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Nuclei

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Automate custom vulnerability detection and map internet-exposed assets at scale.

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Reviews onG2
4 reviews tracked

The Bottom Line

Entry price

Free plan available, paid tiers above

Biggest pro

Fast vulnerability scanner

Biggest con

Learning curve

TL;DR - Nuclei

  • Automates custom vulnerability detection using security templates.
  • Maps internet-exposed assets and monitors cloud environments (AWS, GCP, Azure, Cloudflare).
  • Offers a cloud platform for scaling security operations with integrations and APIs.
Pricing: Free plan available
Best for: Growing teams

What is Nuclei?

Editorial review
Nuclei is an open-source security scanner that helps organizations discover and understand their attack surface by mapping internet-exposed assets. It allows users to create and automate custom security templates to detect vulnerabilities efficiently. Nuclei also provides a real-time vulnerability feed to keep users updated with trending exploits. For organizations, Nuclei offers a cloud platform with advanced automation capabilities. It can connect and monitor AWS, GCP, Cloudflare, and Azure accounts for security vulnerabilities. The platform supports team integrations with existing ticketing and alerting tools, and provides comprehensive REST APIs for building custom security workflows. It also caters to internal network security with automated vulnerability assessment and monitoring, and offers enterprise security features like SAML SSO and IP whitelisting.

Available on: Web

how we evaluateSourcenuclei.projectdiscovery.io ↗

Pros & Cons

Pros

  • Fast vulnerability scanner
  • Template-based
  • Open source
  • Active community
  • Good for security

Cons

  • Learning curve
  • False positives
  • Template quality varies
  • CLI focused
  • Not for beginners

Ratings Across the Web

5(4 reviews)

Nuclei holds an aggregate rating of 5 out of 5 from 4 reviews across G2, last checked August 26, 2026.

G24 reviews
5/5

Ratings aggregated from independent review platforms. Learn more

Key Features

Vulnerability scannerTemplate-basedFast scanningCustom templatesAPI supportOpen source

Pricing Plans

Pricing checked Aug 23, 2026

Free

  • Open source
  • Security scanner
  • Template-based
  • Community templates
Calculate your costView full pricing

Is Nuclei worth the price?

95/100

Nuclei's pricing is incredibly generous, offering a fully functional, open-source Free tier.

This makes it highly accessible for individual security researchers and small teams. It's best for those who prioritize community-driven solutions and want to avoid vendor lock-in.

Hidden Costs & Gotchas

Requires self-hosting infrastructure

No official vendor support included

Scalability depends on user's setup

No enterprise-grade features

How Nuclei Compares to Competitors

Compared to commercial vulnerability scanners like Tenable.io or Qualys, Nuclei's Free tier at $0 is a stark contrast. While Tenable.io and Qualys offer comprehensive enterprise features and support at significant costs (often thousands annually), Nuclei provides powerful, customizable scanning capabilities without any direct financial outlay, albeit with a different support and feature model.

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Best Nuclei Alternatives

Top alternatives based on features, pricing, and user needs.

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Still deciding?

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Nuclei FAQ

How does Nuclei help organizations manage their internet-exposed assets?

Nuclei maps internet-exposed assets to help organizations discover and understand their attack surface. Its cloud platform can connect and monitor AWS, GCP, Cloudflare, and Azure accounts for security vulnerabilities, providing a comprehensive view of external exposures.

What kind of user benefits most from Nuclei's features?

Nuclei is best suited for security teams and developers who need to automate custom vulnerability detection and manage security at scale. Its CLI-focused nature and template-based system are beneficial for users comfortable with command-line interfaces and custom scripting.

How does Nuclei compare to CloudSploit for vulnerability detection?

Nuclei is an open-source, template-based vulnerability scanner known for its speed and active community, allowing for custom security template creation. CloudSploit, by contrast, focuses on cloud security posture management, though both aim to identify security vulnerabilities.

What are the main trade-offs when implementing Nuclei for security scanning?

Nuclei has a learning curve and is primarily CLI-focused, making it less ideal for beginners. Users may also encounter false positives, and the quality of community-contributed templates can vary, requiring careful validation.

How is Nuclei priced?

Nuclei is available on a free tier, allowing users to start with basic functionality. Paid plans are offered for those requiring more extensive usage and access to advanced features, such as enterprise security capabilities and expanded automation.

Can Nuclei integrate with existing security workflows?

Yes, Nuclei supports team integrations with existing ticketing and alerting tools. It also provides comprehensive REST APIs, enabling users to build custom security workflows and connect with other systems for enhanced automation.

Does Nuclei provide real-time updates on new security threats?

Yes, Nuclei offers a real-time vulnerability feed. This feature keeps users updated with trending exploits and emerging security threats, allowing for proactive detection and response.

Source: nuclei.projectdiscovery.io

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