Grype vs Tenable Nessus
Grype
github.comTenable Nessus
tenable.comSide by side
| Figure | Grype | Tenable Nessus |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | $399.17/mo |
| Free plan | Yes | — |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | Yes | — |
| Windows | Yes | Yes |
| macOS | Yes | Yes |
| Linux | Yes | Yes |
| Self-hosted | Yes | — |
| Plans published | 2 | 4 |
| Spec score · Vulnerability Scanner Software | 8.8 (#3) | 6.4 (#20) |
| Founded | 2016 | 2002 |
| Headquarters | Santa Barbara, California, United States | Columbia, Maryland, United States |
Plans
Tenable Nessus
- Nessus Professional$4,790 a year
- Nessus ProfessionalPriced on request
- Nessus Expert$6,790 a year
- Nessus ExpertPriced on request
In their own words
Grype
Grype is a free, Apache-2.0-licensed scanner for known vulnerabilities in container images, filesystems, and software bills of materials (SBOMs). It can also scan directories, individual files, archives, and packages identified by PURL or CPE. Coverage includes major operating-system package ecosystems and language packages such as Ruby, Java, JavaScript, Python, .NET, Go, PHP, and Rust; supported image formats include Docker, OCI, and Singularity. Grype uses EPSS, KEV, and risk scoring to help prioritize findings. OpenVEX can filter results or add context. Reports can be emitted as a table, JSON, SARIF, or a custom Go template. The project supports SBOM generation and runs on Linux, macOS, Windows, or in a self-hosted setup. Installation options include a Docker image and community packages such as Homebrew, MacPorts, Winget, Scoop, and Snapcraft. Individual package scanning is described as useful for lightweight vulnerability checks and compliance scanning of specific dependencies. Security updates are applied only to the most recent release, and vulnerability-report support is described as best effort.
Tenable Nessus
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