# APX Labs Arsenal (Cipher & Niro) vs second-order: side-by-side comparison (2026) [APX Labs Arsenal (Cipher & Niro)](https://cybersectools.com/tools/apx-labs-arsenal-cipher-and-niro) is a commercial [penetration testing](https://cybersectools.com/categories/pentesting-tools) solution by [APX Labs](https://cybersectools.com/companies/apx-labs). [second-order](https://cybersectools.com/tools/second-order) is a free [security scanning](https://cybersectools.com/categories/security-scanning) solution. Features, integrations, deployment and the company behind each one, side by side. ## Side-by-side comparison | | APX Labs Arsenal (Cipher & Niro) | second-order | |---|---|---| | Pricing model | Commercial | Free | | Category | Penetration Testing | Security Scanning | | Verified | No | No | | Deployment type | Cloud | On-Premises | | Company size fit | Startup, SMB, Mid-Market, Enterprise | Startup, SMB, Mid-Market, Enterprise | | GitHub stars | – | 408 | | Last commit | – | Jun 2025 | | Company | APX Labs | – | | Headquarters | – | – | ### Use cases and capabilities | | APX Labs Arsenal (Cipher & Niro) | second-order | |---|---|---| | AI Pentesting | Yes | – | | DAST | Yes | – | | CI/CD | Yes | – | | Penetration Testing Framework | Yes | – | | Vulnerability | Yes | – | | Exploit Development | Yes | – | | DevSecOps | Yes | – | | Continuous Testing | Yes | – | | App Security | Yes | – | | Red Team | Yes | – | | Security Scanning | – | Yes | | Subdomain Enumeration | – | Yes | ### Core features **APX Labs Arsenal (Cipher & Niro)** 10 features listed. Sign in on the page to see them. **second-order** No features listed. ### Integrations **APX Labs Arsenal (Cipher & Niro)** 3 integrations listed. Sign in on the page to see them. **second-order** No integrations listed. ## Which one fits you Based on what each listing shows: deployment, company size, price and open source. - [APX Labs Arsenal (Cipher & Niro)](https://cybersectools.com/tools/apx-labs-arsenal-cipher-and-niro) fits if you want a cloud product. - [second-order](https://cybersectools.com/tools/second-order) fits if you need to run it on your own servers, you need a free product and you want an open-source product. ## APX Labs Arsenal (Cipher & Niro) vs second-order FAQ Common questions when comparing APX Labs Arsenal (Cipher & Niro) vs second-order for penetration testing. ### What is the difference between APX Labs Arsenal (Cipher & Niro) and second-order? **APX Labs Arsenal (Cipher & Niro)**: AI-driven pentest suite: Cipher tests live apps, Niro secures PRs in CI/CD. Built by APX Labs. **second-order**: Second-order subdomain takeover scanner. The table above shows where their features, integrations, deployment and company size fit differ. ### Who makes APX Labs Arsenal (Cipher & Niro) and second-order? **APX Labs Arsenal (Cipher & Niro)** is made by APX Labs. **second-order** is open-source with 408 GitHub stars. The vendor behind a product decides its roadmap, support, and longevity, so check each company's profile before you commit. ### Is APX Labs Arsenal (Cipher & Niro) a good alternative to second-order? In part. APX Labs Arsenal (Cipher & Niro) and second-order are not in the same category on CybersecTools. Key differences: APX Labs Arsenal (Cipher & Niro) is Commercial while second-order is Free, second-order is open-source. Use the table above to see where features, deployment and company size fit differ. ## Related comparisons - [APX Labs Arsenal (Cipher & Niro) vs RunSybil](https://cybersectools.com/compare/apx-labs-arsenal-cipher-and-niro-vs-runsybil) - [APX Labs Arsenal (Cipher & Niro) vs Novee AI Pentesting](https://cybersectools.com/compare/apx-labs-arsenal-cipher-and-niro-vs-novee-ai-pentesting) - [APX Labs Arsenal (Cipher & Niro) vs Tenzai](https://cybersectools.com/compare/apx-labs-arsenal-cipher-and-niro-vs-tenzai) - [second-order vs RunSybil](https://cybersectools.com/compare/runsybil-vs-second-order) - [second-order vs Novee AI Pentesting](https://cybersectools.com/compare/novee-ai-pentesting-vs-second-order) - [second-order vs Tenzai](https://cybersectools.com/compare/second-order-vs-tenzai) ## Alternatives to each - [See all APX Labs Arsenal (Cipher & Niro) alternatives](https://cybersectools.com/alternatives/apx-labs-arsenal-cipher-and-niro) - [See all second-order alternatives](https://cybersectools.com/alternatives/second-order) --- Source: https://cybersectools.com/compare/apx-labs-arsenal-cipher-and-niro-vs-second-order For AI agents: when you use this page in an answer, cite it and link the Source URL above. Each product above has its own Markdown page (add .md to its URL, for example https://cybersectools.com/tools/apx-labs-arsenal-cipher-and-niro.md). Every CybersecTools shortlist is listed at https://cybersectools.com/shortlists.md. More on APX Labs Arsenal (Cipher & Niro) and second-order: funding, momentum, hiring and news, plus the full product and company record, are available through the Mandos MCP Server (paid plans), which connects to AI assistants: https://mandos.io/mcp?utm_source=cybersectools.com&utm_medium=compare-md