Amazon Inspector vs Rapid7 Metasploit comparison

Amazon Web Services (AWS) and Rapid7 are both solutions in the Vulnerability Management category. Amazon Web Services (AWS) is ranked #25 with an average rating of 8.6, while Rapid7 is ranked #22 with an average rating of 9.3. Amazon Web Services (AWS) holds a 1.1% mindshare in VM, compared to Rapid7’s 2.2% mindshare. Additionally, 90% of Amazon Web Services (AWS) users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 95% of Rapid7 users who would recommend it.

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Download the report

Executive SummaryUpdated on Oct 9, 2024

Rapid7 Metasploit and Amazon Inspector are competitive products in security testing and vulnerability management. Rapid7 Metasploit often leads in user satisfaction due to favorable pricing and support, while Amazon Inspector's comprehensive features make it the preferred choice for enterprises seeking robust functionality.

Features: Rapid7 Metasploit offers an extensive exploit library, excellent penetration testing capabilities, and adaptability for customizable tasks. Amazon Inspector provides automated vulnerability assessments, seamless integration with AWS, and continuous monitoring, making it suitable for cloud-based environments.

Room for Improvement: Rapid7 Metasploit could enhance its automation capabilities, expand native cloud integrations, and improve scalability for large environments. Amazon Inspector would benefit from a more extensive exploit library, detailed reporting features, and improved functionality outside AWS-specific environments.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Rapid7 Metasploit allows flexible on-premises deployment, supporting tailored penetration tasks with noted responsive customer service. Amazon Inspector integrates directly with AWS services, offering streamlined automated deployment and efficient customer service through AWS support channels, simplifying operations for cloud-centric businesses.

Pricing and ROI: Rapid7 Metasploit may have higher upfront licensing costs but delivers strong ROI through advanced testing capabilities. Amazon Inspector offers cost-effective, consumption-based pricing, appealing to cloud-focused users by providing excellent ROI through its automated, cloud-native functionality.

To learn more, read our detailed Amazon Inspector vs. Rapid7 Metasploit Report (Updated: June 2026).

Buyer's Guide

Amazon Inspector vs. Rapid7 Metasploit

June 2026

Download the complete report

Helped 904,016 peers since 2012

Review summaries and opinions

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:

Categories and Ranking

Qualys TotalCloud

Mindshare comparison

As of July 2026, in the Vulnerability Management category, the mindshare of Qualys TotalCloud is 1.1%, up from 1.0% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Amazon Inspector is 1.1%, down from 2.5% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Rapid7 Metasploit is 2.2%, up from 1.3% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Vulnerability Management Mindshare Distribution
Product	Mindshare (%)
Qualys TotalCloud	1.1%
Rapid7 Metasploit	2.2%
Amazon Inspector	1.1%
Other	95.6%

Vulnerability Management

Featured Reviews

Robert Orłowski

IT Security Expert at Alior Bank S.A.

Unified risk scoring has improved our cloud visibility and simplifies remediation priorities

Qualys TotalCloud provides unified vulnerability and threat assessment across both IAS and SaaS. This solution provides a single prioritized view of risk, which helps reduce the work I would have to do. We are no longer based on CVSS; we are based on Qualys risk scoring, which is based on CVSS plus internal findings made by Qualys, and then assigns its own score. The TruRisk insight feature has found a small number of assets with high vulnerability scores, though I am cautious since some information is classified. Qualys TotalCloud has positively impacted our bank's performance, and we have definitely seen benefits after implementing this solution.

