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RSA Archer vs Tenable Security Center 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
7.1
RSA Archer streamlines operations by automating processes, centralizing data, and enhancing risk management for high ROI and cost savings.
Sentiment score
7.4
Tenable Security Center boosts ROI by automating tasks, reducing breaches, ensuring compliance, decreasing vulnerabilities, and simplifying security management.
It relates to the effectiveness of employees and the time taken to complete tasks manually versus using the RSA system.
If we cannot adjust how to operate the solution, then it becomes very difficult, so hearing and initial tuning are very important.
Through the use of Tenable Security Center, my clients achieve more efficient patching and gain visibility and understanding of security operations, leading to improved resilience and infrastructure insight.
 

Customer Service

Sentiment score
6.3
Users experience varied satisfaction with RSA Archer support, appreciating prompt assistance but sometimes requiring escalation for complex issues.
Sentiment score
7.4
Tenable Security Center's support is knowledgeable but inconsistent, with high praise for escalations and premium options, yet needing speed improvements.
The response time from RSA Archer's support team is not an issue; usually, there's no problem getting a timely response, but there could be more knowledgeable agents available.
They are responsive and perform well in technical support.
Longer response times and less thorough assistance.
 

Scalability Issues

Sentiment score
7.1
RSA Archer offers scalable solutions for multiple organizations, though effectiveness varies with strategy, deployment, and resource management.
Sentiment score
8.3
Tenable Security Center is scalable, supporting growth from hundreds to thousands of assets, with flexible expansion and efficient system integration.
Scalability depends on the number of servers, including web and service servers.
The level of scalability depends on customization and how skillful our customization team is.
I can scale it extensively with the use of agents, allowing scanning in restrictive environments and loosely connected devices.
Scalability is a bit limited with Tenable Security Center.
 

Stability Issues

Sentiment score
6.1
RSA Archer is stable and improved, though performance varies with resources and user load, rating around seven to eight.
Sentiment score
8.1
Tenable Security Center is stable and reliable, with minor bugs, high user satisfaction, and manageable resource usage during scans.
The tool has stability, and it allows me to automate whatever process I have.
Performance issues arise mainly since it is not a core service for most organizations, so the resources provided are fewer.
The stability of the solution is outstanding.
 

Room For Improvement

RSA Archer struggles with outdated interface, complex workflows, costly updates, and lacks intuitive design and efficient integrations.
Tenable Security Center needs enhancements in reporting, integration, user-friendliness, and cost effectiveness, while improving vulnerability and web security.
While the AI features are emerging and the cost is comparatively low, it's not yet up to the market standard.
A remaining area for improvement is integration. There should be built-in integration mechanisms, for example, for organizations switching from platforms like ServiceNow to Archer, instead of custom integrations for each client.
Dashboards are usually effective, but while visibility from the dashboard level is good, drill-down details may be difficult to access, as they don't seem to have direct support for this drill-down.
It's important for Tenable to catch up on testing capabilities that are present in solutions like Qualys.
Translating reports into European languages is especially relevant in Central Eastern Europe, where clients often require reports in local languages.
The reports and plugins for reports and scans could benefit from enhancements.
 

Setup Cost

RSA Archer is costly but valued for flexibility and functionality, appealing more to large enterprises than smaller ones.
Tenable Security Center offers comprehensive features, but high pricing may deter smaller enterprises, starting at $12,000 for 500 assets.
after comparing it with other products in the market, I would rate it around six or seven out of ten, as the price is relative.
Tenable Security Center is quite expensive, particularly for the CEE region, causing us to lose cases due to its pricing.
The price of Tenable Security Center is not so high; it's relatively a cheaper solution.
The product is somewhat pricey, reflecting its valuable features and status as a high-quality solution in the vulnerability management market.
 

Valuable Features

RSA Archer enhances governance, risk, and compliance with configurable modules, automation, robust security, and strong reporting, appealing to users.
Tenable Security Center offers comprehensive vulnerability scanning, customizable policies, intuitive interface, and robust reporting for enhanced security operations.
In the banking sector, Archer has been used to automate processes such as business continuity management, transitioning from manual processes to automated systems.
The helpful features of RSA Archer include providing an integrated overview of the landscape in the company, which leads the user to use the same inventory and other components, sharing the same set of references and objects we are working on.
This allows us to show end users and management where the issues lie and effectively demonstrate accountability and visibility in compliance.
The most valuable features of Tenable Security Center for my clients are Vulnerability Priority Rating (VPR) and Asset Criticality Scoring.
The most effective feature of Tenable Security Center for detecting vulnerabilities is its capability for critical mapping.
Tenable Security Center is a relatively very good solution, and I don't think it needs improvement; it's a perfect solution.
 

