Top 10 Best Dynamic Application Security Testing (DAST) Platforms in 2025

1. Acunetix

Why We Picked It:

We selected Acunetix as a top DAST platform because of its strong reputation for accuracy and its unique “AcuSensor” technology.

This technology combines black-box testing with feedback from a sensor in the source code, reducing false positives and providing more precise remediation information.

The platform is user-friendly and can be quickly integrated into an organization’s existing workflows, making it a great choice for teams of all sizes.

Specifications:

Acunetix offers a DAST engine, AcuSensor technology, and a web-based management console.

Key features include vulnerability scanning for over 7,000 vulnerabilities, extensive support for modern web technologies (SPAs, REST APIs), and detailed compliance reporting for standards like OWASP Top 10 and HIPAA.

It can be deployed both on-premises and in the cloud.

Reason to Buy:

If you need a reliable, accurate, and easy-to-use DAST solution, Acunetix is an excellent choice.

It is particularly well-suited for organizations that want to reduce false positives and get actionable remediation advice without the complexity of some other platforms.

Its hybrid scanning approach provides a level of precision that traditional DAST tools can’t match.

Features:

• AcuSensor Technology: Combines DAST with IAST for enhanced accuracy.
• Proof-Based Scanning: Automatically verifies vulnerabilities to reduce false positives.
• Extensive Vulnerability Coverage: Scans for a wide range of vulnerabilities, including the OWASP Top 10.
• CI/CD Integration: Integrates with popular tools like Jenkins and Jira.
• Compliance Reporting: Provides reports for various compliance standards.

Pros:

• High accuracy and low false-positive rate.
• User-friendly interface and easy to set up.
• Powerful hybrid scanning with AcuSensor.
• Excellent support for modern web technologies.

Cons:

• May be more expensive than some competitors.
• Can have a steep learning curve for advanced features.

✅ Best For: Organizations that need a highly accurate DAST scanner with a focus on reducing false positives and a user-friendly interface.

🔗 Try Acunetix here → Acunetix Official Website

2. Burp Suite

Why We Picked It:

Burp Suite is a top contender because of its unparalleled depth and customization options.

We chose it for its ability to simulate highly complex and nuanced attacks, making it the tool of choice for security professionals who need to go beyond a basic automated scan.

The recent enhancements to its DAST engine, including parallel crawling and auditing, have made it an even more powerful solution for enterprise-scale security testing.

Specifications:

Burp Suite offers a powerful DAST engine with an extensive library of attack signatures.

It provides a highly configurable scanner, a rich set of manual testing tools (proxy, repeater, intruder), and robust collaboration features.

It can be deployed both as a desktop application (Burp Suite Professional) and as a cloud-based solution for enterprise-scale scanning (Burp Suite DAST).

Reason to Buy:

If your security team includes experienced penetration testers or you need a DAST tool that offers deep technical control and a wide range of manual testing capabilities, Burp Suite is the gold standard.

It is ideal for organizations that want to conduct thorough, in-depth security assessments and not just rely on automated scanning.

Features:

• Powerful Scanner: Highly configurable and accurate DAST engine.
• Manual Testing Tools: A full suite of tools for in-depth manual analysis.
• Extensive Integration: Integrates with popular CI/CD and project management tools.
• Parallel Scanning: Crawls and audits simultaneously for faster results.
• Advanced API Scanning: Supports modern APIs with complex authentication flows.

Pros:

• The gold standard for penetration testers.
• Unparalleled depth and customization.
• Powerful manual testing capabilities.
• A massive community and a wealth of resources.

Cons:

• Can be complex for less-experienced users.
• Requires a certain level of security expertise to get the most out of it.

✅ Best For: Professional penetration testers, security researchers, and organizations that need a powerful, customizable DAST solution for in-depth security assessments.

🔗 Try Burp Suite here → Burp Suite Official Website

3. Rapid7

Why We Picked It:

Rapid7 InsightAppSec is a top-tier DAST tool because of its powerful automation capabilities and its focus on a simplified user experience.

We chose it for its “Universal Translator” feature, which allows the scanner to understand and test modern, complex web technologies with ease.

Its seamless integration with the rest of the Rapid7 Insight platform makes it an excellent choice for organizations that need a unified security solution.

Specifications:

InsightAppSec provides a cloud-based DAST engine, a “Universal Translator” for modern technologies, and a dashboard for centralized vulnerability management.

It offers over 95 attack types, supports API and SPA scanning, and integrates with popular tools like Jira and Jenkins.