Read full review

Abdalla Kenawy

AWS DevOps SRE/Infrastructure Engineer at Capgemini

Automated insights streamline data security assessment

For Amazon Inspector, we have many EC2 or virtual machines deployed inside our AWS environment, and the problem is that the existing package deployed inside this EC2 instance has already outdated packages. As we progress with time, this package needs to be updated for security enhancement, which requires us to uninstall the package, install the new version, and then we should be fine. However, the challenge comes with how to scan all our EC2 instances for security vulnerabilities, which is currently managed by Amazon Inspector. Amazon Inspector can scan EC2 instances or ECR, which is the ECR registry where we can save artifacts Docker images. Amazon Inspector can also scan Docker images uploaded to ECR for Elastic Registry service, and it can scan databases and S3 based on the latest updates. I noticed this from a couple of months ago, and it provides huge benefits for security. Regarding the best features of Amazon Inspector, it gives us a list of all existing outdated packages as part of a deployed package on EC2 instances or specific Python packages that are part of the Docker file and the Docker image itself, which are causing security concerns. Amazon Inspector can list these security concerns and offer guidance on how we can remediate it by updating the package to a specific upper version or something similar.

Read full review

reviewer1247523

Head of Sales Services Department at a comms service provider with 51-200 employees

Extensive exploit database and seamless integration enhance penetration testing capabilities

The automated approach in the audits or in the hacking testing with Rapid7 Metasploit could be improved because even the same attack you provide today will go in different ways another day. I prefer when the auditor or pen-tester provides the attack in a non-automated mode. For some, it might be a valuable option, but I'm not sure it's valuable for us, as after the attack has been provided, we should release a report detailing how it transpired and what the customer should improve to block this way of attack. If the attack was provided in an automated mode, you cannot receive sufficient information that helps with this final report for the customer. While you can check the vulnerability, and the system will tell you there is no vulnerability, usually, a human can change one, two, or three parameters and using the same technique and the same scripts can break the system. Rapid7 Metasploit could be improved in areas concerning the experience with finding particular scripts pre-installed in the solution. Customers, administrators, and pen-testers spend considerable time trying to locate the specific component they need by the name of the technique or the name of the attack, so any improvements in making it easier to find those predefined components by name or timeframe would be beneficial. Search filters could be a correct improvement.

Read full review

Quotes from Members

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:

Pros

"The most valuable feature of Qualys TotalCloud is the visibility it provides."

"Qualys TotalCloud has improved our security posture."

"Vulnerability and threat detection and assessment of the criticality of the vulnerabilities exposed are most valuable."

"Qualys TotalCloud's most valuable features are its security capabilities that help identify and mitigate risk factors."

"Qualys TotalCloud provides unified vulnerability and threat assessment for IaaS and SaaS and a single prioritized view of risk, which helps reduce my workload by not having to combine multiple sources."

"Qualys TotalCloud's most valuable features are its cloud security posture management, Kubernetes, and container security capabilities."

"Generally, Qualys is very good at detections, whether on cloud or on-prem, and the agent allows deployment on both infrastructures, providing continuous monitoring of your assets, which is a key selling point for us."

"TotalCloud's best feature is the integration of cloud accounts. It helps with the risk and security posture management of our cloud infrastructure."

More Qualys TotalCloud pros

"The findings dashboards are neat and easy to understand, offering clear demarcations for different types of findings and detailed insights into specific vulnerabilities and their associated instances. It is not a place where everything is dumped together. It offers an easy-to-understand layout."

"The vulnerability discovery is valuable, and they also rank those vulnerabilities for you. So, you could rapidly attack some of the higher, severe vulnerabilities as they pop up, if they do pop up."

"My experience with AWS technical support is very good, I didn't face any specific challenges, and even the documentation of AWS is good for both Microsoft, which is Azure, and AWS."

"It operates continuously, so as soon as resources are created, it scans them for vulnerabilities."

"The integration of Amazon Inspector with other AWS services has enhanced our security. Security Hub is a major asset because it allows us to centralize data from various AWS services. We can integrate third-party tools as well. It is just a single-click option."

"It is scanning the whole repository for any sort of vulnerabilities, so it allows us to be more confident in our DevSecOps and not put a lot of folks or attention to it."

"I recommend Amazon Inspector because it allows the automation of processes and requires less manual monitoring."

"The assessment reports provided by Amazon Inspector have helped me in identifying security vulnerabilities in my cloud applications by giving us a nicely designed dashboard that provides all the security information we need to work on remediation."

