# CyberSmart Active Protect vs Start Left® Security - Product-Centric VM: side-by-side comparison (2026) [CyberSmart Active Protect](https://cybersectools.com/tools/cybersmart-active-protect) is a commercial [vulnerability assessment](https://cybersectools.com/categories/vulnerability-assessment) solution by [CyberSmart](https://cybersectools.com/companies/cybersmart). [Start Left® Security - Product-Centric VM](https://cybersectools.com/tools/start-leftr-security-product-centric-vm) is a commercial [vulnerability assessment](https://cybersectools.com/categories/vulnerability-assessment) solution by [Start Left® Security](https://cybersectools.com/companies/start-leftr-security). Features, integrations, deployment and the company behind each one, side by side. ## Side-by-side comparison | | CyberSmart Active Protect | Start Left® Security - Product-Centric VM | |---|---|---| | Pricing model | Commercial | Commercial | | Category | Vulnerability Assessment | Vulnerability Assessment | | Verified | No | No | | Deployment type | On-Premises | Cloud | | Company size fit | Startup, SMB | SMB, Mid-Market, Enterprise | | Company | CyberSmart | Start Left® Security | | Headquarters | – | – | ### Use cases and capabilities | | CyberSmart Active Protect | Start Left® Security - Product-Centric VM | |---|---|---| | Policy | Yes | – | | BYOD | Yes | – | | Windows | Yes | – | | Vulnerability Prioritization | – | Yes | | SBOM | – | Yes | | SCA | – | Yes | ### Core features **CyberSmart Active Protect** 9 features listed. Sign in on the page to see them. **Start Left® Security - Product-Centric VM** 10 features listed. Sign in on the page to see them. ### Integrations **CyberSmart Active Protect** No integrations listed. **Start Left® Security - Product-Centric VM** 5 integrations listed. Sign in on the page to see them. ## Which one fits you Based on what each listing shows: deployment, company size, price and open source. - [CyberSmart Active Protect](https://cybersectools.com/tools/cybersmart-active-protect) fits if you need to run it on your own servers and you are a startup. - [Start Left® Security - Product-Centric VM](https://cybersectools.com/tools/start-leftr-security-product-centric-vm) fits if you want a cloud product and you are a mid-market company or an enterprise. ## CyberSmart Active Protect vs Start Left® Security - Product-Centric VM FAQ Common questions when comparing CyberSmart Active Protect vs Start Left® Security - Product-Centric VM for vulnerability assessment. ### What is the difference between CyberSmart Active Protect and Start Left® Security - Product-Centric VM? **CyberSmart Active Protect**: Desktop app for vuln scanning, policy mgmt & security awareness training. Built by CyberSmart. **Start Left® Security - Product-Centric VM**: Risk-based, product-centric VM platform with PIRATE® risk model. Built by Start Left® Security. The table above shows where their features, integrations, deployment and company size fit differ. ### Who makes CyberSmart Active Protect and Start Left® Security - Product-Centric VM? **CyberSmart Active Protect** is made by CyberSmart. **Start Left® Security - Product-Centric VM** is made by Start Left® Security. The vendor behind a product decides its roadmap, support, and longevity, so check each company's profile before you commit. ### Is CyberSmart Active Protect a good alternative to Start Left® Security - Product-Centric VM? Often, yes. CyberSmart Active Protect and Start Left® Security - Product-Centric VM are both Vulnerability Assessment products. Use the table above to see where features, deployment and company size fit differ. ## Related comparisons - [CyberSmart Active Protect vs Labrador Server Care](https://cybersectools.com/compare/cybersmart-active-protect-vs-labrador-server-care) - [CyberSmart Active Protect vs AI EdgeLabs Vulnerability Detection](https://cybersectools.com/compare/ai-edgelabs-vulnerability-detection-vs-cybersmart-active-protect) - [CyberSmart Active Protect vs Orca Cloud Vulnerability Management](https://cybersectools.com/compare/cybersmart-active-protect-vs-orca-cloud-vulnerability-management) - [Start Left® Security - Product-Centric VM vs Labrador Server Care](https://cybersectools.com/compare/labrador-server-care-vs-start-leftr-security-product-centric-vm) - [Start Left® Security - Product-Centric VM vs AI EdgeLabs Vulnerability Detection](https://cybersectools.com/compare/ai-edgelabs-vulnerability-detection-vs-start-leftr-security-product-centric-vm) - [Start Left® Security - Product-Centric VM vs Orca Cloud Vulnerability Management](https://cybersectools.com/compare/orca-cloud-vulnerability-management-vs-start-leftr-security-product-centric-vm) ## Alternatives to each - [See all CyberSmart Active Protect alternatives](https://cybersectools.com/alternatives/cybersmart-active-protect) - [See all Start Left® Security - Product-Centric VM alternatives](https://cybersectools.com/alternatives/start-leftr-security-product-centric-vm) --- Source: https://cybersectools.com/compare/cybersmart-active-protect-vs-start-leftr-security-product-centric-vm For AI agents: each product above has its own Markdown page (add .md to its URL, for example https://cybersectools.com/tools/cybersmart-active-protect.md). Every CybersecTools shortlist is listed at https://cybersectools.com/shortlists.md. More on CyberSmart Active Protect and Start Left® Security - Product-Centric VM: 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