Reason to Buy:

If you need a user-friendly, cloud-based DAST solution that can handle modern web applications and integrate seamlessly into your DevOps workflow, InsightAppSec is an excellent choice.

It is ideal for teams that want to automate security testing and get actionable, prioritized results with minimal effort.

Features:

• Universal Translator: Accurately tests modern web applications and APIs.
• Simplified UX: Intuitive interface for easy setup and management.
• CI/CD Integration: Automates security testing within the development pipeline.
• Risk Prioritization: Prioritizes vulnerabilities based on real-world risk.
• Centralized Dashboard: Provides a unified view of all vulnerabilities.

Pros:

• Excellent for DevOps and continuous security.
• User-friendly and easy to deploy.
• Strong focus on risk prioritization.
• Seamless integration with the Rapid7 platform.

Cons:

• Less customizable than Burp Suite for advanced users.
• Can be a significant investment.

✅ Best For: Organizations that need a scalable, cloud-based DAST solution that integrates easily into a DevOps environment.

🔗 Try Rapid7 InsightAppSec here → Rapid7 InsightAppSec Official Website

4. Invicti

Why We Picked It:

Invicti stands out for its unique “Proof-Based Scanning” approach, which is a significant game-changer in the DAST space.

We chose it because this technology automatically generates a proof of a vulnerability’s existence, such as a screenshot of a cross-site scripting payload or a snippet of data from a SQL database.

This eliminates the need for manual verification and gives development teams immediate confidence in the findings, accelerating the remediation process.

Specifications:

Invicti offers a DAST engine with Proof-Based Scanning, comprehensive case management, and a unified dashboard for all application security testing.

It provides extensive support for a wide range of web technologies and APIs, integrates with CI/CD tools, and offers detailed reporting for compliance.

Reason to Buy:

If you are tired of chasing false positives and want a DAST tool that provides undeniable proof of vulnerabilities, Invicti is an excellent choice.

It is ideal for organizations that want to streamline their vulnerability management process and improve collaboration between security and development teams.

Features:

• Proof-Based Scanning: Automatically verifies vulnerabilities to eliminate false positives.
• Unified Platform: Combines DAST, IAST, and SCA for comprehensive coverage.
• Comprehensive Reporting: Provides detailed reports for compliance and remediation.
• CI/CD Integration: Integrates seamlessly into the development pipeline.
• Extensive API Scanning: Scans all major API types (REST, SOAP, GraphQL).

Pros:

• Near-zero false positives.
• Automates the entire vulnerability verification process.
• Strong focus on collaboration and developer experience.
• Excellent for a unified AppSec strategy.

Cons:

• Can be a more expensive solution.
• May be more than what some smaller teams need.

✅ Best For: Organizations that want to eliminate false positives and accelerate vulnerability remediation with a single, comprehensive platform.

🔗 Try Invicti here → Invicti Official Website

5. AppCheck

Why We Picked It:

We chose AppCheck because of its unique approach to DAST it’s essentially a platform that automates the work of a professional penetration tester.

This “automated penetration testing” approach allows it to find vulnerabilities that other tools miss, providing a level of depth and accuracy that is rare in the DAST market.

Its focus on detailed remediation advice also makes it a great choice for development teams.

Specifications:

AppCheck offers an automated penetration testing engine, a user-friendly management console, and a comprehensive vulnerability management platform.

It provides automated crawling for complex applications (SPAs), supports multi-stage authentication, and offers detailed, professional-style reports.

Reason to Buy:

If you need a DAST tool that provides the depth and accuracy of a manual penetration test without the associated costs and time, AppCheck is an excellent choice.

It is ideal for organizations that want to find hard-to-detect vulnerabilities and get actionable, expert-level remediation advice.

Features:

• Automated Penetration Testing: Emulates a manual penetration test to find hidden vulnerabilities.
• Advanced Authentication: Supports complex authentication flows and session management.
• Concise Vulnerability Management: Tracks and manages vulnerabilities with easy-to-understand advice.
• CI/CD Integration: Integrates into build servers and CI/CD pipelines.
• Professional Reporting: Generates in-depth penetration test-style reports.

Pros:

• Highly accurate and finds vulnerabilities other tools miss.
• Built by and for penetration testing experts.
• Excellent support for modern, complex web applications.
• Provides detailed, actionable remediation advice.

Cons:

• Pricing can be high.
• Less known brand compared to some competitors.

✅ Best For: Organizations that need a DAST tool with the accuracy and depth of a manual penetration test.

🔗 Try AppCheck here → AppCheck Official Website

6. Detectify

Why We Picked It:

Detectify’s crowdsourced vulnerability research is its most significant advantage.

