There are two parts. We use Web Application Scanning licenses to constantly assess our websites. When there are any changes on our websites, Qualys checks to see if there is a vulnerability. We use a SecOps/DevOps methodology, so Qualys is integrated into the development cycle. Qualys runs every time we update the site.
Sr Cybersecurity Leader at a non-tech company with 1,001-5,000 employees
We like its process of updating signatures, and it's way ahead of its industry peers.
Pros and Cons
- "Qualys' process of updating signatures is something we really appreciate, and it's way ahead of its industry peers."
- "We procured around 110 licenses for Web Application Scanning, but we have issues running concurrent scans. I don't currently have the option to trigger scans for all 100-plus websites. The default limit is around 10 conference scans. It's not very scalable, to be honest, because of the limitation that they put on concurrent scans."
What is our primary use case?
What is most valuable?
Qualys' process of updating signatures is something we really appreciate, and it's way ahead of its industry peers.
For how long have I used the solution?
We have been using Web Application Scanning since 2018.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
Web Application Scanning is a stable solution.
Buyer's Guide
Qualys Web Application Scanning
March 2025

Learn what your peers think about Qualys Web Application Scanning. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: March 2025.
857,028 professionals have used our research since 2012.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
We procured around 110 licenses for Web Application Scanning, but we have issues running concurrent scans. I don't currently have the option to trigger scans for all 100-plus websites. The default limit is around 10 conference scans. It's not very scalable, to be honest, because of the limitation that they put on concurrent scans.
How are customer service and support?
I've had some issues with Qualys support. It's transactional. There is no face to the support model. I don't see anyone from Qualys engaging with us on a quarterly business or annual business review to help us understand if we are fully utilizing Qualys' capabilities.
This isn't a technical problem. It's more of an issue with customer relations. I think they can improve by touching base with us more often to let us know if our rollout is following industry best practices or not.
How was the initial setup?
We used Verizon to help us with the rollout, and there were no trouble tickets or any technical issues with the rollout, so I would say the implementation was pretty smooth. The design-build phase took a couple of weeks.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
We pay for a yearly license, but we also pay a separate cost for an engineer from Verizon.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
When evaluating Qualys, we looked at industry best practices and state of-art-tools. Qualys was the default leader in its segment, so we went ahead with Qualys. I've used other solutions in the past, but Qualys the segment. That's why we went with them.
What other advice do I have?
I rate Qualys Web Application Scanning nine out of 10. I think Web Application Scanning should integrate VMDR, a more enhanced capability that Qualys offers for enterprise vulnerability assessments. However, Qualys is way ahead of the competition on the web application front.
If you're an industrial company, you should evaluate the OT scanning capability that Qualys is about to launch. It will cover all your enterprise web applications and secure your factories as well. Qualys should be a one-stop shop meeting all your end-to-end vulnerability assessment requirements, so you don't need to buy solutions from different vendors,
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.

Lead Cyber Security engineer at a tech services company with 201-500 employees
Thorough detection, good visual interface, scalable
Pros and Cons
- "I have found the detection of vulnerabilities tool thorough with good results and the graphical display output to be wonderful and full of colors. It allows many types of outputs, such as bar and chart previews."
- "When comparing this solution to Veracode, Veracode has good interactive features and gives a clear understanding of what the vulnerabilities are, which error line of the vulnerability is on and what can be done. It gives interactive features, whereas this solution does not give a clear understanding of where or how to fix the problem."
What is our primary use case?
My company works for another company called Ecolab here in Bangalore. We are an Ecolab digital center, we develop mobile application. We use Vericode and this solution for testing these web applications before going live. This includes the full testing periods and the production phase. Once it has been tested, we then get them ready to go live.
What is most valuable?
I have found the detection of vulnerabilities tool thorough with good results and the graphical display output to be wonderful and full of colors. It allows many types of outputs, such as bar and chart previews.
What needs improvement?
When comparing this solution to Veracode, Veracode has good interactive features and gives a clear understanding of what the vulnerabilities are, which error line of the vulnerability is on and what can be done. It gives interactive features, whereas this solution does not give a clear understanding of where or how to fix the problem.
