Atera Network Discovery vs Nessus Professional: Side-by-Side Comparison (2026)

Atera Network Discovery

SMB and mid-market IT teams already running Atera's RMM will find genuine value in Network Discovery because it eliminates the separate tool tax for basic asset inventory and CVE scanning. The NMAP-powered scanning integrates directly into your existing RMM workflows, cutting the overhead of maintaining a standalone vulnerability scanner. Where it falls short is in forensic depth; this is asset discovery and port-based CVE detection, not a replacement for active vulnerability assessment tools like Nessus or Qualys that fingerprint software versions and test exploitability. Worth deploying if you need continuous visibility into what's connecting to your network. Not worth it if you're already committed to a dedicated CVSS-scoring vulnerability platform.

Nessus Professional

Security teams at startups and SMBs who need unlimited IP scanning without per-asset licensing will find Nessus Professional the most cost-effective entry point to credentialed vulnerability assessment. The continuously updated plugin library and support for air-gapped environments mean you're not locked into cloud connectivity or paying overage fees as your infrastructure grows. Skip this if your organization needs integrated threat intelligence, remediation orchestration, or multi-tenant management; Nessus Professional is purpose-built for vulnerability discovery, not response automation.