We chose it because its “Crowdsource” platform provides access to a constantly updated knowledge base of the latest exploits and vulnerabilities, which a traditional security vendor might not find as quickly.

This ensures that the scanner is always up-to-date and can find even the newest and most sophisticated threats.

Specifications:

Detectify offers a DAST engine powered by its crowdsourced research, an intuitive dashboard, and continuous scanning for web applications and subdomains.

It provides automated vulnerability triage, detailed reports with remediation advice, and integrations with DevOps tools. It is a cloud-based solution.

Reason to Buy:

If you need a DAST tool that is constantly updated with the latest threat intelligence and can find emerging vulnerabilities, Detectify is an excellent choice.

It is ideal for organizations that want to stay ahead of the curve and protect their external attack surface with a proactive scanning solution.

Features:

• Crowdsourced Vulnerability Research: Constantly updated with the latest threats from ethical hackers.
• Continuous Scanning: Monitors your assets and alerts you to new vulnerabilities as they appear.
• Automated Asset Discovery: Finds forgotten and unknown web assets.
• CI/CD Integration: Integrates seamlessly into your development pipeline.
• Simplified Reporting: Provides clear, actionable reports with minimal false positives.

Pros:

• Uniquely positioned to find new and emerging vulnerabilities.
• High-quality vulnerability detection and low false positives.
• Excellent for continuous monitoring of your external attack surface.
• Simple to use with a clean user interface.

Cons:

• Less customizable than some competitors.
• Only available as a cloud-based solution.

✅ Best For: Organizations that want a DAST tool with a focus on continuous, crowdsourced threat intelligence and emerging vulnerabilities.

🔗 Try Detectify here → Detectify Official Website

7. Intruder

Why We Picked It:

We selected Intruder for its exceptional user experience and its focus on simplicity. For many small to mid-sized businesses, complex security tools can be a barrier to adoption.

Intruder makes vulnerability scanning effortless with its straightforward setup, automated scans, and clear, prioritized reporting.

Its ability to show you what you need to fix first, and provide actionable advice, is a significant advantage.

Specifications:

Intruder offers a cloud-based DAST and network vulnerability scanner, continuous monitoring, and a prioritized dashboard.

Key features include automated scanning, easy-to-understand reports, and a “Smart Reconnaissance” engine that finds new assets.

Reason to Buy:

If you are a small to mid-sized business or a team that needs a powerful but simple vulnerability scanner, Intruder is a perfect choice.

It is ideal for organizations that want to get up and running with security testing quickly and easily, without a steep learning curve or complex configurations.

Features:

• Simplicity: Incredibly easy to set up and use.
• Continuous Monitoring: Monitors your assets and alerts you to new threats.
• Smart Prioritization: Prioritizes vulnerabilities based on risk and exploitability.
• Actionable Reporting: Provides clear and concise remediation advice.
• Integrated with DevOps: Integrates with Slack, Jira, and other tools.

Pros:

• Very easy to use and intuitive.
• Excellent for small and mid-sized businesses.
• Strong focus on providing actionable, prioritized results.
• Reliable and accurate scanning.

Cons:

• Less customizable for large, complex enterprise environments.
• May lack some of the deeper features of more complex platforms.

✅ Best For: Small to mid-sized businesses and teams that need a simple, reliable, and powerful vulnerability scanner.

🔗 Try Intruder here → Intruder Official Website

8. Qualys

Why We Picked It:

Qualys WAS is a leading DAST tool because of its robust feature set and its seamless integration with the broader Qualys platform.

We chose it for its ability to provide a complete view of an organization’s security posture, from network devices to web applications, all from a single dashboard.

Its powerful scanning engine, along with features like authenticated scanning and API support, makes it a reliable choice for enterprise-level security.

Specifications:

Qualys WAS offers a cloud-based DAST engine, a centralized management console, and a wide range of features.

It provides comprehensive scanning for web applications, APIs, and microservices, authenticated scanning, and detailed reporting. It integrates with the Qualys Cloud Platform for a unified security view.

Reason to Buy:

If your organization is already a Qualys customer or you need a comprehensive, cloud-based DAST solution that integrates with a wider security platform, Qualys WAS is an excellent choice.

It is ideal for teams that want to consolidate their security tools and get a single, unified view of their vulnerabilities.

Features:

• Unified Security View: Integrates with the Qualys Cloud Platform for a holistic security posture.
• Comprehensive Scanning: Scans for a wide range of web vulnerabilities, including the OWASP Top 10.
• Authenticated Scanning: Supports complex authentication schemes for deeper testing.
• API Scanning: Scans for vulnerabilities in web APIs and microservices.
• Detailed Reporting: Provides reports for various compliance standards.

