{"question": "best vulnerability scanning tools for small businesses", "category": "vulnerability-scanning-tools", "category_name": "vulnerability scanning tools", "audience": "small-businesses", "audience_name": "small businesses", "engine": "Claude (Anthropic) with web search", "model": "claude-opus-5", "asked_at": "2026-10-16T22:26:57Z", "permalink": "https://bikoosh.com/answers/s/vulnerability-scanning-tools-small-businesses-2026-10-16", "question_page": "https://bikoosh.com/answers/q/vulnerability-scanning-tools/small-businesses", "brands_named": [{"position": 1, "brand": "Intruder", "label": "recommended"}, {"position": 2, "brand": "G2", "label": "recommended"}, {"position": 3, "brand": "Tenable Nessus", "label": "recommended"}, {"position": 4, "brand": "Tenable Nessus Professional", "label": "recommended"}, {"position": 5, "brand": "Nessus Professional", "label": "recommended"}, {"position": 6, "brand": "Professional", "label": "recommended"}, {"position": 7, "brand": "Greenbone OpenVAS", "label": "recommended"}, {"position": 8, "brand": "OpenVAS", "label": "recommended"}, {"position": 9, "brand": "Community Edition", "label": "recommended"}, {"position": 10, "brand": "Pentest-Tools.com", "label": "recommended"}, {"position": 11, "brand": "Astra Security", "label": "recommended"}, {"position": 12, "brand": "Snyk", "label": "recommended"}, {"position": 13, "brand": "Qualys", "label": "recommended"}], "sources_cited": [{"url": "https://www.g2.com/categories/vulnerability-scanner/small-business", "domain": "g2.com", "source_type": "review"}, {"url": "https://www.g2.com/compare/qualys-was-vs-tenable-nessus-vs-intruder", "domain": "g2.com", "source_type": "review"}, {"url": "https://cipherssecurity.com/tenable-nessus-pricing-2026-editions-costs/", "domain": "cipherssecurity.com", "source_type": "other"}, {"url": "https://www.getastra.com/blog/dast/vulnerability-scanning-for-smbs/", "domain": "getastra.com", "source_type": "other"}, {"url": "https://www.esecurityplanet.com/networks/smb-vulnerability-scanner/", "domain": "esecurityplanet.com", "source_type": "other"}, {"url": "https://www.greenbone.net/en/blog/greenbone-enterprise-products-lead-all-network-vulnerability-scanners/", "domain": "greenbone.net", "source_type": "vendor"}, {"url": "https://www.g2.com/compare/openvas-vs-pentest-tools-com", "domain": "g2.com", "source_type": "review"}, {"url": "https://www.intruder.io/blog/the-top-vulnerability-scanning-tools", "domain": "intruder.io", "source_type": "vendor"}], "answer_text": "# Vulnerability scanners for small businesses\n\nHere's what I'd actually recommend, roughly in the order I'd try them:\n\n**1. Intruder** - My default recommendation for most small businesses. It's built for exactly your situation: continuous external scanning of your internet-facing stuff, automatic rescans when new CVEs drop, and reports you can hand to a client or auditor. Starts around **$149/month**, and it has the best ease-of-setup and support scores in its class (4.8/5 on G2, with the majority of reviews coming from small businesses). You don't need a security team to run it.\n\n**2. Tenable Nessus Professional** - The industry standard for depth. If you have an internal network with servers, workstations, and network gear to audit, nothing beats it for coverage and CVSS-based detail. The catch is price and effort: **~$4,790/year** per scanner, plus $400 if you want 24/7 support. It's a tool, not a service - it finds things and hands you a list. Worth it if someone on your team will actually work the findings.\n\n**3. Greenbone OpenVAS (Community Edition)** - The free option, and genuinely good. Over 160,000 vulnerability tests covering CVEs, misconfigurations, and default credent", "answer_truncated": true, "measurement": "One answer from one engine on one date. Not a ranking and not a claim about the world; brands the engine did not name are not recorded.", "limitation": "Coverage: Claude (Anthropic) with web search. Other engines not included.", "alerts": {"name": "Answer Watch Pro", "price_usd": 79, "period": "month", "gets": "daily change alerts for up to 5 brands in what one AI answer engine says, history, CSV export. Coverage: Claude (Anthropic) with web search. Other engines not included", "url": "https://bikoosh.com/answers"}}