In today’s threat landscape, small and medium-sized businesses face increasing pressure to implement robust cybersecurity measures without overspending. Cybercriminals are targeting SMBs at record levels, and many organizations lack dedicated security teams to defend themselves. This makes automated vulnerability scanning an attractive first line of defense.
Intruder has positioned itself as a cloud-based vulnerability scanner built for SMBs. With affordable subscription plans and automated scanning, it appeals to IT managers and lean development teams seeking to reduce risk without investing in expensive enterprise platforms.
However, as businesses grow and their applications become more complex, the question arises: Is Intruder enough, and does its pricing truly provide long-term value? In this guide, we’ll break down Intruder’s 2025 pricing, review what you get at each tier, highlight its strengths and weaknesses, and explore why Beagle Security is increasingly emerging as the better choice for growing organizations.
Intruder uses a tiered SaaS subscription model with four main pricing plans. Costs scale depending on the number of targets, scan frequency, and included features.
Essential Plan - Starting at $99/month
External scanning only
1 scheduled monthly scan
Over 11,000 open-source vulnerability checks
Limited to 2 users
Basic compliance reporting
Cloud Plan - Starting at $180/month
External + cloud environment scanning
Weekly scans included
Cloud synchronization (AWS, Azure, GCP)
Smart reconnaissance capabilities
Pro Plan - Starting at $240/month
Full feature access including internal scanning
Unlimited ad-hoc and scheduled scans
API and developer integrations
SSL/TLS certificate monitoring
Unlimited users
Advanced threat notifications
Enterprise Plan - Custom pricing
Daily scans and premium features
Dedicated customer success manager
Hybrid penetration testing add-ons
Advanced compliance support
Number of targets: Each app, API, or server requires a license.
Scan frequency: More frequent scans require higher tiers.
Feature access: Internal scanning and integrations only available in Pro+.
User count: Essential plan restricts to 2 users, while higher tiers allow unlimited.
Contract terms: Monthly flexibility vs annual discounts.
At the entry level, $99/month looks attractive for SMBs needing simple external scans. But scaling quickly drives costs up, especially for companies with multiple apps or needing more frequent scans.
Intruder is designed as a straightforward vulnerability scanning platform for SMBs. Its main features include:
Web app vulnerability scanning: Detects common issues like SQL injection and XSS, powered by ZAP.
Infrastructure scanning: Uses OpenVAS and proprietary engines to uncover outdated software, misconfigurations, and weak encryption.
Continuous monitoring: Attack surface monitoring automatically detects new assets and triggers scans.
Compliance reporting: Reports map to frameworks like SOC 2, ISO 27001, and Cyber Essentials.
Integrations: Works with cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, GCP), ticketing (Jira, GitHub), and notifications (Slack, MS Teams).
While these features cover basic scanning needs, Intruder has limitations: Lack of AI-driven testing, struggles with SPAs and APIs, no advanced authentication handling, and false positives inherited from ZAP/OpenVAS.
Beagle Security provides a modern alternative that addresses Intruder’s core limitations. Instead of signature-based scanning, Beagle Security uses AI-powered penetration testing to simulate real-world attacks. This allows it to uncover vulnerabilities like business logic flaws, API risks, and authentication bypasses that Intruder cannot detect.
AI-powered penetration testing with real attack simulation
Zero false positives through validated findings
Advanced API and GraphQL testing
Support for single-page apps (SPAs) and complex authentication flows
Developer-friendly remediation guidance with proof-of-concepts
CI/CD integrations for automated testing
Essential: $119/month ($1,188 annually)
Advanced: $359/month
Enterprise: Custom, starting from $6,850/year
G2 rating: 4.7/5
Praised for ease of use, accuracy, and developer-focused reports
Users note significantly fewer false positives compared to traditional scanners
For just $20/month more than Intruder’s entry plan, Beagle Security delivers enterprise-grade capabilities, making it far better value for SMBs planning to grow.
Platform | Starting Price | Testing Approach | Best For |
---|---|---|---|
Intruder | $99/month | Signature-based vulnerability scanning | Basic SMB scanning needs |
Beagle Security | $119/month | AI-powered penetration testing | Modern apps and growing businesses |
Number of targets: Each target consumes a license for 30 days, increasing costs in dynamic environments.
Scan frequency: Essential allows only monthly scans, Cloud/Pro allow weekly, Enterprise offers daily.
Feature access: Internal scanning, integrations, and unlimited users require Pro+.
Usage limits: Target lock-in and ad-hoc scan restrictions impact flexibility.
Contract terms: Annual subscriptions offer discounts vs higher monthly rates.
Intruder offers value for very small businesses needing simple external vulnerability scanning at a low cost. Its clean UI, automated monitoring, and compliance-ready reports are helpful for lean IT teams with no AppSec expertise.
But for businesses with modern applications or growth ambitions, Intruder quickly falls short. Its reliance on legacy scanning engines means false positives, limited SPA/API coverage, and no business logic testing. Costs also escalate as targets and scan frequency increase.
Beagle Security, while slightly more expensive upfront, provides far greater value. For $119/month, businesses get AI-powered testing, modern app coverage, zero false positives, and developer-ready remediation reports. This results in:
Less wasted time on false positives
Better coverage of real-world vulnerabilities
Scalable pricing for growth
For very small businesses with limited needs, Intruder can serve as a simple entry point into vulnerability scanning. However, for organizations building modern applications or planning to scale their security programs, Beagle Security delivers broader coverage, greater accuracy, and better long-term value at a still-accessible price point.