Here we will review and compare the top Burp Suite Alternatives to find out the best alternative web application scanner:
Burp Suite is a very popular web application scanner, often cited as one of the best of its kind in the market today. It is an excellent solution for identifying and fixing exotic and zero-day vulnerabilities. However, there are a few inefficiencies that stick out once you dive deep into its functionality.
We like that Burp Suite verifies every security it detects. Unfortunately, you are required to prove detected vulnerabilities on the platform manually. This can be a major dissuading factor for most who now prefer their tools to be suitably automated.
Burp Suite works like a proxy and we can complicate even basic setup and configuration for some.
Table of Contents:
Burp Suite Alternatives Review

It needs to be manually configured so it can start intercepting the traffic between the web server and the browser. It is a platform more suited for people with technical expertise. Hence, it is only obvious that one would wish to find an alternative to Burp Suite that compensates for its glaring issues.
In this article, we will highlight vulnerability scanners that we believe are some of the best Burp Suite Alternatives you can try today.
Expert Advice:
- Go for a tool that is easy to deploy, easily configurable, and fully automated. Its setup shouldn’t be complicated and time-consuming.
- The platform should be able to verify detected vulnerabilities before reporting them, thus reducing false positives.
- The platform should be capable of generating reports that are easier to read for developers and security teams.
- A centralized visual dashboard that clearly displays stats and graphs pertaining to performed scans and detected vulnerability is a huge plus
- Vendors that support 24/7 customer support are recommended
- Go for a tool that you can subscribe to without going over budget.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q #1) Is Burp Suite open source?
Answer: Burp Suite is not an open-source vulnerability scanner. It is a closed-source tool that offers a premium option, which harbors limited features. Its recommended enterprise edition starts at $5595 per year. The plan covers all features that make Burp Suite a powerful automated vulnerability scanning tool.
Because of its hefty price, this is a tool often recommended for large enterprises.
Q #2) What is Burp Suite used for?
Answer: Burp Suite is popular in industry circles as an effective web application security tester. It is known for its penetration testing and vulnerability detection skills. Developers who hail the tool praise it for its comprehensive UI and report-generating capabilities. Burp Suite also receives a lot of flak for its inability to automatically verify detected threats and a complicated setup.
Q #3) Is Burp Suite illegal?
Answer: Burp Suite or any other vulnerability scanner is illegal to use if you are using it to scan applications or domains that you don’t have permission to assess. Doing so basically puts you in the role of the same malicious online attacker that tools like Burp Suite protect against.
Such tools are safe and legal to use if you have permission to perform scans on a particular app or domain.
Q #4) What are the features of Burp Suite?
Answer: The following are some key features you can find in Burp Suite:
- Target site map functionality
- Web application crawling
- Schedule automated scans
- Manipulating web requests
- Using Burp Intruder to automate customized attacks.
Q #5) What are some of the best Burp Suite alternatives?
Answer: The following are some of the best alternatives in the industry because of popular demand:
- Invicti (formerly Netsparker)
- Acunetix
- OWASP ZAP
- ImmuniWeb
- Veracode
List of Top Burp Suite Alternatives
Here is a list of popular alternatives to the Burp Suite:
- Invicti (formerly Netsparker)
- Acunetix
- Indusface WAS
- Intruder
- OWASP ZAP
- ImmuniWeb
- Veracode
- Metasploit
- Nessus
- Qualys WAS
- IBM Security QRadar
Comparing the Best Alternatives to Burp Suite
Name | Best For | Fees | Ratings |
---|---|---|---|
Invicti (formerly Netsparker) | Automated Proof Based Scanning | Contact for Quote | |
Acunetix | Quick and Easy Set-Up | Contact for Quote | |
Indusface WAS | Free Risk, OWASP Top 10 and SANS 25 vulnerability .detection | Starts at $59/app/month, Premium plan – $199/app/month. Free plan also available. | |
Intruder | Continuous and Automated Scans | Starting at $113/month | |
OWASP ZAP | Open Source Scanning | Free | |
ImmuniWeb | External Web Application Vulnerability Scanner | Corporate Pro Plan – $995/month, Corporate Weekly Updates Plan – $499/month, Express Pro Plan – $199/month | |
Veracode | Dynamic and Static Application Security Testing | Contact for Quote |
Best burp suite alternatives:
#1) Invicti (formerly Netsparker)
Best for automated proof-based scanning.
Right off the bat, you know Invicti is far superior to Burp Suite because of how easy it is to set up and run. Adding to its luster is Invicti’s visual dashboard that presents stats and graphs pertaining to the performed scans, detected vulnerabilities, and identified assets, all on a single screen.
