Qualys VMDR vs Red Hat Advanced Cluster Security for Kubernetes comparison

Qualys and Red Hat are both solutions in the Container Security category. Qualys is ranked #10 with an average rating of 8.5, while Red Hat is ranked #23 with an average rating of 8.0. Qualys holds a 2.1% mindshare in Container Security, compared to Red Hat’s 1.4% mindshare. Additionally, 94% of Qualys users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 100% of Red Hat users who would recommend it.

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Jun 3, 2026

Qualys VMDR and Red Hat Advanced Cluster Security for Kubernetes compete in the cybersecurity space, focusing on vulnerability management and security for Kubernetes environments, respectively. Qualys VMDR holds a minor advantage due to its comprehensive vulnerability management features and scalability, appealing to organizations with diverse infrastructure needs.

Features: Qualys VMDR excels in vulnerability management by using cloud agents for real-time insight and detailed threat reports. It provides integrated patch management for efficient remediation and a global asset view for wide visibility. Red Hat Advanced Cluster Security focuses on Kubernetes environments, offering features like network mapping for enhanced visibility, integration with Red Hat services for streamlined operations, and an emphasis on container and node access controls.

Room for Improvement: Qualys VMDR could enhance its vulnerability database to minimize false positives and improve asset tagging for better management. Additionally, expanding IT standards compliance and refining reporting capabilities are beneficial. Red Hat Advanced Cluster Security would benefit from better documentation for easier onboarding, improving command-line tools for advanced users, and enhancing stability during deployment.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Qualys VMDR accommodates on-premises and hybrid cloud environments, offering deployment flexibility but receiving mixed feedback on its technical support responsiveness. Red Hat Advanced Cluster Security is praised for excellent technical support with global reach, lowering dependency on local partners, despite its primary focus on on-premises deployments.

Pricing and ROI: Qualys VMDR is deemed expensive, particularly for mid-sized programs, due to its yearly licensing model and additional costs for advanced features. Despite this, users report good ROI through improved vulnerability and compliance management. Red Hat Advanced Cluster Security uses a more moderate subscription pricing, offering bundled options with OpenShift, perceived as economical, with a positive ROI by aiding in service availability and asset protection.

To learn more, read our detailed Qualys VMDR vs. Red Hat Advanced Cluster Security for Kubernetes Report (Updated: June 2026).

Buyer's Guide

Qualys VMDR vs. Red Hat Advanced Cluster Security for Kubernetes

June 2026

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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 August 2026, in the Container Security category, the mindshare of Qualys TotalCloud is 1.7%, up from 1.0% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Qualys VMDR is 2.1%, down from 2.3% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Red Hat Advanced Cluster Security for Kubernetes is 1.4%, down from 2.1% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Container Security Mindshare Distribution
Product	Mindshare (%)
Qualys VMDR	2.1%
Qualys TotalCloud	1.7%
Red Hat Advanced Cluster Security for Kubernetes	1.4%
Other	94.8%

Container Security

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.

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Vaibhav Ghule

Soc Lead & Edr Administration at Persistent Systems

Continuous risk-based monitoring has strengthened incident response and vulnerability prioritization

I haven't explored Qualys VMDR's vulnerability lifecycle automation yet. One of my analysts mentioned that queries lack grouping operators in Qualys VMDR. From my experience, I would appreciate improvements in the query options in Qualys VMDR, specifically in the query-building process where I would need more features and operators. Additionally, we have been facing issues with Qualys on the cloud level. We cannot download the configuration profile from the cloud agent, and it is showing a pending action for download. During 2025, we noticed outages of Qualys a couple of times. I want to mention that there is an issue with receiving timely RCA deliveries. While this is not necessarily about the tool, it relates to support. The support has not been very responsive, and we are receiving RCAs a little delayed whenever we raise support cases or communicate with the TAMs. Additionally, the UI has a slight latency, which I and my team have experienced. They have also reported this latency issue when navigating through different pages.

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John-Riley

Cybersecurity Architect/System Security Engineer at General Dynamics Mission Systems–Canada

Provides network mapping feature for visualizing container communication but complex setup

There is room for improvement in the setup process. All these tools come down to how you're integrating into your environment and having good knowledge of the tool. So that's the biggest problem with all these security tools – you gotta have knowledgeable people to build, integrate, and really flesh them out in your environment to make them work as they should.

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

"I would definitely recommend it because it is easy to handle any cloud resources."

"With TotalCloud, we can scan through the API. If we are not able to deploy cloud agents on the machine, we can use the API."

"I appreciate Qualys TotalCloud's ability to onboard any type of device with ease, including containers."

