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Best Free Vulnerability Scanning Tools in 2026

Data compiled by Toolradar Updated How we rate

The 10 best free vulnerability scanning tools we track: 4 completely free and 6 with a free plan alongside paid tiers. Ordered by Toolradar's ranking score (review volume and rating on G2, Capterra, Trustpilot and other sites, plus media mentions), not by vendor pitches; every rating shows its date.

Key Takeaways
  • Malwarebytes is our free pick for vulnerability scanning in 2026. ESET is our overall pick.
  • We screened 10 vulnerability scanning tools with a free plan to build this list.
  • 10 tools offer free plans.
Publications that cover the tools tracked here
  • TechCrunch
  • Bloomberg
  • The Information
  • Fortune
  • The Verge
  • 10 free tools screened
  • 4 100% free
  • 6 free plan + paid

Top 5 free vulnerability scanning tools at a glance

Top 5 free vulnerability scanning tools: free plan type, user rating and best use, as of October 2026
Tool Type Rating Best for
Malwarebytes Free plan 4.6 (1,089) as of Sep 2026
Cybersecurity and malware protection
Intruder 100% free 4.8 (219) as of Sep 2026
Continuous vulnerability management to stop breaches before they start
Wazuh 100% free 4.5 (71) as of Aug 2026
Open-source security monitoring
Clair 100% free 4.3 (67) as of May 2026
Static vulnerability analysis for containers
Corgea Free plan n/a
AI-powered appsec that finds real risk and fixes flaws

Ratings from G2, Capterra, and other public review sites. Each cell shows the snapshot date so a cited number is never an undated one.

Toolradar data

The vulnerability scanning tools market in numbers

Toolradar data: Toolradar tracks 21 vulnerability scanning tools as of October 28, 2026. 48% of the vulnerability scanning tools on Toolradar are free, freemium or open source. Toolradar re-checked the pricing of 76% of vulnerability scanning tools in the last 90 days. Toolradar aggregates 7,375 public user reviews (G2, Capterra, Trustpilot and other review sites) across 11 rated vulnerability scanning tools. The most cross-shopped vulnerability scanning tool is Wazuh, listed as an alternative to 25 other tools on Toolradar. The most compared vulnerability scanning tool on Toolradar over the last 90 days is ESET, with 210 side-by-side comparisons. Computed from the Toolradar catalog and on-site activity.

  • 21 vulnerability scanning tools tracked
  • 48% are free, freemium or open source
  • 76% of prices re-checked in the last 90 days
  • 7,375 public user reviews aggregated across 11 rated tools
Most cross-shopped vulnerability scanning tools on Toolradar, as of October 2026 Listed as an alternative to the most other tools on Toolradar
Rank Tool Listed as an alternative to
1 Wazuh 25 tools
2 CloudSploit 21 tools
3 Orca Security 17 tools
Most compared vulnerability scanning tools on Toolradar, last 90 days to October 2026 Side-by-side comparisons by visitors, last 90 days
Rank Tool Comparisons
1 ESET 210
2 Wazuh 191
3 Nessus 141

Source and method: live vulnerability scanning tools statistics

The 10 best free vulnerability scanning tools

Order: Toolradar ranking score, which is the public review volume times the average rating on G2, Capterra, Trustpilot and other review sites, plus media mentions (recent ones count more). Paid placements are labelled and never change the score. How we rank.

Malwarebytes logo
1.

Malwarebytes

Free plan

Cybersecurity and malware protection

4.6/5 on G2 · 1,089 ratings, Sep 2026

Malwarebytes protects against malware and online threats. Remediation for infections, real-time protection, and ransomware defense-security software with strong remediation. The malware removal is effective. The protection is solid. The reputation is established. Users dealing with malware or wanting protection choose Malwarebytes for effective security.

Intruder logo
2.

Intruder

100% free

Continuous vulnerability management to stop breaches before they start

4.8/5 on G2 · 219 ratings, Sep 2026

Intruder is a comprehensive cybersecurity platform that helps organizations stop breaches before they start by providing continuous vulnerability management, attack surface monitoring, and cloud security posture management. It combines automated scanning with risk-based prioritization to cut through alert fatigue, enabling teams to focus on the most critical issues. The platform covers external and internal infrastructure, web applications, APIs, container images, and cloud environments across AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud. Key capabilities include automated asset discovery to reveal shadow IT, daily cloud configuration checks, emerging threat detection, and a virtual security analyst named GregAI that helps teams work smarter. Intruder integrates with popular tools like Slack, Jira, GitHub, and ServiceNow, and supports compliance with standards such as SOC 2, ISO 27001, and HIPAA. With a large customer base worldwide, Intruder is designed for lean, time-strapped security teams that need to demonstrate progress and maintain cyber hygiene.