One area, however, where Invicti truly outshines Burp Suite is with its ‘Proof Based Scanning’ feature.
Unlike Burp Suite, Invicti verifies vulnerabilities for you automatically. We also like its advanced crawling abilities, which allow it to scan every corner of a web asset effortlessly. Its combined dynamic and interactive approach to scanning also makes it one of the most accurate and fast vulnerability scanners we have today.
Invicti can provide detailed documentation on the detected vulnerability. It generates impressive technical and compliance reports, which can prove that your company meets the requirements dictated by HIPAA, PCI, and other such organizations. The platform also integrates seamlessly with most current third-party tools like Jira, GitLab, and GitHub.
Features:
- Proof based scanning
- IAST+DAST scanning
- Advanced crawling
- Detailed report generation
- Seamless third-party tool integrations
Verdict: If you seek an alternative to Burp Suite, that is easy to set up, ideal for non-technical employees of your business, and facilitates automated proof-based scanning, then Invicti is for you. Its accurate and fast detection of vulnerabilities and advanced web crawling abilities make it a worthwhile vulnerability management tool to have by your side.
Price: Contact for Quote
#2) Acunetix
Best for quick and easy set-up.
Acunetix is an intuitive web application security scanner that secures your websites, APIs, and applications by identifying possible vulnerabilities. The platform can identify over 7000 vulnerabilities, which include common names like SQL injections, XSS, etc. along with many undocumented threats.
The tool is extremely easy to use and set up. Developers can have it up and running with no lengthy setup, which makes it infinitely better than Burp-Suite. The platform can verify detected vulnerabilities automatically before confidently reporting them to security teams.
The platform operates on ‘Advanced Macro Recording’ technology, which means it can scan complex multi-level forms and password-protected areas of a site.
Acunetix also generates detailed regulatory and technical reports, thus making the management and resolution of identified weaknesses simple. You can schedule both full and incremental scans beforehand to initiate automated, continuous scans on a daily and weekly basis.
The platform integrates seamlessly with most CI/CD tracking systems. Also worth noting is its scanning engine built using C++. This particular characteristic makes Acunetix perform lightning-fast scans without overloading the server.
Features:
- Intuitive dashboard
- Detailed generation of technical and compliance reports
- Advanced macro recording
- Schedule and prioritize scans
- Accurate vulnerability detection with AcuSensor and AcuMonitor technology.
Verdict: Operating on two unique threat-detecting technologies, Acunetix performs fast scans to detect vulnerabilities accurately in an application, API, or website. It is easy to deploy and caters to the sensibilities of non-technical employees. This quality alone makes Acunetix a better alternative to Burp Suite.
Price: Contact for a quote
#3) Indusface WAS
Best for Free Risk, OWASP Top 10, and SANS 25 vulnerability detection.
Indusface WAS is similar to Burp Suite in many aspects. Both are quite effective and fast at detecting a wide range of vulnerabilities. Both also offer good documentation and support to fix the detected vulnerabilities as soon as possible. However, there is one area where the cloud-based Indusface WAS outshines Burp Suite.
Indusface WAS offers a pricing plan that is far more flexible and affordable than Burp Suite. You also get a 14-day free trial to test all of Indusface’s features without paying a dime. Indusface WAS also provides users with a free plan that facilitates risk detection, OWASP Top 10, and SANS 25 vulnerability detection among performing many other crucial functions.
Features:
- Unlimited Automated App Scans
- Managed Pen-Testing
- Blacklisting checks
- Complete vulnerability detailing and remediation
- Continuous Malware Scans
Verdict: Burp Suite and Indusface WAS are both powerful and efficient vulnerability scanners that can quickly remediate any detected threat before it has a chance of aggravating.
However, Indusface WAS does have an edge over its contemporary in the pricing department. Users of Indusface WAS have the privilege of trying its free plan or opt for the 14-day free trial version of its premium plan to really test the tool before they can decide whether to pay for it.
Price: Free plan available, $59/app/month for the advanced plan, $199/app/month for the premium plan. A 14-day free trial is also available.
#4) Intruder
Best for Continuous, Automated Scans and Compliance Report Generation.
Intruder is an online web application scanner that scans your private and publicly accessible servers, endpoints, cloud servers, and websites to ferret out vulnerabilities. It can easily find weaknesses like misconfiguration, weak passwords, SQL injections, and XSS among many others.
The system starts automatically scanning your system regularly to find new threats every day. Once detected, it instantly alerts you of threats and suggests remediation methods to resolve them for good. The platform can also generate high-quality compliance reports and audits, like SOC2 and ISO27001, without a hassle.