More Amazon Inspector pros

"It contains almost all the available exploits and payloads."

"The most valuable features and capabilities of Rapid7 Metasploit are its tight connection with InsightVM, which searches for potential threats and vulnerabilities and then validates whether we can break the system using those vulnerabilities, serving as a validator component of the InsightVM solution."

"The solution is open source and has many small targetted penetration tests that have been written by many people that are useful. You can choose different subjects for the test, such as Oracle databases or Apache servers."

"Overall, it is a very good product for penetration testing."

"Technical support is very good; whenever we need assistance, they are quite helpful and responsive."

"It's not possible to do penetration testing without being very proficient in Metasploit."

"The option to generate phishing emails has proven to be very valuable in understanding the behavior of users."

"I would definitely recommend Metasploit to others."

More Rapid7 Metasploit pros

Cons

"Qualys TotalCloud has the potential to improve by integrating a hybrid platform for comprehensive management of both on-premises and cloud infrastructures."

"The vulnerability part is good, but the policy compliance module needs improvement because it involves a lot of manual work. Specifically, the remediation part of the controls requires enhancements."

"Qualys TotalCloud needs to improve its accuracy for non-Windows operating systems."

"Enhancing clarity regarding its compliance capabilities would be beneficial, as the current scope is limited in geographic coverage."

"Qualys TotalCloud's increasing complexity, due to the development and deployment of multiple solutions, is making the GUI difficult to navigate."

"An area for improvement would be to focus on risks related to AI, such as large language models and potential data leakage."

"Overall, we are satisfied with it. However, the response part of the Cloud Detection and Response (CDR) module can be improved. It is not yet in place according to requirements; it is not completely available even though the module has been released."

"TotalCloud could improve its scanning of niche devices like Wi-Fi dongles and USB modems because they are often untested. It covers everything else, like laptops, mobile devices, and Bluetooth IoT devices. They can improve on the small IoT devices because hackers and testers use these."

More Qualys TotalCloud cons

"It has automated vulnerability assessment, yet I seek more flexibility in defining custom vulnerability checks tailored to my needs, which is more difficult."

"The false positive rate of Amazon Inspector is a little high, and it is not covering all different applications and scanning."

"The other point is that the reporting features of Inspector need improvement. For example, I am in an organization with millions of CVEs, and getting an overview of all this is challenging."

"There is room for improvement in the scanning capabilities. I'd like to see broader coverage in terms of the vulnerabilities detected."

"The most challenging aspect I faced with Amazon Inspector during integration was automating the remediation process."

"One area for improvement in Amazon Inspector is the automation aspect."

"There are challenges associated with the interdependencies in AWS services, like requiring an Active Directory for other services, resulting in additional charges."

"One major area for improvement is remediation. My team works on remediating findings over time, likely using available patches. However, easier integration with Amazon's patching services would be very helpful."

More Amazon Inspector cons

"The open-source version has reporting limitations. You need to develop these capabilities yourself. Built-in reporting is an excellent feature for penetration testing, but it isn't a must-have. The solution could also cover more vulnerabilities. Metasploit has around 10,000 exploits in its library, but more is always better."

"While Metasploit excels in vulnerability assessment, it could improve in vulnerability management."

"Support is another area where improvement is needed, particularly for assisting non-security users."

"The solution should improve the responsiveness of its live technical support."

"The solution is not user-friendly and has room for improvement."

"The database is not always updated with the latest vulnerabilities or zero-day exploits. If a vulnerability arises a month or two ago, it might not be included in the database, which is something I would like to see improved."

"At the time I was using it, the graphical user interface needed some improvements."

"I think areas with shortcomings that need improvement are more integration and automation."

More Rapid7 Metasploit cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"Qualys TotalCloud is expensive, but it offers a premier solution with no headaches."

"As a middle management member, I do not have direct pricing knowledge, but based on the knowledge from our meetings, its pricing is competitive."

"Qualys TotalCloud offers cost-effective licensing flexibility."