Categories and Ranking

RSA Archer
Average Rating
8.0
Reviews Sentiment
6.7
Number of Reviews
42
Ranking in other categories
GRC (1st), IT Governance (1st), IT Vendor Risk Management (4th)
Tenable Security Center
Average Rating
8.2
Reviews Sentiment
7.3
Number of Reviews
55
Ranking in other categories
Vulnerability Management (4th), Cloud Security Posture Management (CSPM) (10th), Risk-Based Vulnerability Management (3rd)
 

Mindshare comparison

While both are Security Software solutions, they serve different purposes. RSA Archer is designed for GRC and holds a mindshare of 12.8%, down 16.1% compared to last year.
Tenable Security Center, on the other hand, focuses on Risk-Based Vulnerability Management, holds 9.4% mindshare, down 19.9% since last year.
GRC Market Share Distribution
ProductMarket Share (%)
RSA Archer12.8%
OneTrust GRC6.7%
AuditBoard6.0%
Other74.5%
GRC
Risk-Based Vulnerability Management Market Share Distribution
ProductMarket Share (%)
Tenable Security Center9.4%
Qualys VMDR16.1%
Rapid7 InsightVM13.8%
Other60.7%
Risk-Based Vulnerability Management
 

Featured Reviews

IMRAN ALMARZOOQI - PeerSpot reviewer
Automates compliance management effectively but needs improved interface and dashboards
The tool basically automates whatever processes you already have, so I cannot specify improvements in that regard. However, my main issue with Archer is the graphics. The graphics have always been lacking. I always need to depend on another tool to read information from Archer to have better dashboards. It is like using Linux, and it has a Linux mindset and interface. I want to use Archer for top management and CEOs, but it looks too technical, and the dashboards are not really friendly. They are bulky, like opening an old Nintendo system from nineteen-ninety. The management agrees that Archer lacks in terms of presentation and dashboarding. It is complex, not user-friendly, and bulky. The interface just looks old.
OndrejKOVAC - PeerSpot reviewer
Empower clients with risk-based vulnerability management through continuous workflow and valuable insights
Tenable Security Center could improve by implementing more dynamic data displays and translating reports into European languages. This is especially relevant in Central Eastern Europe, where clients often require reports in local languages. Additionally, the licensing model could be more flexible for managed security providers, similar to a pay-as-you-go model.
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Answers from the Community

Jairo Willian Pereira - PeerSpot reviewer
Nov 6, 2021
Nov 6, 2021
Yes, take a look at DeepSurface. It’s designed to automate the process.
See 2 answers
JD
Feb 5, 2021
Yes, take a look at DeepSurface. It’s designed to automate the process. 
Nov 6, 2021
Clear use with the NIST compliance framework, Archer IRM 6.9.sp3.p2, use of pre-processing out of Archer and now integration with agnostic tools.  FOSS or premium brands - all depends on your supply chain risk.  Support for qualitative nice to get a bow-tie on when quantitative data works for you. Add your methods, AWARE, FAIR, COBIT, ATT&CK; all visuals.
 

Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Financial Services Firm
22%
Insurance Company
12%
Manufacturing Company
8%
Computer Software Company
7%
Financial Services Firm
12%
Computer Software Company
10%
Government
10%
Manufacturing Company
10%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business9
Midsize Enterprise6
Large Enterprise25
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business22
Midsize Enterprise10
Large Enterprise26
 

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about RSA Archer?
It has various valuable features. For example, showing us if a control aligns with specific standards or frameworks helps us understand it better and verify its compliance.
What needs improvement with RSA Archer?
While it provides benefits in terms of security, the pricing is a bit higher than customers typically expect. It would be helpful if RSA Archer had the capability for two-way integration because, i...
What is your primary use case for RSA Archer?
Regarding the compliance, risk, and governance tools, I am comfortable discussing the tools in the GRC category. The specific module from ServiceNow is the ServiceNow Compliance, Risk, and Governan...
What do you like most about Tenable SC?
The tool's dashboard and reporting capabilities match our company's needs since we are able to modify the basic view to create a new dashboard, and it works out very well for our needs.
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Tenable SC?
The price of Tenable Security Center is not so high; it's relatively a cheaper solution.
What needs improvement with Tenable SC?
The reason for rating it an eight out of ten is that the initial setup could be easier; the setup is rather difficult, and that's why we are focusing on the initial hearing.
 

Also Known As

Archer
Tenable.sc, Tenable Unified Security, Tenable SecurityCenter
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

T-Systems, Bridge Point, Equifax, First Data, Global Imaging Company, Manulife Financial
IBM, Sempra Energy, Microsoft, Apple, Adidas, Union Pacific
Find out what your peers are saying about RSA, OneTrust, Diligent and others in GRC. Updated: September 2025.
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