Top Stackhawk alternatives

Modern AppSec teams pick tools by what they test (web, API, GraphQL, business-logic), how they fit into CI/CD, accuracy, and cost. As organizations adopt continuous delivery, ensuring security throughout the software development lifecycle (SDLC) is critical.

StackHawk has long been recognized as a go-to solution for DevSecOps teams looking to automate dynamic application security testing (DAST). However, as the security market expands, several tools now rival or even outperform StackHawk. Depending on your organization’s size, budget, and security maturity, a different DAST or API security solution might offer a better fit.

Below are ten prominent StackHawk alternatives in 2026 that you might want to consider.

1. Beagle Security

Beagle Security is a next-generation Dynamic Application Security Testing (DAST) platform built with a developer-first mindset. It leverages AI-driven attack simulations to mimic real-world hacker behavior, uncovering vulnerabilities that traditional scanners often miss.

Key features

• Automated penetration-testing for web apps, APIs & GraphQL

• Covers 3,000+ test cases.

• Integrations with CI/CD pipelines

• developer-friendly remediation insights.

• Compliance reports (GDPR, HIPAA, PCI DSS) for web/API security.

Pricing

Unlike tools that charge per user or scan limit, Beagle Security offers transparent usage-based pricing, starting at just $119/month, making it a cost-effective solution for both startups and enterprises.

• Essential Plan $119/month for 2 tests/month.

• Advanced $359/month for 15 tests/month.

• Enterprise Custom pricing.

• Free tier + Free 14-day trial available

Reviews and ratings

Beagle holds a 4.7/5 rating on G2.

Why consider Beagle Security

Beagle security is a great option for small-to-mid teams seeking developer-centric automation and lower cost compared to some heavy-enterprise tools.

2. Escape DAST

Escape is specifically designed for API security, setting it apart from traditional DAST tools. It excels in securing both GraphQL and REST APIs and offers seamless integration with developer workflows.

With its advanced business logic testing, Escape identifies vulnerabilities that automated scanners might overlook. For API-first organizations, it’s a specialized solution that’s definitely worth considering.

Key features

• Designed for modern apps SPAs, APIs (REST, GraphQL) and microservices environments.

• Business logic security testing engine

• Agentless API discovery

• Developer-centric reporting

• 140+ attack scenarios including BOLAs, IDORs, and Access Control

• CI/CD friendly.

Pricing

Specific public pricing not widely published. Adoption is likely targeted at mid-to-large teams who value API/logic-aware testing.

Reviews and ratings

Why consider it

If your stack is heavy on APIs and business logic, Escape offers a modern DAST alternative built for those challenges.

3. Burp Suite (by PortSwigger)

Burp Suite remains one of the most trusted tools among professional penetration testers and ethical hackers. Its Professional Edition provides a comprehensive toolkit for manual and automated web application security testing.

Burp’s strength lies in its flexibility and extensibility. Testers can build custom workflows, integrate plugins from the BApp Store, and perform advanced manual testing with deep control.

Key features

• Widely used by penetration testers for both manual and automated scanning intercepting, fuzzing, brute-forcing, scanning behind login.

• Strong manual tooling and plugin ecosystem.

• Low false-positive scanner

• JavaScript SPA crawling

• Professional reporting

• Authentication macro support

Pricing

• Community Edition : Free (limited features)

• Professional Edition: ~$449/year per user.

• Enterprise Custom pricing.

Reviews and ratings

Burp Suite is praised for reliability and depth of features with a 4.8/5 G2 score.

Why consider it

Burp Suite is ideal for security teams with manual pen-testing expertise or needing depth in interactive testing.

4. Invicti (formerly Netsparker)

Invicti is a DAST solution built for automation and large-scale vulnerability detection across complex web environments. Its scanning engine is known for reliability and integrates seamlessly with popular CI/CD tools, making it a good fit for teams with established AppSec workflows.

Key features

• Automated DAST + IAST, web apps + APIs;

• High accuracy with low false positives.

• enterprise workflows and integrations

• per-FQDN licensing options.

