Qualys Web Application Scanning vs Software Risk Manager ASPM comparison

Qualys and Black Duck are both solutions in the Static Application Security Testing (SAST) category. Qualys is ranked #11 with an average rating of 7.7, while Black Duck is ranked #28. Qualys holds a 1.9% mindshare in SAST, compared to Black Duck’s 1.3% mindshare. Additionally, 88% of Qualys users are willing to recommend the solution.

Qualys Web Application Scan...

Read 40 Qualys Web Application Scanning reviews

5,745 Views
3,907 Comparison Views

88% willing to recommend

Software Risk Manager ASPM

Read 1 Software Risk Manager ASPM review

2,279 Views
1,595 Comparison Views

0% willing to recommend

Qualys Web Application Scan...

Software Risk Manager ASPM

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Mar 22, 2026

Qualys Web Application Scanning and Software Risk Manager ASPM compete in web application security, where Qualys has an advantage in pricing and customer support, while Software Risk Manager ASPM leads with feature capabilities.

Features: Qualys Web Application Scanning includes a comprehensive vulnerability detection engine, intuitive scanning automation, and a focus on continuous monitoring. It emphasizes proactive security measures. Software Risk Manager ASPM offers detailed application risk insights, seamless integration with development workflows, and advanced security analytics, focusing on risk analytics.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Qualys Web Application Scanning provides cloud-based deployment with quick setup and extensive support resources, which simplify deployment. Software Risk Manager ASPM also utilizes a cloud-based model but offers tailored deployment strategies for complex enterprise environments and is noted for a robust customer service framework providing enhanced support for large organizations with intricate needs.

Pricing and ROI: Qualys Web Application Scanning features competitive pricing options with a focus on ROI through efficient security scanning processes. Software Risk Manager ASPM, with potentially higher initial costs, offers a comprehensive feature set that justifies the expense through sophisticated analytics capabilities, presenting high-value investment for organizations seeking enhanced security management.

To learn more, read our detailed Static Application Security Testing (SAST) Report (Updated: May 2026).

Buyer's Guide

Static Application Security Testing (SAST)

May 2026

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Helped 899,052 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:

Categories and Ranking

Qualys Web Application Scan...

Ranking in Static Application Security Testing (SAST)

11th

Average Rating

7.6

Reviews Sentiment

6.3

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

Application Security Tools (15th)

Software Risk Manager ASPM

Ranking in Static Application Security Testing (SAST)

28th

Average Rating

0.0

Reviews Sentiment

7.0

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

Software Composition Analysis (SCA) (24th), Application Security Posture Management (ASPM) (15th)

Mindshare comparison

As of June 2026, in the Static Application Security Testing (SAST) category, the mindshare of Qualys Web Application Scanning is 1.9%, down from 2.3% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Software Risk Manager ASPM is 1.3%, up from 0.4% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Static Application Security Testing (SAST) Mindshare Distribution
Product	Mindshare (%)
Qualys Web Application Scanning	1.9%
Software Risk Manager ASPM	1.3%
Other	96.8%

Static Application Security Testing (SAST)

Featured Reviews

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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Saravanan_Radhakrishnan

Senior Manager at Happiest Minds Technologies

Facilitates continuous assessment of applications, covering both static and dynamic security aspects

Code Dx lacks one aspect, the dynamic security part, known as DAST. It's not an on-premise solution; it's in the cloud now. There are compliance standards and data standards where the customer might need to have the data on-premises for dynamic security testing. So that is one shortfall. An area of improvement could be developing an on-premise DAST solution. The current one is a complete cloud-based solution, and that can be one of the areas of improvement.

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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

"The tool links vulnerabilities with DDIs and gives a complete overview of the application. The continuous monitoring capability is good."

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

"We’re a Linux shop and Qualys gave us good Linux vulnerability scanning; it reports only a few glaring false-positive errors, and the long baseline of iterative results was valuable to track changes and our rate of improvement while access to the API let us automate its use in our CI/CD pipeline for machine images."

"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."

"It's provided us with comprehensive, proactive, and automated vulnerability assessment."

"The interface is user-friendly and easy to understand."

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

"This product is designed for easy scalability and can easily scale up without major challenges."