Features:
- Continuous, Automated scans
- Get instant alerts on Detected Vulnerability
- Security expert-based threat remediation
- Effortless compliance report generation
Verdict: As online vulnerability scanners go, Intruder is undoubtedly one of the best we have in the industry today. It makes vulnerability detection and fixing look so effortless. Its compliance and technical report-generating capabilities are extremely comprehensive and useful.
Price: Intruder offers 3 pricing plans. They are as follows:
- Essential: $113/month
- Pro: $182/month
- Custom plans are also available
A 14-day free trial is also available.
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#5) OWASP ZAP
Best for open source and free.
OWASP Zap is an open-source and absolutely free-to-use web application scanner. It is a tool you can use to perform continuous scans on your applications to keep them safe and secure 24/7, 365 days a year. The tool is efficient enough and leverages a comprehensive threat intelligence database to manage all vulnerabilities mentioned in the OWASP Top 10 list.
The platform offers a wide range of configuration options, which can allow you to set automation as per your preference. Although not fully integrated, it comes with a few plug-ins that greatly enhance its performance.
Features:
- Open source and free to use
- Perform simple, extensive scans
- Adequately configurable
- A plethora of plug-in options are available
Verdict: Despite being a fairly simple and adequate vulnerability scanner, OWASP ZAP has one major thing going for it and that is its free price. This makes the platform way more palatable for those enterprises that cannot afford Burp Suite’s expensive subscription plans.
Price: Free
Website: https://www.zaproxy.org/
#6) ImmuniWeb
Best for external web application vulnerability scanner.
ImmuniWeb is a powerful external web application scanner and is well-known as a penetration and risk-based testing tool. It comprises an intuitive visual dashboard that presents a holistic picture of all your assets, threats, and scan activity. Its accurate vulnerability detection abilities are enhanced by its AI-enabled programming.
The platform particularly shines because of its risk-based and performance-testing features. It instantly classifies detected vulnerabilities into groups that define whether a particular vulnerability poses a greater or more urgent threat to your system. Developers can prioritize their responses accordingly. The platform also verifies all detected vulnerabilities to reduce false positives.
Features:
- Risk-based security testing
- Reduces false positives
- Seamless CI/CD tracking system integrations
- Penetration testing
Verdict: ImmuniWeb is confident in its ability to accurately detect and report confirmed vulnerabilities that are not false positives. No other tool offers a money-back guarantee on reduced false positives, but ImmuniWeb does. If you seek an AI-powered external web scanner, then ImmuniWeb may be your best bet.
Price: Corporate Pro Plan – $995/month, Corporate Weekly Updates Plan – $499/month, Express Pro Plan – $199/month
Website: https://www.immuniweb.com/
#7) Veracode
Best for Dynamic and Static Application Security Testing
Thanks to its combined dynamic and security testing approach, Veracode is a tool that developers can use to build security throughout a software development lifecycle. Veracode operates on a ‘Software Composition Analysis’ system, which allows it to detect open-source vulnerabilities with unparalleled accuracy.
You can perform thousands of scans on multiple applications continuously with the help of Veracode.
Suggested read =>> Best alternatives to Veracode security scanner
The platform also generates comprehensive reports that feature guidance on how to remediate vulnerability effectively. This detection and remediation of vulnerabilities are only made simpler because of Veracode’s centralized dashboard that provides a bird’s eye view of all your web assets.
Features:
- Software Composition Analysis
- Detailed report generation
- Combined Dynamic, Interactive, Static and Open Source scanning
- Centralized visual dashboard
Verdict: Tools that offer all forms of web application security testing methods in a single platform are very rare. Veracode is one such tool that makes accurate and fast detection of vulnerabilities possible because of how it is designed. Its detailed documentation of threats also makes it an ideal tool to patch vulnerabilities as quickly as possible.
Price: Contact for a quote
Website: https://www.veracode.com/
#8) Metaspoilt
Best for Penetration Testing and Vulnerability Testing
Metaspoilt is first and foremost a Ruby-based platform ideal for penetration testing. This unique characteristic of this tool allows you to write, test, and execute exploit code. It provides users with a range of tools that can assess security vulnerabilities, analyze networks, evade detection, and execute attacks.
Metaspoilt also features robust automation, which is facilitated by its smart web-based interface and automatic credentials brute-forcing. The platform also provides task chains for automated custom workflows. The platform also ensures all detected vulnerabilities are validated before being reported, thus preventing any need for manual intervention from security teams.
Features:
- Closed-Loop Vulnerability Validation.
- Web App Testing for OWASP Top 10 Vulnerabilities.
- Network discovery.
- Smart and manual exploitation.