In the future, customer support could improve and the output report needs to be simplified for better understanding.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using the solution for the last 12 months.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
We have expanded the solution in a few areas and it was scalable. We have approximately 50 people using the solution in my organization.
How are customer service and technical support?
There is some improvement needed for the technical support.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
We have used Veracode previously and we are currently still using it.
How was the initial setup?
The installation is complex and it took approximately one month which included the customization.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
We are on an annual license for the solution and the pricing could be more affordable.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
We are planning on moving to Veracode because we are getting better results and is easier to use than this solution.
What other advice do I have?
My advice to those wanting to implement this solution is if you have experience and knowledge with vulnerability management and reading through all the threats, this could be a good platform for you. If you are a new starter this solution is not a good place to start.
I rate Qualys Web Application Scanning an eight out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
Buyer's Guide
Qualys Web Application Scanning
March 2025

Learn what your peers think about Qualys Web Application Scanning. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: March 2025.
857,028 professionals have used our research since 2012.
Data Specialist at CHUN SHIN LIMITED
Easy to use for detection of WAS and VM vulnerabilities
Pros and Cons
- "It is easy to use."
- "It is a very stable solution."
- "The reporting contains too many false positives."
- "The virus code updates are not frequent enough."
- "Deployment can be complicated."
What is our primary use case?
We are using Qualys for vulnerability detection in our IDC (International Data Center) on our web pages and world-wide-web applications and services.
What is most valuable?
The best thing about this product is that it is really easy to use.
What needs improvement?
We are concerned with the frequency of their virus code updates and reporting that contains false positives. We do not think that the accuracy of the reporting is as good as it should be.
It would be nice if Qualys would provide a solution after analyzing the data for us so we can understand what the cause of a vulnerability is and how to fix it. It would be good enough to provide something like just a download page that describes the problem and the steps to take to resolve the vulnerability.
We are researching open source software because Qualys needs to improve their reports and the documentation for the end-users in resolving scanned issues.
Sometimes the deployment is complicated. It is not so easy to deploy and that should be simplified. Something like Zap or other open-source software is often easier to deploy.
For how long have I used the solution?
I am in the IT department in our company and we have been using Qualys for three years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
Qualys is a very stable solution for us. We have not had trouble with downtime.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
We get a license to use this application for up to a year and we file for a license every year to renew. We would need to renew this license in September of 2020, so we will need to make a decision whether we will be continuing to use Qualys as a solution.
How was the initial setup?
Sometimes the deployment is complicated. The deployment should be easier and more consistent.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The cost of the solution should be lower. In our company now, we only have 200 employees. For us, the license fee is kind of expensive. The cost is $30,000 USD for one year to cover WAS (Web Application Security) and the VM (Virtual Machine) security. That price includes maintenance and any consulting with Qualys.
What other advice do I have?
I would recommend Qualys if the budget is not a problem. There may be other open-source solutions that could be used to perform a similar analysis.
On a scale from one to ten (where one is the worst and ten is the best), I would rate this solution as an eight-out-of-ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
Senior Software Developer at a tech vendor with 1,001-5,000 employees
Has a good progressive scan feature but the data server needs improvement
Pros and Cons
- "The feature that I have found most valuable is the progressive scan. It is good. It's done in 24 hours."
- "The UI is not user-friendly and you don't have a yearly reporting facility where you can slice and dice in different jobs."
What is our primary use case?
I think we have the fastest version, and they always upgrade it. I think it's the $2 or $3-a-month version. They have multiple engines inside it, but it's a site-based service. It is not on-demand, so Qualys will host it. It's the pay as you go service that is on the software-as-a-service.
We use the DAST, dynamic application scan test.
What is most valuable?
The feature that I have found most valuable is the progressive scan. It is good. It's done in 24 hours.
What needs improvement?
One area that could be improved is the a data server. That's probably what I most noticed in comparison with the Rapid7. Also, the UI is not user-friendly and you don't have a yearly reporting facility where you can slice and dice in different jobs. This is not good.