"Qualys TotalCloud fulfills all these needs."

"I depend heavily on the reports that I have from this tool."

"The best feature would be the ability to create policies. It is easy to control and update policies as required."

"Its dashboards are brilliant. It provides in-depth insights."

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

More Qualys TotalCloud pros

"Almost all of the features are great."

"Using this product, we now have a vulnerability management cycle wherein VMDR plays a major role."

"Patch supersedence."

"It is quite easy to implement."

"Qualys VMDR provides a real-time response and reporting feature, which is excellent."

"The most valuable features of Qualys VM are its ability to do proper vulnerability assessment. It has a lot of updates for all the vulnerability databases from all over the globe. It's an amazing solution when it comes to the versatility of the features it has. Additionally, the reports are very good. It generates very detailed reports about the vulnerabilities inside the environment"

"Great web application security for scanning."

"The most valuable feature is automation."

More Qualys VMDR pros

"The most valuable feature is the ability to share resources."

"Offers easy management with authentication and authorization features"

"The benefit of working with the solution is the fact that it's very straightforward...It is a perfectly stable product since the details are very accurate."

"The most beneficial security feature of the product revolves around the areas of vulnerability and configuration."

"The most valuable feature of the solution is its monitoring feature."

"It is easy to install and manage."

"One of the most valuable features I found was the ability of this solution to map the network and show you the communication between your containers and your different nodes."

"I am impressed with the tool's visibility."

More Red Hat Advanced Cluster Security for Kubernetes pros

Cons

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

"From a downside perspective, the UI is not user-friendly and feels dated compared to other tools like Prisma Cloud."

"Some major banks and insurance companies require an on-premises solution for comprehensive vulnerability management, which TotalCloud does not offer."

"I would appreciate additional integration options to connect Qualys TotalCloud with our other vulnerability management tools."

"I sometimes have difficulty detecting or uninstalling certain versions of applications, which I have to do manually."

"The areas in the solution that have room for improvement include the UI/UX design, which should be improved, and they should integrate more artificial intelligence into the product."

"Qualys TotalCloud needs to enhance its scanning capabilities in the IP domain, as it currently lacks the functionality to resolve IPs to their corresponding domain names."

"There should be improvement from a dashboard perspective when collecting and showcasing data to lead management."

More Qualys TotalCloud cons

"Finding things in management can be quite difficult."

"For a company with over 100,000 assets, there are challenges with scalability."

"There needs to be better documentation. Maybe their price scheduler could be made simpler. It's expensive."

"The feature where the solutions to issues are mentioned in the reports could be improved."

"From the application security perspective, Qualys has a way to go."

"Qualys could be improved in its overall performance compared to other vulnerability management or scanning tools."

"Qualys should improve their customer experience. They need to improve the tech support experience and the turnaround time."

"Ticket management"

More Qualys VMDR cons

"The testing process could be improved."

"The deprecation of APIs is a concern since the deprecation of APIs will cause issues for us every time we upgrade."

"The solution's price could be better."

"The initial setup is pretty complex. There's a learning curve, and its cost varies across different environments. It's difficult."

"The solution lacks features when compared to some of the competitors such as Prisma Cloud by Palo Alto Networks and has room for improvement."

"The solution's visibility and vulnerability prevention should be improved."

"I do see that some features associated with the IAST part are not included in the tool, making it an area where improvements are required."

"The tool's command line and configuration are hard for us to understand and make deployment complex. It should also include zero trust, access control features and database connectivity."

More Red Hat Advanced Cluster Security for Kubernetes cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"Qualys TotalCloud offers competitive pricing given its comprehensive suite of features, including integration, assessment, remediation, and detection capabilities, all within a single platform."

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

"Although Qualys TotalCloud is relatively expensive due to its unique automation features, its cost-effectiveness is rated an eight out of ten, with ten being the most costly."

"Qualys TotalCloud offers cost-effective licensing flexibility."

"Qualys TotalCloud is cost-efficient and was selected for its value compared to other products."

"It isn't cheap, but it's reasonable. It helps us to manage things with very few resources."

"The pricing for TotalCloud is attractive and competitive in the market. Given the features, especially the dashboard, I have no concerns regarding pricing."

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

More Qualys TotalCloud pricing and cost advice

"Qualys Virtual Scanner Appliance isn't expensive right now. But the price for their product bundles could be better."

"They have recently changed the pricing model, which is now better than it was before."

"Qualys VM is quite expensive. It's a subscription-based license, and it's yearly. Right now, it's open for me, and I don't have any limitations or caps on the licenses. They are seeing if the product is viable for 4500 users. I can add as much as I want, and at the end of the subscription, they'll let me know how many licenses were actually used and bill me accordingly. On a scale from one to five, I would give their pricing a three. It's still expensive."