Wazuh logo
3.

Wazuh

100% free

Open-source security monitoring

4.5/5 on G2 · 71 ratings, Aug 2026

Wazuh provides open-source security monitoring. SIEM, threat detection, and compliance-enterprise security without enterprise cost. The open-source model is powerful. The features are comprehensive. The community is active. Organizations wanting open-source security platform choose Wazuh for free SIEM.

Clair logo
4.

Clair

100% free

Static vulnerability analysis for containers

4.3/5 on SourceForge · 67 ratings, May 2026

Clair scans container images for vulnerabilities before you deploy them. Feed it an image, get back a list of known CVEs in the packages it contains-security visibility into what you're running. Integration into registries enables automatic scanning. The vulnerability database updates continuously. API access enables custom workflows. Container security starts with knowing what vulnerabilities exist. Clair provides that visibility for organizations running containerized workloads.

Corgea logo
5.

Corgea

Free plan

AI-powered appsec that finds real risk and fixes flaws

Corgea is an AI-native application security platform that understands your code, business logic, and infrastructure to find real risk without noise. It provides a unified control plane for security scanning, replacing fragmented tools with one platform teams can run daily. The platform offers AI-powered static analysis (SAST), dependency scanning, secrets scanning, container scanning, and IaC scanning, all integrated into developer workflows via SCM, IDE, and agent integrations. Corgea's AI SAST detects business logic flaws like broken authentication and authorization gaps that traditional scanners miss, and delivers review-ready fixes with high accuracy. The platform also includes an AI penetration testing product that uses hundreds of attack agents to simulate real-world attacks, producing auditor-ready reports in a short timeframe. Designed for security teams and developers, Corgea aims to reduce false positives, prioritize exploitable risks, and speed up remediation without the developer tax.

qsa.sh logo
6.

qsa.sh

Free plan

External port and vulnerability scans from your terminal

qsa.sh is a tool that performs an external port and vulnerability scan of your own public IP address, executed directly from your terminal with a single curl command. It uses open-source industry-standard tools, naabu for port discovery, nmap with the vulners script for service and CVE fingerprinting, and nuclei for exposure checks, all running from remote scanner nodes to give you an outside-in view of your host's internet-facing security posture. Scans are streamed live to your terminal, results are ephemeral (never stored), and the process is transparent: you see exactly what tools are run and can inspect the output in real time. The product is designed with strict safety constraints: it only scans the IP address from which the request originates, and it refuses to scan known CGNAT, mobile-carrier, proxy, VPN, or Tor addresses, as well as IPv6 origins. Each scan begins with a 15-second warning window during which you can abort, serving as a consent gate. Three tiers are available: a free tier scanning the top 1,000 TCP ports with a curated set of nuclei checks, a Full subscription requiring a paid plan covering all 65,535 ports with async delivery, and a Deep one-time scan for a set fee that runs the full nuclei template set and emails the report. Paid access uses one-time tokens without requiring an account.

Hacktron logo
7.

Hacktron

Free plan

Your AI teammate for security, identifying real vulnerabilities and empowering developers.

Hacktron is an AI-powered security platform designed to help development teams identify and fix exploitable vulnerabilities with the speed and accuracy of a penetration tester. It integrates into existing workflows to provide deep security analysis, moving beyond generic alerts to focus on real, actionable threats. The platform offers full-scope security assessments, including penetration testing and code reviews, capable of generating audit-ready reports for compliance standards like SOC 2 and ISO 27001 in hours rather than weeks. It's built by experienced security researchers and competitive hackers, leveraging AI agents to perform exploit-driven validation and threat modeling across complex applications, multiple services, and integrations. Hacktron is ideal for engineering teams shipping new features rapidly who need to ensure robust security without sacrificing development velocity.

Cotool Security logo
8.

Cotool Security

Free plan

Comprehensive security monitoring and vulnerability scanning for your digital assets.