Pros:

• Seamless integration with the Qualys Cloud Platform.
• Scalable and can handle large-scale enterprise environments.
• Robust and comprehensive feature set.
• Strong focus on compliance and reporting.

Cons:

• Can be more complex to set up and manage than simpler solutions.
• Pricing can be high for some organizations.

✅ Best For: Enterprise organizations that need a comprehensive, cloud-based DAST solution that is part of a broader security platform.

🔗 Try Qualys Web Application Scanning here → Qualys Web Application Scanning Official Website

9. OWASP ZAP

Why We Picked It:

OWASP ZAP is on this list for a simple reason: it is the best free and open-source DAST tool available.

We chose it because it provides a powerful, customizable, and feature-rich platform for web security testing without the high cost of commercial alternatives.

Its active community and constant updates ensure that it remains a relevant and effective tool for finding vulnerabilities.

Specifications:

OWASP ZAP offers a free and open-source DAST engine, a desktop GUI, and a command-line interface for automation.

Key features include a traditional spider, an AJAX spider for modern applications, and a rich set of add-ons for extended functionality.

Reason to Buy:

If you are a student, a small business on a tight budget, or a developer who wants to get started with security testing, OWASP ZAP is an excellent choice.

It is ideal for teams that have the technical expertise to set up and customize a tool and are willing to contribute to the open-source community.

Features:

• Free and Open-Source: No cost to use, with a large and active community.
• Highly Customizable: A wide range of add-ons and scripting options.
• Extensive Scanning: Scans for the OWASP Top 10 and a wide range of other vulnerabilities.
• CI/CD Integration: Can be integrated into the development pipeline.
• Cross-Platform: Available for Windows, macOS, and Linux.

Pros:

• Completely free and open-source.
• Highly customizable and extendable.
• Excellent for learning and security research.
• A large and supportive community.

Cons:

• Requires more technical expertise to set up and use effectively.
• Lacks professional support and a commercial SLA.
• Can have a higher rate of false positives compared to commercial tools.

✅ Best For: Developers, students, and organizations with a tight budget that have the technical expertise to use an open-source tool.

🔗 Try OWASP ZAP here → OWASP ZAP Official Website

10. HCL AppScan

Why We Picked It:

HCL AppScan is a top choice because it provides a comprehensive, all-in-one solution for application security testing.

We chose it for its ability to combine DAST with other testing methods, giving organizations a unified platform to find vulnerabilities across the entire development lifecycle.

Its powerful DAST engine, along with a focus on risk management and reporting, makes it a reliable choice for large enterprises.

Specifications:

HCL AppScan offers a DAST engine, SAST, IAST, and SCA, all within a single platform.

It provides a centralized dashboard for vulnerability management, detailed reporting, and integrations with a wide range of development and security tools.

It can be deployed both on-premises and in the cloud.

Reason to Buy:

If your organization needs a complete application security testing solution that includes DAST, SAST, and other capabilities, HCL AppScan is an excellent choice.

It is ideal for large enterprises that want to consolidate their security tools and get a unified view of their application risk.

Features:

• Unified Platform: Combines DAST, SAST, IAST, and SCA.
• Comprehensive Reporting: Provides detailed reports for compliance and risk management.
• Advanced Scanning: Scans for a wide range of vulnerabilities, including the OWASP Top 10.
• CI/CD Integration: Integrates into the development pipeline for continuous security testing.
• Risk Management: Prioritizes vulnerabilities based on business risk.

Pros:

• A complete, all-in-one AppSec solution.
• Excellent for large enterprises.
• Strong focus on risk management and reporting.
• Can be deployed both on-premises and in the cloud.

Cons:

• Can be a complex solution to set up and manage.
• Can be more expensive than single-purpose tools.

✅ Best For: Large enterprises that need a comprehensive, all-in-one application security testing solution.

🔗 Try HCL AppScan here → HCL AppScan Official Website

Conclusion

The landscape of application security is constantly evolving, and Dynamic Application Security Testing (DAST) remains a critical component of any effective security strategy.

The DAST tools reviewed in this article represent the best in the industry, each with a unique approach to finding and mitigating vulnerabilities.

Whether you need the in-depth capabilities of Burp Suite, the accuracy and ease of use of Invicti, or the simplicity of Intruder, the right solution for your organization is on this list.

By choosing a DAST platform that aligns with your team’s expertise, development workflow, and budget, you can empower your security team to proactively find and fix vulnerabilities, ensuring a safer and more resilient digital future.