Acunetix API Security Testing vs AppCheck API Scanner: Side-by-Side Comparison (2026)

Acunetix API Security Testing

Development teams and AppSec programs managing REST, SOAP, and GraphQL APIs across multiple environments should pick Acunetix API Security Testing for its ability to discover hidden and undocumented endpoints that standard scanners miss, then validate them at scale through continuous automated scanning integrated into CI/CD pipelines. The tool's IAST sensor delivers server-side context during testing, which matters when you need to confirm whether a detected vulnerability actually executes or stays theoretical. This is less valuable for organizations still building API inventory or those needing manual penetration testing depth; Acunetix assumes you know what you're protecting and want to run it fast and often.

AppCheck API Scanner

Security teams managing REST, SOAP, and GraphQL APIs across multiple domains will get the most from AppCheck API Scanner because it actually discovers endpoints instead of relying on incomplete specs, then tests authorization flaws that static scanners consistently miss. The fixture data generation from Swagger and GraphQL schemas, combined with HMAC and AWS v4 signing support, means you're scanning real API behavior rather than guessing payloads. Skip this if your APIs are behind strict API gateways or if you need post-breach response capabilities; AppCheck is built for vulnerability identification, not incident recovery.