More Qualys Web Application Scanning pros

"The customers were looking for something around static security and dynamic security, and in all those areas, they were looking for an industry leader with a proven solution. Synopsys is a Gartner leader, so I position this particular technology for the technical pre-sales part of it."

Cons

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

"The support could be faster."

"The reporting contains too many false positives."

"The virus code updates are not frequent enough."

"The organization of the assets was a little confusing and overwhelming."

"The pricing does not seem to be competitive."

"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."

"I would like it to be cheaper because it is a bit expensive compared to competitors like Tenable Nessus."

More Qualys Web Application Scanning cons

"The initial setup is a bit challenging because things are not easy. It needs a lot of technology adaptability plus the customer's environment-specific use cases."

Pricing and Cost Advice

"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."

"Pricing was reasonable and competitive. It was not too far above the other products."

"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."

"We normally purchase an annual license."

"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."

"There are different options available with respect to licensing."

"Qualys Web Application Scanning's pricing is a bit expensive compared to other solutions available in the market."

More Qualys Web Application Scanning pricing and cost advice

"It is more of an enterprise solution for budget-conscious customers. So, it's moderately priced. It's not for everybody."

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Financial Services Firm

13%

Manufacturing Company

12%

Computer Software Company

Construction Company

Financial Services Firm

16%

Manufacturing Company

14%

University

11%

Retailer

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

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

No data available

Questions from the Community

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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What is your primary use case for Qualys Web Application Scanning?

I use Qualys Web Application Scanning, and we are using Vulnerability Management. By Vulnerability Management, I mean not TotalCloud; they have some on-premises solutions also. Patch Management and...

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Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Qualys Web Application Scanning

May 2026

Download Qualys Web Application Scanning product report

Buyer's Guide

Application Security Posture Management (ASPM)

May 2026

Download Software Risk Manager ASPM product report

Also Known As

Qualys WAS

Code Dx

Overview

Qualys Web Application Scanning offers advanced vulnerability management, progressive scheduling, and seamless integration with DevOps environments. Its user-friendly design enables enterprises to enhance security with comprehensive scanning and detailed forensic insights.

Qualys Web Application Scanning addresses enterprise-level security challenges by providing robust solutions for vulnerability management, penetration testing, and compliance checks. While easing the navigation process, it supports risk mitigation with precise risk ratings, minimal false positives, and detailed reporting. However, it faces challenges with its complex interface, authenticated scanning, and automation features. Integrating smoothly with CI/CD pipelines, it is suitable for continuous and automated scanning, adapting to diverse company requirements.

What are the standout features of Qualys Web Application Scanning?

Progressive Scheduling: Enables efficient management of scanning activities, optimizing for time-sensitive scenarios.
Vulnerability Management: Offers robust identification and management of vulnerabilities across various applications.
Integration with DevOps: Seamlessly integrates with CI/CD pipelines, supporting rapid development cycles.
Risk Ratings: Provides precise risk assessments, crucial for prioritizing security efforts.
Engaging Dashboard: Offers an intuitive interface for navigating security tasks efficiently.

What benefits or ROI should users look for in Qualys Web Application Scanning reviews?

Scalability: Supports enterprise needs with a design adaptable to diverse security demands.
Risk Mitigation: Detailed alerts and forensic insights aid in reducing potential threats.
Comprehensive Reporting: Facilitates informed decision-making with clear, concise reports.
Penetration Testing: Enhances security assessments with ongoing evaluation capabilities.

Organizations across sectors like education, banking, and international data centers leverage Qualys Web Application Scanning for conducting penetration testing, scanning web applications, and managing vulnerabilities. It aids in audit security and compliance, identifying threats, and generating user-friendly reports, making it a valuable asset for maintaining strong security postures.

Qualys

Software Risk Manager is an application security posture management (ASPM) solution that enables security and development teams to manage their application security programs at enterprise scale. By unifying policy, test orchestration, correlation, prioritization, and built-in static application security testing (SAST) and software composition analysis (SCA) engines, organizations can streamline their security activities across the enterprise.

Black Duck

Sample Customers

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.

Discover why companies like: CGI said, "Synopsys and Software Risk Manager have provided the results we’re looking for".

Buyer's Guide

Static Application Security Testing (SAST)

May 2026

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