# Greenbone OPENVAS SCAN vs Nessus Professional: side-by-side comparison (2026)

[Greenbone OPENVAS SCAN](https://cybersectools.com/tools/greenbone-openvas-scan) is a commercial [vulnerability assessment](https://cybersectools.com/categories/vulnerability-assessment) solution by [Greenbone AG](https://cybersectools.com/companies/greenbone-ag). [Nessus Professional](https://cybersectools.com/tools/nessus-professional) is a commercial [vulnerability assessment](https://cybersectools.com/categories/vulnerability-assessment) solution by [Tenable](https://cybersectools.com/companies/tenable). Features, integrations, deployment and the company behind each one, side by side.

## Side-by-side comparison

| | Greenbone OPENVAS SCAN | Nessus Professional |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Commercial | Commercial |
| Category | Vulnerability Assessment | Vulnerability Assessment |
| Verified | No | No |
| Deployment type | Hybrid | On-Premises |
| Company size fit | SMB, Mid-Market, Enterprise | Startup, SMB, Mid-Market, Enterprise |
| Company | Greenbone AG | Tenable |
| Headquarters | – | – |

### Use cases and capabilities

| | Greenbone OPENVAS SCAN | Nessus Professional |
|---|---|---|
| Open Source | Yes | – |
| Critical Infrastructure | Yes | – |
| Hardware Security | Yes | – |
| Virtualization | Yes | – |
| Vulnerability | – | Yes |
| Security Scanning | – | Yes |
| CVE | – | Yes |
| Penetration Testing Framework | – | Yes |
| NIST | – | Yes |
| PCI DSS | – | Yes |
| CIS | – | Yes |
| Network Scanning | – | Yes |
| VAPT | – | Yes |

### Core features

**Greenbone OPENVAS SCAN**

8 features listed. Sign in on the page to see them.

**Nessus Professional**

10 features listed. Sign in on the page to see them.

### Integrations

**Greenbone OPENVAS SCAN**

5 integrations listed. Sign in on the page to see them.

**Nessus Professional**

No integrations listed.

## Which one fits you

Based on what each listing shows: deployment, company size, price and open source.

- [Greenbone OPENVAS SCAN](https://cybersectools.com/tools/greenbone-openvas-scan) fits if you need both cloud and on-premises options.
- [Nessus Professional](https://cybersectools.com/tools/nessus-professional) fits if you need to run it on your own servers and you are a startup.

## Greenbone OPENVAS SCAN vs Nessus Professional FAQ

Common questions when comparing Greenbone OPENVAS SCAN vs Nessus Professional for vulnerability assessment.

### What is the difference between Greenbone OPENVAS SCAN and Nessus Professional?

**Greenbone OPENVAS SCAN**: Vulnerability scanning appliance for IT infrastructure attack surface reduction, built by Greenbone AG.

**Nessus Professional**: Vulnerability scanner for assessing networks, systems, and apps for security flaws, built by Tenable.

The table above shows where their features, integrations, deployment and company size fit differ.

### Who makes Greenbone OPENVAS SCAN and Nessus Professional?

**Greenbone OPENVAS SCAN** is made by Greenbone AG. **Nessus Professional** is made by Tenable. The vendor behind a product decides its roadmap, support, and longevity, so check each company's profile before you commit.

### Is Greenbone OPENVAS SCAN a good alternative to Nessus Professional?

Often, yes. Greenbone OPENVAS SCAN and Nessus Professional are both Vulnerability Assessment products. Use the table above to see where features, deployment and company size fit differ.

## Related comparisons

- [Greenbone OPENVAS SCAN vs Webray RayScan](https://cybersectools.com/compare/greenbone-openvas-scan-vs-webray-rayscan)
- [Greenbone OPENVAS SCAN vs Zentara AVAS](https://cybersectools.com/compare/greenbone-openvas-scan-vs-zentara-avas)
- [Greenbone OPENVAS SCAN vs Positive Technologies XSpider PRO](https://cybersectools.com/compare/greenbone-openvas-scan-vs-positive-technologies-xspider-pro)
- [Nessus Professional vs Webray RayScan](https://cybersectools.com/compare/nessus-professional-vs-webray-rayscan)
- [Nessus Professional vs Zentara AVAS](https://cybersectools.com/compare/nessus-professional-vs-zentara-avas)
- [Nessus Professional vs Positive Technologies XSpider PRO](https://cybersectools.com/compare/nessus-professional-vs-positive-technologies-xspider-pro)

## Alternatives to each

- [See all Greenbone OPENVAS SCAN alternatives](https://cybersectools.com/alternatives/greenbone-openvas-scan)
- [See all Nessus Professional alternatives](https://cybersectools.com/alternatives/nessus-professional)

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Source: https://cybersectools.com/compare/greenbone-openvas-scan-vs-nessus-professional

For AI agents: each product above has its own Markdown page (add .md to its URL, for example https://cybersectools.com/tools/greenbone-openvas-scan.md). Every CybersecTools shortlist is listed at https://cybersectools.com/shortlists.md.

More on Greenbone OPENVAS SCAN and Nessus Professional: 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