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Qualys Web Application Scanning vs SonarQube Cloud (formerly SonarCloud) comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Sep 21, 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
2.5
Qualys Web Application Scanning delivers positive ROI, competitive licensing, scalability, and reduces failure rates with 70% time-saving automation.
Sentiment score
4.9
SonarQube Cloud helps improve code quality and save costs, though ROI measurement is challenging due to rising expenses.
It is easily integrable with the CI/CD pipeline and supports multiple projects with its extensive plugin options.
The product is designed for bigger clients, while smaller companies are often put aside.
 

Customer Service

Sentiment score
3.8
Customer service is generally positive but inconsistent, with some noting efficiency while others suggest improvements in speed and engagement.
Sentiment score
6.4
SonarQube Cloud offers good community support but needs better documentation and technical engagement, with mixed feedback on support responsiveness.
They have various options in the vulnerability management process, and when we initially bought our license, we didn't realize we needed PCI for better results, which isn't included in the default configurations.
Once we purchase the license, we have access to top-notch support.
I have dealt with Qualys's technical support, and any enhancements are challenging.
The customer service and support for SonarQube Cloud are responsive and helpful.
Integrating it into different solutions is straightforward.
 

Scalability Issues

Sentiment score
7.2
Qualys Web Application Scanning offers scalable cloud integration but faces challenges with concurrent scan limits and report limitations.
Sentiment score
5.5
SonarQube Cloud is praised for scalability, though billing and comparisons suggest areas for improvement and expansion potential.
My concern remains the lack of deep dive analysis and that it produces similar vulnerability results as other tools such as Nessus based on version checks instead of real impact checks.
It is licensed for assets, so we just contact the team for additional licenses if needed.
At one point, there was a limitation on reporting for 100,000 assets at a time.
There are limitations, and it seems to have fewer capabilities than Veracode.
It has been used in multiple projects and performs well.
SonarQube Cloud is a scalable product, and I rate its scalability at seven out of ten.
 

Stability Issues

Sentiment score
7.9
Users praise Qualys Web Application Scanning for its stability, reliability, minimal bugs, and consistently high-performance ratings.
Sentiment score
6.8
SonarQube Cloud is stable and reliable but needs improved documentation, integration, onboarding, and community support for better usability.
From my team's feedback, it is almost an eight out of ten.
It is a quite stable solution.
 

Room For Improvement

Qualys Web Application Scanning needs improvements in detection, usability, integration, performance, pricing, and feature set to compete effectively.
SonarQube Cloud users seek improvements in reporting, integration, customization, and documentation, alongside dynamic analysis and automated vulnerability detection.
With the growing reliance on AI, Qualys Web Application Scanning should be updated to handle AI-based applications and LLM-based attacks.
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.
I would like it to be cheaper because it is a bit expensive compared to competitors like Tenable Nessus.
I would like to see SonarQube Cloud provide more detailed solutions for fixing code issues, especially solutions related to CVEs.
I need a solution that can bring together three key areas: vulnerabilities, static scanning, and misarchitecture.
Static code analysis is good, but the product lacks dynamic code scanning capabilities, an area where Veracode excels.
 

Setup Cost

Qualys Web Application Scanning offers flexible, negotiable pricing, deemed cost-effective but pricey, with discounts for bulk orders.
SonarQube Cloud's pricing is scalable yet potentially costly for smaller companies, though efficient for minimizing repeated scans.
They offer discounts on bulk licenses, making it cheaper compared to competitors like Veracode DAST.
I find it a bit expensive compared to other competitors.
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.
SonarQube Cloud is roughly equivalent in cost to Veracode, maybe a little cheaper.
From my experience, SonarQube Cloud (formerly SonarCloud) is very expensive for small companies.
We used the open-source version of SonarQube Cloud for its minimum features and did not license its extensive capabilities.
 

Valuable Features

Qualys Web Application Scanning offers efficient vulnerability management with Selenium IDE integration, real-time monitoring, and comprehensive security features.
SonarQube Cloud enhances code quality with seamless CI/CD integration, detailed reports, and supports startups and mid-sized businesses.
It effectively detects vulnerabilities like the OWASP Top 10 without any issues in reporting.
Credential scanning is very effective because it goes in-depth into the system, crawling the pages, and reporting on vulnerabilities.
Qualys Web Application Scanning is accurate and provides minimal false positives.
I find SonarQube Cloud very easy to use and simple to integrate initially.
It gives precise reports compared to Coverity and has a slightly lower number of false positives.
I use SonarQube Cloud (formerly SonarCloud) to check the quality of developer code and identify vulnerabilities.
 

Categories and Ranking

Qualys Web Application Scan...
Ranking in Static Application Security Testing (SAST)
10th
Average Rating
7.6
Reviews Sentiment
6.3
Number of Reviews
40
Ranking in other categories
Application Security Tools (13th)
SonarQube Cloud (formerly S...
Ranking in Static Application Security Testing (SAST)
9th
Average Rating
8.2
Reviews Sentiment
6.2
Number of Reviews
16
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of October 2025, in the Static Application Security Testing (SAST) category, the mindshare of Qualys Web Application Scanning is 2.1%, up from 2.1% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of SonarQube Cloud (formerly SonarCloud) is 4.2%, down from 5.9% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Static Application Security Testing (SAST) Market Share Distribution
ProductMarket Share (%)
SonarQube Cloud (formerly SonarCloud)4.2%
Qualys Web Application Scanning2.1%
Other93.7%
Static Application Security Testing (SAST)
 

Featured Reviews

AnkitSharma13 - PeerSpot reviewer
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.
Archana Verma - PeerSpot reviewer
Provides valuable insights on code vulnerabilities and integrates seamlessly with CI/CD pipelines
I find SonarQube Cloud to be very user-friendly with an easy-to-use interface. It provides detailed code smell reports and insights on hotspots, which can later represent security vulnerabilities. It gives precise reports compared to Coverity and has a slightly lower number of false positives. It is integrated easily with the CI/CD pipeline, saving time and cost. It provides information on upcoming vulnerability details and loopholes that might turn into vulnerabilities.
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Computer Software Company
14%
Financial Services Firm
13%
Manufacturing Company
12%
Government
7%
Computer Software Company
16%
Financial Services Firm
10%
Manufacturing Company
9%
Insurance Company
6%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business8
Midsize Enterprise6
Large Enterprise27
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business8
Midsize Enterprise3
Large Enterprise4
 

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about Qualys Web Application Scanning?
The vulnerability management feature is a strong one. And also the patch management feature.
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.
What needs improvement with Qualys Web Application Scanning?
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...
What do you like most about SonarCloud?
Recently, they introduced support for mono reports and microservices, which is a noteworthy development as it provides a more detailed view of each service.
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for SonarCloud?
From my experience, SonarQube Cloud (formerly SonarCloud) is very expensive for small companies. It would be a great improvement if the price for smaller companies were reduced, as I do not have th...
What needs improvement with SonarCloud?
Sometimes, there are tracking issues. It has its own graphical GUI where we can track everything. Since most of our projects are open source, there are multiple features which can be improved. For ...
 

Also Known As

Qualys WAS
No data available
 

Overview

 

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.
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Find out what your peers are saying about Qualys Web Application Scanning vs. SonarQube Cloud (formerly SonarCloud) and other solutions. Updated: September 2025.
868,759 professionals have used our research since 2012.