Additionally, you don't have a recording feature, where you can record your screen navigation. Like a macro, you want to create the full screen, and they don't provide a tool which can record your navigation and then do a replay.
In terms of what should be included in the next release, like I mentioned, just the UI, the user interface screen. Also, it would be good If they could improve and enrich the reports. These are the fundamental differences with Rapid7.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using Qualys Web Application Scanning for five years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
Qualys Web Application Scanning is very stable and reliable. But the reporting does not look that great.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
In terms of scalability, it is very easy to expand. It's very fast and visible.
We don't have many people working on the solution. But our applications are big applications. We are using six components in different applications.
How are customer service and technical support?
Support is very good.
How was the initial setup?
Because of tasking, the initial setup is very straightforward. We didn't have to purchase any hardware for the installation. It is task-based. The cloud provision is there. It is good. I think nowadays everyone is going with the cloud provisioning. That way you can subscribe for any number of years to use the software.
I think the initial setup took a couple of hours because there were no plugins and nothing to be installed.
What about the implementation team?
We implemented it ourselves and there was no installation expert here.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
Yes, we are still comparing it with Rapid7. We want to first make assessments of what advantages we can get with Rapid7.
What other advice do I have?
My advice for anyone considering this solution is, "Go for it."
On a scale of one to ten, I would give Qualys Web Application Scanning a seven.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
Private Cloud
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
Director at Benelec
Effective scanning, scalable, but scanning may result in false positives
Pros and Cons
- "The most valuable feature of Qualys Web Application Scanning is the effective scanning that can be done."
- "We receive false positives sometimes when using a solution that could be improved. However, the technical team provides us with the exact explanation why it was giving us that kind of error."
What is our primary use case?
We are using Qualys Web Application Scanning for our customers. We have the expertise in the solution to provide our customers with the results.
We use the tool for scanning web applications for our clients.
What is most valuable?
The most valuable feature of Qualys Web Application Scanning is the effective scanning that can be done.
What needs improvement?
We receive false positives sometimes when using a solution that could be improved. However, the technical team provides us with the exact explanation why it was giving us that kind of error.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using Qualys Web Application Scanning for approximately five years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The stability of Qualys Web Application Scanning could be better.
I rate the stability of Qualys Web Application Scanning an eight out of ten.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
Qualys Web Application Scanning has been scalable we have not had any problems in our operations.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup of Qualys Web Application Scanning is simple for us. However, we have trained engineers that are registered. The deployment did not take very long.
What about the implementation team?
We do the migration for our customers and provide them with testing results. One person can do the implementation of the solution.
What other advice do I have?
I would recommend this solution to others.
I rate Qualys Web Application Scanning a seven out of ten.
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer: Partner
Security Consultant at Cognizant
User-friendly, good scanning analysis and reporting, and offers real-time vulnerability monitoring
Pros and Cons
- "The interface is user-friendly and easy to understand."
- "The scanner reports a lot of false positives, which is something that needs to be improved."
What is our primary use case?
We primarily use this solution for VM scanning. We scan more than a thousand applications.
What is most valuable?
The most valuable features are scanning analysis and reporting.
This solution also provides real-time monitoring.
The interface is user-friendly and easy to understand.
What needs improvement?
The reporting needs to be improved because there are a lot of search parameters, and at the end of the day, the reports are so large that it is very difficult for us to go through each and every point to analyze the vulnerabilities.
The scanner reports a lot of false positives, which is something that needs to be improved.
For how long have I used the solution?
We have been using Qualys for almost a year.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The stability is good.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
In terms of scalability, Qualys is good.
How are customer service and technical support?
I have not dealt with technical support yet because there are other people dealing with issues that arise. My understanding is that technical support is good.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
I have also used the Nexus Vulnerability Scanner and it reports fewer false positives.
How was the initial setup?
This solution was implemented before I joined the department.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
There are different options available with respect to licensing.
What other advice do I have?
I would rate this solution an eight out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
Private Cloud
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer: partner
CEO at a tech services company with 51-200 employees
Has comprehensive SSL security measurements but the price should be lowered
Pros and Cons
- "The simplicity of exporting reports and the simplicity and clarity of the reports included with the product are good."