Cotool Security offers a suite of tools designed to enhance the security posture of organizations by providing continuous monitoring and proactive vulnerability management. It aims to identify and address security weaknesses across various digital assets, including web applications, networks, and cloud infrastructure. The platform is typically geared towards small to medium-sized businesses, developers, and IT security professionals who need an accessible yet robust solution to manage their cybersecurity risks. By automating the detection of vulnerabilities and offering insights into potential threats, Cotool Security helps users maintain compliance and protect sensitive data without requiring extensive in-house security expertise.

Epherem logo
9.

Epherem

100% free

Scan AI-built apps for security flaws and get fix prompts for your coding tool

Epherem is a free security scanner designed specifically for applications built with AI coding tools like Lovable, Bolt, Cursor, and similar platforms. It performs static analysis on your project's code, configuration files, and dependencies to identify common security mistakes that AI-generated code often leaves behind. With 55 targeted checks, it looks for exposed keys, open database tables, missing authentication and authorization checks, unsafe input handling, and SQL injection vulnerabilities. It also cross-references your exact package versions against published advisories from the OSV database. Epherem is built for the person who created the app, not a security expert. Every finding is explained in plain language: what's wrong, what an attacker could do with it, and how to fix it. Each issue includes a ready-to-use prompt that you can paste into your AI tool (such as Cursor, Lovable, or Claude Code) to automatically generate the code change. The scanner is honest about its limitations: it never runs your app, it doesn't see settings in external dashboards, and it clearly marks findings that need human verification. Coverage is strongest for JavaScript and TypeScript, with partial support for Python. After each scan, your code is deleted, and only your report remains in your account until you delete it.

VibeLocked LeakCheck logo
10.

VibeLocked LeakCheck

Free plan

Scan vibe-coded apps for risks from a live URL or public GitHub repo

LeakCheck is a read-only scanner for vibe-coded apps. Paste a live URL or public GitHub repo and get a risk score plus finding titles. First scan needs no account. LeakCheck Pro offers paid tiers, keeps watching apps after you ship and alerts when something gets worse.

Related

Why choose free vulnerability scanning tools?

Free vulnerability scanning tools are an excellent way to get started without financial commitment. Whether you're a startup, freelancer, or small business, these tools offer essential features at no cost.

What to look for in free vulnerability scanning tools

  • Feature limitations: Understand what's included in the free tier vs paid plans
  • Usage limits: Check for restrictions on users, storage, or API calls
  • Data ownership: Ensure you own your data and can export it
  • Support: Free tiers often have community-only support
  • Upgrade path: Consider future needs if you outgrow the free tier

Free vs Freemium: what's the difference?

100% free 100% free, no payment ever

Completely free with no paid upgrades available. Best for simple, focused workflows that don't require advanced features.

Free plan Free tier + paid upgrades

Generous free tier with optional paid plans that unlock advanced features, higher limits, or team collaboration.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best free vulnerability scanning tool in 2026?

Malwarebytes is our free vulnerability scanning pick in 2026. On the full category ranking, ESET is our overall vulnerability scanning pick. Malwarebytes offers a free plan alongside paid plans: Cybersecurity and malware protection.

Is Malwarebytes really free forever?

Malwarebytes uses a freemium model: there is a permanent free tier you can use without a credit card, plus optional paid plans that unlock higher usage limits and advanced features. The free tier itself does not expire.

What does the free tier of vulnerability scanning tools typically include?

Free vulnerability scanning tools typically include the core workflow features needed to evaluate the product. Paid plans usually unlock higher usage limits, team collaboration, advanced analytics, integrations, and priority support. The specific cap differs per tool.

When should I upgrade from a free vulnerability scanning tool?

Upgrade when you hit one of the free tier ceilings: usage quota (output count, storage, contacts, projects), team size, or a paid-only feature your workflow depends on.

Are there vulnerability scanning tools that are 100% free, not just freemium?

Yes. We found 4 completely free vulnerability scanning tools (no paid upgrade path) and 6 tools with a permanent free tier alongside paid plans. Intruder, Wazuh, Clair are 100% free.

Are free vulnerability scanning tools good enough for business use?

Yes, for most startups, freelancers, and small teams. Malwarebytes and Intruder both offer free tiers robust enough for production workflows. Larger teams typically upgrade when they need SSO, audit logs, advanced permissions, or usage past the free quota.

Last updated: October 26, 2026

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