"Its price seems higher compared to other tools, but it is worth it. If they could adjust the pricing and make it comparable with other tools, that would be great."

"TotalCloud's price is about right where I would expect it to be."

"I am not sure about the pricing. From what I understand, it is a bit on the higher side, but I do not have the exact numbers."

"Qualys TotalCloud is expensive."

"While Qualys TotalCloud's pricing is currently acceptable, it is becoming increasingly expensive and may soon be considered overpriced."

More Qualys TotalCloud pricing and cost advice

"The pricing is very transparent and clear."

"The lowest cost would be around $10 for a few small accounts, however, for thousands of accounts, it could be around $5000 to $6000 dollars per month."

"It's priced according to market standards for its services."

"It is scaled as you go. There are probably a certain number of scans per month, and there are tiers. If you're under a certain tier, it is free. The second level is pennies, and then all the way up to like a million. So, it has a tiered pricing program. They're pretty good with your initial scanning, and there is room to scale based on being affordable, but it is fairly cheap. There are no additional costs. They pretty much think about it as a pay-per-scan type model."

"On a scale of one to ten, where one is cheap and ten is expensive, I rate the product's pricing a six. So it's fairly priced."

"I use the open-source version of this product. Pricing is not relevant."

"Rapid7 Metasploit is an open-source solution."

"It is a reasonably priced solution. I would rate it from five out of ten."

"We pay monthly. The pricing is reasonable."

"There are two versions available, one of which is the Pro version, and the other is the free version."

"The pricing structure involves a one-time purchase cost of approximately twenty thousand dollars or euros for all customers."

"I have used the free version of Rapid7 Metasploit."

More Rapid7 Metasploit pricing and cost advice

See which vendors are best for you

Use our free recommendation engine to learn which Vulnerability Management solutions are best for your needs.

See recommendations

904,016 professionals have used our research since 2012.

Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Manufacturing Company

16%

Financial Services Firm

13%

Construction Company

Comms Service Provider

Financial Services Firm

14%

Computer Software Company

Government

Comms Service Provider

Manufacturing Company

11%

Construction Company

11%

Comms Service Provider

Computer Software Company

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	9
Midsize Enterprise	5
Large Enterprise	29

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	2
Midsize Enterprise	2
Large Enterprise	6

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	9
Midsize Enterprise	4
Large Enterprise	12

Questions from the Community

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Qualys TotalCloud?

The price is very expensive, actually.

See all answers

What needs improvement with Qualys TotalCloud?

Areas that need improvement in every solution include the remediation part. The remediation steps should be simple en...

See all answers

What is your primary use case for Qualys TotalCloud?

Our use case involves the assets that we have under cloud, the assets exposed to the internet, and the internal appli...

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Amazon Inspector?

I am not honestly sure about the pricing side of Amazon Inspector, but that is taken care of by a separate team. I be...

See all answers

What needs improvement with Amazon Inspector?

They might launch support for third-party environments in the next version regarding the best features in Amazon Insp...

See all answers

What is your primary use case for Amazon Inspector?

I mostly use Amazon Inspector for vulnerability scanning on AWS native applications. For hybrid applications, we have...

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Rapid7 Metasploit?

The pricing of Rapid7 Metasploit is quite affordable. It has a free version that many customers start with, and after...

See all answers

What needs improvement with Rapid7 Metasploit?

The automated approach in the audits or in the hacking testing with Rapid7 Metasploit could be improved because even ...

See all answers

What is your primary use case for Rapid7 Metasploit?

I use Rapid7 Metasploit as a distributor, as an integrator, and as a user. I use Rapid7 Metasploit in my company inte...