- "The pricing does not seem to be competitive."
What is our primary use case?
For some projects, we will need to use this on-premises. It depends on the confidentiality of our project. For other projects, we will also be deploying on the cloud or maybe a hybrid solution as well.
We are looking forward to having a relationship as a partner with this company and maybe one or two others. We are not just a customer. We have a bunch of freelancers that we are working with in three different companies in Slovenia, Australia, and other countries. We are looking for solutions to make our testing and security checks more affordable.
What is most valuable?
I am not the person who is actually directly testing this. One of the other people from our team is doing that. But I was involved in the selection of what we products we should compare based on available features, demos, and how products appear to meet our needs. What I remember from my experience with Qualys is that the simplicity of exporting reports and the simplicity and clarity of the reports included with the product is good. The website was also well-designed and easy to navigate. The SSL security measurements that the product offers seem comprehensive. But I can not say, at this preliminary phase, that I specifically think this or that from Qualys is the most valuable. It is intriguing enough to make our shortlist and POC efforts.
What needs improvement?
Knowing we are in an early phase of discovery and comparison, it is impossible to know exactly what features may need improvement. Some seem to be interesting, on the other hand. The only thing that is in need of improvement from my perspective at this point is pricing in comparison to other, similar products.
For how long have I used the solution?
We are in the process of analyzing several products over several months in this category for comparison and proof of concept.
How are customer service and technical support?
We have not yet had to contact technical support for any reason.
How was the initial setup?
I don't have information at this moment because we are in the process of discovery and we have not fully deployed. We do have a test deployment running.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The pricing of Qualys is quite expensive in comparison with the other products in this category that are offering pretty much the same thing. Pricing is one area of the product that can be improved. At this stage of our discovery, we only know the initial cost is high.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
We were testing a lot of products. We were looking for a good product for our needs and for the needs of our customers to scan vulnerabilities. Qualys was one of the products we chose to do further testing with. The testing with data is still continuing and is a process. As we are in the process of discovery now, we cannot exactly qualify our experience with the product.
What other advice do I have?
On a scale from one to ten where one is the worst ten is the best, I would rate Qualys as a seven at this point. It is difficult to rate Qualys — or even products from other companies — as better than this because we are hearing the same thing from all the product manufacturers before we went into testing. But based on the references from other users about Qualys, our current level of experience, the pricing as we know it and the services that are offered for free, Qualys is a seven.
What we have mostly found at this point is that you can't just install a free trial version of a product and get a complete impression immediately. With some products like Qualys or others in the category, the pricing may not be completely right because there are hidden costs. It could be one solution is not quick to deploy and that seems to make it difficult but in actual use, it is easier than everything else. Some products will be easy to set up and after 10 days of trying to work with it, I might be disappointed because of what I committed to.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
Hybrid Cloud
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
Puts our services in compliance and minimizes our risk for exposure
Pros and Cons
- "With our vulnerabilities under control, it's putting our services in compliance and minimizing our risk for exposure."
- "The solution needs to adjust its pricing. They should make it more affordable."
How has it helped my organization?
With our vulnerabilities under control, it puts our services in compliance and minimizes our risk for exposure.
What is most valuable?
The vulnerability scanning and patching features are the most valuable parts of the solution.
What needs improvement?
The solution needs to adjust its pricing. They should make it more affordable.
For how long have I used the solution?
I've been using the solution for over five years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The solution is stable.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The cloud service makes the solution very scalable. We have about ten users right now, however we don't intend to increase usage at this time.
How are customer service and technical support?
Technical support is excellent. I would rate it ten out of ten.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
We've never used a different solution.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup was straightforward. Deployment took about two weeks.
What about the implementation team?
Our internal team handled the implementation.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
We did not evaluate other options before choosing Qualys.
What other advice do I have?
We are using the cloud deployment model.
I would recommend other users to use Qualys Application Scanning for application security. If you're serious about security you need a service or a solution that does continuous scanning of your application and infrastructure. There are always vulnerabilities being introduced.
I would rate the solution eight out of ten.
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.

Buyer's Guide
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Updated: March 2025
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