Acunetix API Security Testing vs Checkmarx API Security: 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.

Checkmarx API Security

Teams managing sprawling microservices architectures need Checkmarx API Security because it finds APIs buried in code and documentation that other tools skip entirely, then maps business risk onto each vulnerability instead of treating them equally. The tool discovers shadow and zombie APIs while integrating DAST findings into one inventory, covering NIST ID.AM and ID.RA functions that most API scanners leave incomplete. Skip this if your organization has fewer than a dozen APIs or runs a monolithic stack; the discovery and inventory overhead pays off only when you've lost visibility into your own endpoints.