"Qualys is cheaper and more affordable than other solutions."

"Qualys VM is reasonably priced."

"In Nigerian Naira, we spend about roughly four to five million to use this solution and this is expensive compared to solutions like Nessus."

"I used to work there, so I never paid for the product. As an employee, we get a lifetime license for personal use, and that's what I'm using. It is a comprehensive platform, so there is a lot more to it. There could be other solutions that are probably a little bit cheaper, but it depends on what people need. Different people have different needs. It offers many things on the same platform. If you add all the things up, it should be cheaper, but I have not done any analysis specifically."

"When you want to cover yourself for scalability, you will be charged for the number you place on the scan itself."

More Qualys VMDR pricing and cost advice

"The pricing model is moderate, meaning it is not very expensive."

"We purchase a yearly basis license for the solution."

"The price of Red Hat Advanced Cluster Security for Kubernetes is better than Palo Alto Prisma."

"It's a costly solution"

"Red Hat offers two pricing options for their solution: a separate price, and a bundled price under the OpenShift Platform Plus."

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Manufacturing Company

13%

Outsourcing Company

12%

Comms Service Provider

10%

Financial Services Firm

10%

Financial Services Firm

15%

Manufacturing Company

Construction Company

Computer Software Company

Financial Services Firm

27%

Computer Software Company

Manufacturing Company

Government

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	11
Midsize Enterprise	5
Large Enterprise	30

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	20
Midsize Enterprise	12
Large Enterprise	70

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	6
Midsize Enterprise	2
Large Enterprise	4

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?

To be totally honest, I do not have any best features because I have had a bad experience using this tool, especially...

See all answers

What is your primary use case for Qualys TotalCloud?

My main use case for Qualys TotalCloud is vulnerability management and exposure management. I use this tool to evalua...

See all answers

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

My experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing shows that we can consider both time and money saved.

See all answers

What needs improvement with Qualys VMDR?

I haven't explored Qualys VMDR's vulnerability lifecycle automation yet. One of my analysts mentioned that queries la...

See all answers

What advice do you have for others considering Qualys VMDR?

I have some understanding about PeerSpot, and I have visited the website. PeerSpot is similar to TrustRadius. It take...

See all answers

What needs improvement with Red Hat Advanced Cluster Security for Kubernetes?

From an improvement perspective, I would like to create new policies in the tool, especially if it is deployed for th...

See all answers

What is your primary use case for Red Hat Advanced Cluster Security for Kubernetes?

I use the solution in my company for vulnerability management, configuration management, compliance, safety handling,...

See all answers

What advice do you have for others considering Red Hat Advanced Cluster Security for Kubernetes?

The tool's policy management supports our company's compliance efforts since any corporate entity or enterprise must ...

See all answers

Comparisons

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Prisma Cloud by Palo Alto Networks vs Qualys TotalCloud

Compared 6% of the time

Amazon Inspector vs Qualys TotalCloud

Compared 2% of the time

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Rapid7 Metasploit vs Qualys VMDR

Compared 3% of the time

Wiz vs Qualys VMDR

Compared 3% of the time

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Prisma Cloud by Palo Alto Networks vs Red Hat Advanced Cluster Security for Kubernetes

Compared 11% of the time

Tenable.io Container Security vs Red Hat Advanced Cluster Security for Kubernetes

Compared 11% of the time

Aqua Cloud Security Platform vs Red Hat Advanced Cluster Security for Kubernetes

Compared 10% of the time

Microsoft Defender for Cloud vs Red Hat Advanced Cluster Security for Kubernetes

Compared 5% of the time

SUSE NeuVector vs Red Hat Advanced Cluster Security for Kubernetes

Compared 4% of the time

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Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Qualys TotalCloud

July 2026

Download Qualys TotalCloud product report

Buyer's Guide

Qualys VMDR

July 2026

Download Qualys VMDR product report

Buyer's Guide

Red Hat Advanced Cluster Security for Kubernetes

July 2026

Red Hat Advanced Cluster Security for Kubernetes report

Download Red Hat Advanced Cluster Security for Kubernetes product report

Also Known As

Qualys TotalCloud with FlexScan

Qualys VM, QualysGuard VM, Qualys Asset Inventory, Qualys Container Security

StackRox

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

Qualys VMDR is a comprehensive cybersecurity tool offering vulnerability management, patch management, and continuous monitoring with real-time asset discovery. It delivers scalable, cloud-based solutions that enhance security operations without additional infrastructure.

