Alternatives

Best Qualys alternatives in 2026

Data compiled by Toolradar Updated November 2, 2026 How we rate

Cite this list: Toolradar, best Qualys alternatives 2026, toolradar.com/alternatives/qualys

3 direct alternatives to Qualys and 5 more tools in the same category, compared on pricing, features, and best-for use cases. Pick the right replacement without the marketing fluff.

Quick answer

Wiz is the top alternative to Qualys on our list, followed by Orca Security and Nessus.
1 of the 8 alternatives has a free plan, starting with Intruder.
Highest rated: Intruder, 4.8 out of 5 from 219 ratings, Sep 2026.

Publications that cover the tools tracked here

8 alternatives
3 direct
1 with a free plan

Wiz
#1 Top pick
#1 Cloud Security Software for Modern Cloud Protection
Pricing
Not published
4.7 /5 on G2 · 845 ratings, Sep 2026
Our take
Best overall
Read the review
Orca Security
#2
Industry-leading cloud security solution for multi-cloud environments.
Pricing
Usage-based
4.7 /5 across G2 and Capterra · 373 ratings, Sep 2026
Read the review
Nessus
#3
Vulnerability assessment scanner
Starting price
From $399.17 /mo
Cheapest paid plan, monthly, as of November 2026
4.6 /5 across G2 and Capterra · 402 ratings, Sep 2026
Read the review

Qualys vs 8 alternatives

Qualys and its alternatives compared on starting price (cheapest paid plan, monthly, as of November 2026), free plan and average user rating, and how directly each replaces it.
Tool	Starting price (Nov 2026)	Free plan	Rating	Fit
Qualys Compared tool	Price: $16.58/mo	Free plan: No	4.2 out of 5, from 202 ratings across G2, Capterra and Trustpilot (202)
Wiz	Price: Not published	Free plan: No	4.7 out of 5, from 845 ratings on G2 (845)	Direct alternative
Orca Security	Price: Usage-based	Free plan: No	4.7 out of 5, from 373 ratings across G2 and Capterra (373)	Direct alternative
Nessus	Price: $399.17/mo	Free plan: No	4.6 out of 5, from 402 ratings across G2 and Capterra (402)	Direct alternative
ESET	Price: $3.33/mo	Free plan: No	4.7 out of 5, from 2,173 ratings across G2 and Capterra (2,173)	Same category as Qualys
Sophos	Price: $3.75/mo	Free plan: No	4.6 out of 5, from 2,668 ratings across G2 and Capterra (2,668)	Same category as Qualys
Malwarebytes	Price: $5/mo	Free plan: No	4.6 out of 5, from 1,089 ratings on G2 (1,089)	Same category as Qualys
Intruder	Price: Free	Free plan: Yes	4.8 out of 5, from 219 ratings on G2 (219)	Same category as Qualys
Tenable	Price: $308.33/mo	Free plan: No	4.5 out of 5, from 110 ratings on G2 (110)	Same category as Qualys

Why people consider alternatives to Qualys

Qualys provides vulnerability management and compliance. Cloud-based security scanning-enterprise vulnerability assessment and compliance. The coverage is comprehensive. The enterprise features are complete.

Teams most often switch away when one of these starts to bite:

Pricing at scale as usage or premium tiers add up.
Missing integrations with the rest of your stack.
Performance or scale limits as your needs grow.
A specific feature gap you have hit in vulnerability scanning.

The 3 direct alternatives below cover the same core job (vulnerability scanning) with different trade-offs. The 5 tools marked "Same category as Qualys" fit the category but replace Qualys less directly.

See full Qualys review Best vulnerability scanning tools How we rank

Qualys by the numbers

Qualys compared with 23 Vulnerability Scanning tools on Toolradar, as of Nov 2026
Metric	Qualys	Peer median	Position (1 is best)
Free plan	No	13 of 23 have one	n/a
Listed as an alternative to	6 tools	3	#8 of 23
User rating	4.2/5 (across the web, 202 ratings)	4.6/5	#10 of 10 tools with 20+ reviews
Compare-page visits, last 30 days	24 visits	26	#6 of 10 tools with 20+ compare-page visits

Visitors most often compare Qualys with Nessus (last 30 days, Nov 2026).

Listed as an alternative to: #5 on 2026-10-16 to #8 on 2026-11-03 (rank among 23 tools, 1 is best).

Each position is counted among the tools that have data for that row, as noted under it. All Vulnerability Scanning data · How we compute this. Advertising and placement fees are not inputs to any position. Visit counts include visits from every source.

Cite this: Toolradar, “Qualys by the numbers”, Nov 2026.

8 alternatives to Qualys

Direct alternatives come first, ranked by G2 and Capterra ratings, media mentions, and editor review. Tools marked "Same category as Qualys" follow, ranked the same way.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best alternative to Qualys?

Based on real-signal scoring (G2 and Capterra ratings, media mentions, and editorial review), the top alternatives to Qualys are Wiz, Orca Security, Nessus. Each solves the same core job with different trade-offs on pricing, features, and integrations.

Is there a free alternative to Qualys?

Yes. Nessus is 100% free (no paid upgrade path) (Vulnerability assessment scanner). Freemium tools on this list offer a free tier with paid upgrades; they are not the same as fully free.

Why do people look for Qualys alternatives?

Common reasons teams switch away from Qualys: pricing that scales aggressively, missing integrations with the rest of their stack, performance or scale limits, or a specific feature gap in vulnerability scanning. The alternatives on this page solve the same core problem with different trade-offs.

Side-by-side comparisons

In-depth comparison pages for Qualys versus each alternative.

Qualys vs Wiz Qualys vs Orca Security Qualys vs Nessus

Improve Your Thinking Patterns Using ChatGPT cover

$99 Free with your review

Review Qualys, get a free AI guide

Share your experience and we will send you Improve Your Thinking Patterns Using ChatGPT, free.

Write a review

Still considering Qualys?

See the full review, pricing breakdown, and community feedback before you decide.

Full Qualys review Visit Qualys

Top 3 alternatives to Qualys

Wiz

Orca Security

Nessus