Verdict: Metaspoilt features a widely used penetration testing framework that does way more than basic app security assessment. It helps security teams verify vulnerabilities, improve security awareness and manage assessments to stay one step ahead of malicious attackers online.
Price: Contact for a quote
Website: https://www.metasploit.com/
#9) Tenable Nessus
Best for risk-based security assessment.
Tenable is an intelligent web application scanner that can assess all types of websites, applications, and APIs for vulnerabilities. It takes a risk-based approach to security assessment. To put it more succinctly, the tool will not only detect a weakness but also classify it automatically based on the threat severity level it possesses.
Security teams can use the reports generated by Tenable to prioritize their response and tackle issues that pose a greater or urgent threat. The platform also features a good web crawler, thus scanning every corner of your asset’s entire portfolio to ensure no vulnerability is missed.
Security teams and developers can also use the key metrics presented by Tenable’s performed tests to mitigate critical vulnerabilities before an attacker can find them.
Features:
- Advanced automation
- Validate vulnerability to reduce false positives
- Assign threat levels to detect vulnerability
- Leverage advanced threat intelligence for accurate weakness detection
Verdict: Tenable allows you to predict, monitor, and patch issues across your entire attack surface. Thanks to its risk-based approach, your security teams know exactly which vulnerability to remediate first. It is fully automated and performs continuous scans smoothly to detect thousands of vulnerabilities and their variants.
Price: Subscription starts at $2275 per year to protect 65 assets.
Website: https://www.tenable.com/
#10) Qualys Web Application Scanner
Best for automatic application cataloging.
Qualys is a popular cloud-based web application scanner. Perhaps its most compelling feature is its ability to identify all web assets in your network and automatically catalog them. The tool can perform continuous, dynamic deep scans on all apps to instantly find weaknesses like SQL Injections, XSS, and more.
Aside from applications, Qualys WAS is also ideal for testing IoT services and APIs associated with mobile devices. We also like how you can organize your own data and reports by using labels with its ‘Web App Asset Tagging’ feature. Qualys also leverages behavioral analysis to find security threats as Zero-Day vulnerabilities.
Features:
- Comprehensive web application discovery
- Malware detection
- Dynamic deep scanning
- Web App asset tagging
Verdict: Few tools grant you complete visibility of all the web applications your business is using, both known and unknown. Qualys WAS is one of those tools. It is Web App Asset Tagging and Dynamic Deep Scanning features alone make Qualys worth every penny you spend on it. We also like that it can test IoT services and mobile APIs for vulnerabilities.
Price: Contact for a quote
Website: https://www.qualys.com/apps/web-app-scanning/
#11) IBM Security QRadar
Best for Automated Intelligence.
IBM Security QRadar is an enterprise-grade web application vulnerability tester that comes with a wide range of tools that all serve the purpose of identifying and fixing security threats. It grants you complete visibility of your entire attack surface across cloud and on-premises environments.
However, the thing that really makes it stand out is its Automated Intelligence. This allows the platform to identify both known and undocumented threats accurately. All vulnerabilities are first verified before being reported.
The platform also provides you with closed-loop feedback for improved detection. Its automated intelligence also allows security teams to hunt down weaknesses proactively and automate containment processes to manage them.
Features:
- Full network infrastructure visibility
- Automated security intelligence
- Closed-loop feedback
- Comprehensive report generation
Verdict: IBM Security QRadar is a powerful enterprise-grade web security scanner. As such, it is highly recommended for large enterprises to provide continuous security to their massive network infrastructure. Its Automated Intelligence makes it capable of detecting all types of vulnerabilities in an accurate and fast manner.
Price: Contact for a quote
Website: https://www.ibm.com/security/security-intelligence/qradar
Conclusion
Burp Suite is a pretty useful online application scanner with tons of features that make it very efficient. However, its complicated setup, manual vulnerability verification, and expensive subscription price might not be everybody’s cup of tea. It is definitely not something non-technical employees will operate easily.
So we found ten tools that fulfill the shortcomings Burp Suite unfortunately harbors. All the above-mentioned tools are some of the best Burp Suite alternatives being used today.
Further Reading =>> Hands-on Acunetix Web Vulnerability Scanner Review
As for our recommendation, if you want a scalable, fully automated web application scanner, then look no further than Invicti (formerly Netsparker). For a tool that is easy to set up and demands no lengthy configurations, we recommend Acunetix.
Research Process:
- We spent 12 hours researching and writing this article so you can have summarized and insightful information on which Burp Suite Alternatives will best suit you.
- Total Burp Suite Alternatives researched – 20
- Total Burp Suite Alternatives shortlisted – 10