See all answers

Comparisons

Wiz vs Qualys TotalCloud

Compared 11% of the time

Microsoft Defender for Cloud vs Qualys TotalCloud

Compared 8% of the time

Prisma Cloud by Palo Alto Networks vs Qualys TotalCloud

Compared 6% of the time

JupiterOne vs Qualys TotalCloud

Compared 6% of the time

FortiCNAPP vs Qualys TotalCloud

Compared 2% of the time

More Qualys TotalCloud Competitors

Tenable Nessus vs Amazon Inspector

Compared 9% of the time

Tenable Vulnerability Management vs Amazon Inspector

Compared 8% of the time

Microsoft Defender for Cloud vs Amazon Inspector

Compared 8% of the time

Qualys CyberSecurity Asset Management vs Amazon Inspector

Compared 7% of the time

FortiCNAPP vs Amazon Inspector

Compared 3% of the time

More Amazon Inspector Competitors

Qualys VMDR vs Rapid7 Metasploit

Compared 7% of the time

Tenable Nessus vs Rapid7 Metasploit

Compared 7% of the time

Tenable Vulnerability Management vs Rapid7 Metasploit

Compared 6% of the time

SentinelOne Singularity Cloud Security vs Rapid7 Metasploit

Compared 5% of the time

Automox vs Rapid7 Metasploit

Compared 3% of the time

More Rapid7 Metasploit Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Qualys TotalCloud

June 2026

Download Qualys TotalCloud product report

Buyer's Guide

Amazon Inspector

July 2026

Download Amazon Inspector product report

Buyer's Guide

Rapid7 Metasploit

June 2026

Download Rapid7 Metasploit product report

Also Known As

Qualys TotalCloud with FlexScan

No data available

Metasploit

Overview

Qualys TotalCloud enhances security posture across cloud environments with continuous monitoring, vulnerability management, and risk visualization, ensuring efficient threat assessment and automated remediation for improved cyber risk reduction.

Qualys TotalCloud offers a robust suite of security tools essential for organizations managing multi-cloud infrastructures. By integrating cloud accounts and automating workflows, it supports AWS, Azure, and GCP, offering comprehensive vulnerability management and zero-day detection. The platform's user-friendly design, combined with its extensive risk management and unified threat assessment capabilities, enables organizations to prioritize and remediate vulnerabilities effectively. TruRisk Insights provides clear insights on cyber risks, while the automation options streamline patch management and scanning processes. API integration across IaaS and SaaS environments further enhances resource allocation efficiency and saves time, addressing misconfigurations across cloud environments.

What are the most important features of Qualys TotalCloud?

Accurate Vulnerability Reports: Delivers precise and actionable insights for risk mitigation.
Zero-Day Detection: Identifies and addresses zero-day vulnerabilities proactively.
Unified Threat Assessment: Offers comprehensive evaluation of threats across the environment.
Extensive Risk Management: Manages risks effectively with advanced insights and prioritization.
Continuous Monitoring: Provides non-stop surveillance for vulnerabilities and threats.
Cloud-Native Automation: Streamlines processes and reduces manual efforts using automation.
FlexScan for Internet-Facing VMs: Scans external VMs efficiently to detect vulnerabilities.
Dashboard Risk Visualization: Clear visualization helps prioritize vulnerabilities.

What benefits and ROI should users look for?

Improved Security Posture: Enhances threat detection and response across clouds.
Time Savings: Automation reduces time spent on manual vulnerability management.
Resource Efficiency: Better allocation of resources through streamlined workflows.
Enhanced Risk Prioritization: Focus on critical vulnerabilities for effective mitigation.
Integrated Cloud Accounts: Facilitates seamless cloud management and security.

Qualys TotalCloud is deployed in sectors needing rigorous vulnerability management, such as finance and healthcare. Companies utilize it to secure multi-cloud environments like AWS, Azure, and GCP, focus on compliance, and integrate security into CI/CD pipelines to detect and remedy threats pre-deployment.

Qualys

Amazon Inspector offers automated vulnerability detection, scanning AWS workloads and recommending remediation, ensuring enhanced security without constant supervision.