• Suitable for mid-large organisations scanning many applications.

Pricing

• Pricing for 50 FQDNs starts at approximately $37,000/year, and will go higher depending on the required features and support tier

• 7-day trial limited trial without advanced features

Reviews and ratings

Invicti has 4.6/5 for its accuracy and information.

Why consider it

Invicti has strong enterprise grade DAST/IAST with good detection accuracy.

5. APIsec

APIsec is an AI-powered, fully automated API security testing platform built to continuously discover, validate, and remediate vulnerabilities across all API endpoints.

It generates thousands of tailored attack scenarios, integrates directly into CI/CD pipelines, and uncovers complex issues like broken access control, business-logic flaws, and OWASP API Top 10 vulnerabilities.

Key features

• API-first security testing platform

• Covers OWASP API Top 10

• Covers business logic testing (BOLA, mass assignment, RBAC)

• AI-driven attack simulation.

Pricing

• Free tier : lifetime, covers OWASP API Top 10.

• Standard : $650/month for up to 100 endpoints.

• Pro : $2,600/month with full features/integrations.

Reviews and ratings

Why consider it

If API security is a key part of your stack (especially with many endpoints) and you want a tool tailored for that.

6. Qualys Web Application Scanning (WAS)

Qualys brings its well-known cloud-native vulnerability management expertise to application security through its Web Application Scanning (WAS) module.

The platform is good at at asset discovery, risk prioritization, and centralized vulnerability visibility across applications, infrastructure, and cloud environments. Integration with VMDR (Vulnerability Management, Detection, and Response) offers a unified view of risk posture across the entire organization.

Key features

• Cloud-based AppSec platform follows DAST, API security, AI/ML assisted scanning, OWASP Top 10 + API.

• Asset discovery and tagging

• VMDR integration

• Integrations with CI/CD/DevOps

• Compliance ready workflows.

Pricing

• WAS starts at ~$1,995 per year for 25 web applications.

• VM/VMDR ~ $199 per asset/year for vulnerability management.

Reviews and ratings

Qualys WAS has a 4.3/5 rating on G2, with strong feedback on enterprise reporting and integration.

Why consider it

Qualys is a strong enterprise choice for organizations needing broad AppSec and vulnerability management, large number of web apps/APIs, and compliance.

7. Rapid7 InsightAppSec

Rapid7 InsightAppSec, part of the Rapid7 Insight Platform, delivers powerful DAST capabilities combined with lightweight IAST (Interactive Application Security Testing) for deeper insights.

The platform supports automated continuous testing and integrates smoothly into CI/CD pipelines, making it ideal for DevOps and SecOps teams focused on scalability.

Key features

• Cloud-based DAST/IAST style platform

• Integration into DevOps workflows

• Automated scheduling

• Incident response integration

• API security coverage

Pricing

• Starts at $175/mo per app

• Discounts are available for enterprise-level, large-scale deployments.

Reviews and ratings

Rapid7 InsightAppSec carries a 3.9/5 rating on G2.

Why consider it

InsightAppSec is a strong fit for security teams that already have mature infrastructure, need analytics, want dev-ops alignment and enterprise scale.

8. Acunetix

Acunetix is a long-standing web application security scanner known for its ease of use and broad vulnerability coverage, including the OWASP Top 10.

It provides automated scanning, reporting, and CI/CD integration with tools like Jenkins and Azure DevOps. However, its API testing capabilities are less advanced compared to modern DAST solutions like Beagle Security or APIsec.

Key features

• Web application scanner that blends DAST & IAST

• Can detect over 6,500+ vulnerabilities

• Coverage for OWASP Top 10 vulnerabilities

• Suitable for scanning web applications and APIs with less manual overhead

• Compliance reporting for frameworks like PCI DSS and GDPR

Pricing

• Professional tier : ~$449 per user/year

• Enterprise/large scale quote-based.

Reviews and ratings

Acunetix has a rating of 4.1/5 on G2 ,with focus on ease of setup and less false positives.

Why consider it

Acutenix is good for mid-sized teams wanting a reliable web/API scanner with good coverage and moderate cost.

