tenable Cloud Security, a cybersecurity solution with various features for scanning vulnerabilities in both cloud environments and on-premises container security."
"Tenable.io detects misconfiguration when you deploy a Docker or Kubernetes container. It's much better to remedy these issues during deployment instead of waiting until the container is already in the production environment."
"The strong security provided by the product in the container environment is its most valuable feature."
"By using Nessus, we are able to finish testing with assured results, in half the time."
"The solution shows you the exploitable vulnerabilities and helps you prioritize."
 

Cons

"Sometimes the scanning can get overwhelmed and start to drag when a lot of users are trying to scan at once."
"It's too early for me to say if there is any room for improvement since we're in the first couple of months of using this solution."
"The solution is a bit expensive if you do not have access to discounts."
"One area of the product that could be improved is the management of vulnerabilities detected on disabled applications."
"Improve the API speed."
"The support has not been very responsive, and we are receiving RCAs a little delayed whenever we raise support cases or communicate with the TAMs."
"They should make it accessible for more operating systems."
"From the application security perspective, Qualys has a way to go."
"I feel that in certain areas this product has false positives which the company should work on."
"The initial setup is highly complex."
"They need to work on auto-remediation so it's easier for the security team to act quickly when certain assets or resources are deployed. The latest version has a CIS benchmark that you need to meet for containers in the cloud, but more automation is needed."
"However, my challenge at this time is that I am using all these solutions with GitLab Ultimate, and it does not support integration, so I am doing some alternate arrangements which are giving me operational complexity because I need to introduce something else instead of GitLab Ultimate."
"The support is tricky to reach, so we would like better-oriented technical support enabled."
"The stability and setup phase of the product are areas with shortcomings where improvements are needed."
"The solution’s pricing could be improved."
"I believe integration plays a crucial role for Tenable, particularly in terms of connecting with other products and various container solutions like Docker or Kubernetes. It seems that in future updates, enhanced integration is something I would appreciate. Currently, there is integration with Docker, but when it comes to Kubernetes or other container solutions, it appears to be a challenge, especially with on-prem scanners."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The solution is costly."
"The pricing and licensing for Qualys could be improved."
"It is a high cost product. Compared to the other solutions, it is around 15 to 20% higher in cost."
"It's very expensive, especially if you want to use multiple modules of Qualys."
"We have an annual contract for Qualys VMDR. I believe it's for either two years or five years."
"An annual license for a single scanner costs around $3,000."
"Qualys is cheaper and more affordable than other solutions."
"The solution is reasonably priced for the value it provides."
"I rate the product’s pricing a six out of ten."
"I rate the tool's pricing a three out of ten."
"The solution's pricing is neither cheap nor very expensive."
"The product does not operate on a pay-per-license model."
"It's best to be an institutional buyer and directly contact the sales team as they can provide over-the-top discounts for bulk orders."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Financial Services Firm
15%
Computer Software Company
7%
Manufacturing Company
7%
Government
6%
Financial Services Firm
16%
Manufacturing Company
10%
Government
8%
Retailer
7%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business20
Midsize Enterprise12
Large Enterprise70
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business2
Midsize Enterprise3
Large Enterprise4
 

Questions from the Community

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Qualys VMDR?
My experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing shows that we can consider both time and money saved.
What needs improvement with Qualys VMDR?
I haven't explored Qualys VMDR's vulnerability lifecycle automation yet. One of my analysts mentioned that queries lack grouping operators in Qualys VMDR. From my experience, I would appreciate imp...
What advice do you have for others considering Qualys VMDR?
I have some understanding about PeerSpot, and I have visited the website. PeerSpot is similar to TrustRadius. It takes reviews from customers or end users who are using the tools and technologies i...
What needs improvement with Tenable.io Container Security?
Several things need improvement about Tenable.io Container Security. First, they should support GitLab Ultimate. Second, Docker-based installation would be required because not everybody has proper...
What is your primary use case for Tenable.io Container Security?
I have been dealing with Tenable.io Container Security for almost four to six months.
 

Also Known As

Qualys VM, QualysGuard VM, Qualys Asset Inventory, Qualys Container Security
Tenable FlawCheck, FlawCheck
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Agrokor Group, American Specialty Health, American State Bank, Arval, Life:), Axway, Bank of the West, Blueport Commerce, BSkyB, Brinks, CaixaBank, Cartagena, Catholic Health System, CEC Bank, Cegedim, CIGNA, Clickability, Colby-Sawyer College, Commercial Bank of Dubai, University of Utah, eBay Inc., ING Singapore, National Theatre, OTP Bank, Sodexo, WebEx
ServiceMaster
Find out what your peers are saying about Qualys VMDR vs. Tenable.io Container Security and other solutions. Updated: April 2026.
893,915 professionals have used our research since 2012.