Amazon Inspector provides advanced automated vulnerability assessments, specifically designed for AWS environments. It scans EC2 instances, ECR, and container images for vulnerabilities, ranking them by priority. With capabilities like integration with CloudTrail and CloudWatch, adherence to compliance benchmarks, and a comprehensive view for diverse resources, it supports continuous detection and detailed reporting. Users can schedule regular scans, maintaining strong security oversight. Current feedback highlights a need for improved scanning of EBS, S3, and EFS, as well as expanded databases and better patch integration.

What features make Amazon Inspector stand out?

Automated Vulnerability Assessments: Detects and prioritizes vulnerabilities in AWS workloads.
Continuous Detection: Keeps an eye on EC2, ECR, and container images for ongoing risk management.
Integration Capabilities: Works with CloudTrail and CloudWatch to centralize oversight and alerts.
Compliance Adherence: Aligns with industry benchmarks for strengthened regulatory compliance.
Detailed Reporting: Provides comprehensive reports with findings and CVEs.

What benefits do users gain from Amazon Inspector?

Enhanced Security: Automates vulnerability detection, reducing manual efforts.
Efficiency: Identifies and prioritizes threats, streamlining resource allocation.
Comprehensive Oversight: Detailed reports improve understanding and response strategies.
Regulatory Compliance: Aligns with compliance standards, aiding legal adherence.

Amazon Inspector is utilized across industries, including finance, healthcare, and tech, assisting with robust security management in cloud-native environments. By integrating with services like Security Hub and SIEM, businesses maintain compliance and streamline alert management. This solution supports broader security frameworks, often paired with third-party tools to enhance protection strategies.

Amazon Web Services (AWS)

Rapid7 Metasploit provides robust exploitation capabilities, vulnerability assessment, and seamless integration with InsightVM, enhancing penetration testing and security awareness.

Rapid7 Metasploit stands out in the cybersecurity sphere for its extensive exploit modules and automated testing processes. It supports multiple interfaces and databases, simplifying exploit development and facilitating network scanning through integration with Nmap. Its emphasis on vulnerability discovery and incident detection positions it as a key tool in various IT environments, despite limitations in GUI effectiveness and exploit update speeds.

What are the key features of Rapid7 Metasploit?

Exploitation Capabilities: Offers a vast array of exploit modules for advanced penetration testing.
Automation: Streamlines testing processes, ensuring efficient workflow.
Integration: Works with tools like Nmap for enhanced network scanning.
Open Source: Leverages extensive user contributions for diverse payload options.
User Interface: Intuitive design assists in phishing email generation and testing.

What benefits can users expect from Rapid7 Metasploit?

Comprehensive Testing: Enables thorough vulnerability assessments across environments.
Incident Detection: Facilitates early identification and response to security threats.
Efficiency: Automates redundant tasks, reducing manual effort.
Insightful Reporting: Provides detailed analysis for informed decision-making.

In industries such as government and education, Rapid7 Metasploit integrates into security protocols and training programs. Its deployment on platforms like Kali Linux aligns with IP assets for effective scanning and phishing detection. Organizations benefit from its ability to track processes and collaborate securely with entities, enhancing overall cybersecurity readiness.

Rapid7

Sample Customers

Information Not Available

betterment, caplinked, flatiron, university of nutri dame

City of Corpus Christi, Diebold, Lumenate, Nebraska Public Power District, Prairie North Regional Health, Apptio, Automation Direct, Bob's Stores, Cardinal Innovations Healthcare Solutions, Carnegie Mellon University

Buyer's Guide

Amazon Inspector vs. Rapid7 Metasploit

June 2026

Free Report: Amazon Inspector vs. Rapid7 Metasploit

Find out what your peers are saying about Amazon Inspector vs. Rapid7 Metasploit and other solutions. Updated: June 2026.

DOWNLOAD NOW

904,016 professionals have used our research since 2012.

See our Amazon Inspector vs. Rapid7 Metasploit report.

See our list of best Vulnerability Management vendors.

We monitor all Vulnerability Management reviews to prevent fraudulent reviews and keep review quality high. We do not post reviews by company employees or direct competitors. We validate each review for authenticity via cross-reference with LinkedIn, and personal follow-up with the reviewer when necessary.