Qualys VMDR provides a robust platform for enterprise security, integrating vulnerability management, compliance, and asset inventory for full visibility across cloud and on-premises environments. It features a comprehensive dashboard with threat intelligence-driven prioritization and remediation capabilities. Users benefit from accurate assessments via agent-based scanning and appreciate the intuitive, customizable scanning and reporting interface. However, there's room for improvement in false positive reduction, UI simplification, and integration capabilities, along with enhancements in asset management for large-scale deployments and the vulnerability database. Enhancing technical support speed, patch management, compliance standards, and inter-module navigation would further enrich user experience.

What are the key features of Qualys VMDR?

Vulnerability Management: Identifies and manages security vulnerabilities across environments.
Patch Management: Ensures systems are updated with the latest patches.
Continuous Monitoring: Offers real-time insights into security posture.
Asset Discovery: Provides up-to-date asset inventory and visibility.
Threat Intelligence: Enhances prioritization and remediation processes.
Customizable Dashboard: Facilitates easier scanning and reporting through an intuitive interface.

What benefits can users expect when evaluating Qualys VMDR?

Scalability: Cloud-based deployment offers easy, cost-effective expansion.
Accurate Assessment: Agent-based scanning keeps security data current.
Enhanced Security Operations: Comprehensive features streamline vulnerability management.
Advanced Reporting: Facilitates detailed insights for better security decision-making.

Qualys VMDR is widely used in industries needing stringent security and compliance measures, offering comprehensive vulnerability and compliance management. It is deployed to secure web applications, servers, and crucial assets, supporting a wide range of sectors by ensuring policy adherence and vulnerability tracking through its powerful cloud platform.

Qualys

Red Hat Advanced Cluster Security for Kubernetes empowers organizations with robust capabilities in container security, vulnerability management, and workload transition, seamlessly integrated with OpenShift for optimal orchestration.

Red Hat Advanced Cluster Security for Kubernetes stands out with its comprehensive features like authentication, authorization, and API integration. Users appreciate resource sharing, segmentation, and virtualization capabilities, all facilitated by a user-friendly Cockpit web interface and command administration. The system's strengths are visible through effective security protocols, such as secure UPI images, container networking, and built-in security features. Its advanced cluster management and monitoring ensure efficiency, while focus on vulnerability and configuration management addresses key concerns. However, improvements in documentation, web UI, and API flexibility are needed, with challenges in command line configuration and deployment also noted. Stability issues due to API deprecation and the need for enhanced zero trust, access control, and database connectivity present room for growth.

What are the key features of Red Hat Advanced Cluster Security for Kubernetes?

API Integration: Seamless integration capabilities with APIs for enhanced automation.
Resource Sharing: Effective resource distribution within clustered environments.
Secure UPI Images: Encrypted images for heightened security and safety.
Container Networking: Modern networking protocols for efficient container communication.
Communication Mapping: Detailed network traffic visualization and analysis.

What benefits and ROI can users expect from Red Hat Advanced Cluster Security for Kubernetes?

Vulnerability Management: In-depth identification and mitigation of security threats.
Compliance Management: Ensures adherence to regulatory standards and practices.
Integration with OpenShift: Streamlined orchestration for enhanced deployment flexibility.
Threat Detection: Advanced capabilities for monitoring and responding to potential security breaches.

Red Hat Advanced Cluster Security for Kubernetes is implemented across various industries to facilitate the transition from traditional monolithic applications to dynamic containerized environments. Organizations in sectors such as finance, healthcare, and technology benefit from its robust segmentation, monitoring abilities, and behavior analysis. With the integration of Istio and GRPC, industries achieve secure microservices communication and improved visibility for comprehensive threat monitoring.

Red Hat

Sample Customers

Information Not Available

Agrokor Group, American Specialty Health, American State Bank, Arval, Life:), Axway, Bank of the West, Blueport Commerce, BSkyB, Brinks, CaixaBank, Cartagena, Catholic Health System, CEC Bank, Cegedim, CIGNA, Clickability, Colby-Sawyer College, Commercial Bank of Dubai, University of Utah, eBay Inc., ING Singapore, National Theatre, OTP Bank, Sodexo, WebEx

City National Bank, U.S. Department of Homeland Security

Buyer's Guide

Qualys VMDR vs. Red Hat Advanced Cluster Security for Kubernetes

June 2026

Free Report: Qualys VMDR vs. Red Hat Advanced Cluster Security for Kubernetes

Find out what your peers are saying about Qualys VMDR vs. Red Hat Advanced Cluster Security for Kubernetes and other solutions. Updated: June 2026.

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