9. OWASP ZAP (ZAP by Checkmarx)

ZAP, now officially “ZAP by Checkmarx,” remains a popular open-source DAST tool globally. In 2024, Checkmarx partnered with the ZAP Core Team, strengthening its roadmap while keeping the project free and community-driven under the Apache v2 license.

ZAP offers automated scanning, intercepting proxy functionality, and scriptable testing, making it a versatile choice for developers and testers learning or customizing their workflows.

Key features

• Open-source DAST tool maintained by OWASP.

• Free to use.

• Supports web application scanning, spidering and API fuzzing

• Has a lot of community plugins

• Good for manual or automated scanning, but requires more security expertise.

Pricing

• 100% free and open source.

Reviews and ratings

ZAP maintains a 4.7/5 rating on G2, with users applauding its no-cost flexibility and active development.

Why consider it

Zap is strong for teams with security expertise who want minimal licensing cost. It’s also great for smaller orgs with higher budget-constrains.

10. Tenable Web App Scanning

Tenable Web App Scanning (WAS) extends Tenable’s strong reputation in vulnerability management into application security.

It focuses on risk-based prioritization using Tenable’s Vulnerability Priority Rating (VPR) system, helping teams identify and fix issues that matter most.

Key features

• SaaS and on-prem DAST for web apps + APIs, unified with broader exposure management (via Tenable).

• Built for modern web apps (SPA, API), integrates vulnerability management, exposure visibility.

• Web application scanning

• Enterprise reporting and dashboards

Pricing

• Starts at $7,434 annually (5 FQDNs)

• Asset-based pricing model

• 30-day free trial available

Reviews and ratings

Tenable has a 4.5/5 rating on G2.

Why consider it

Tenable WAS is ideal for larger orgs with many web apps, API surface, hybrid/complex environments, and who prefer one vendor for exposure/security across assets.

Key factors to consider when choosing a StackHawk alternative

When evaluating alternatives to StackHawk, it’s important to look beyond just pricing or brand reputation. Here are the most critical factors to consider.

• Testing coverage & depth

  Ensure the tool supports your application stack including web apps, APIs (REST/GraphQL), SPAs, and microservices. Some tools emphasize broad vulnerability scanning, while others specialize in business logic and API testing.

• Integration with CI/CD Pipelines

  Choose a platform that fits seamlessly into your DevOps workflow, integrating with GitHub, Jenkins, GitLab, or Azure DevOps.

• Accuracy & false positives

  Accuracy matters more than scan volume. Look for vendors that provide contextual remediation guidance or AI-assisted triage to minimize false alarms.

• Authentication & access support

  Modern apps often use complex authentication like 2FA, SSO, or OAuth. Pick a DAST tool that can handle authenticated testing across user roles and sessions.

• Scalability & team management

  If you’re an enterprise or growing startup, you’ll need multi-user access, role-based controls, and scalable project management features.

• Reporting & compliance readiness

  Check whether the tool offers exportable reports aligned with frameworks such as OWASP Top 10, PCI DSS, ISO 27001, or SOC 2 to streamline compliance reviews.

• Pricing model & value for money

  Compare cost per app, per scan, or per contributor to ensure long-term affordability. Usage-based or API-count pricing often scales better than per-user licenses.

Final thoughts

Choosing the right StackHawk alternative ultimately depends on your organization’s security maturity, tech stack, and workflow priorities. While established tools like Burp Suite, Invicti, and Rapid7 excel in enterprise-grade scanning and manual validation, they often require higher budgets or dedicated security resources to manage effectively.

For teams seeking a modern, automated, and developer-friendly DAST solution, Beagle Security stands out as a strong contender. Its AI-driven testing, accurate vulnerability detection, and CI/CD-ready integrations make it ideal for organizations aiming to embed security seamlessly into their development lifecycle. Check out our 14-day advanced trial or play around with the interactive demo to see if we’re the right fit for you.

Written by

Mohammed Abin

Cybersecurity Engineer

Contributor

Mayookha S Shankar

Product Marketing Specialist