Qualys Alternative for MSPs
and Small Businesses
Qualys is a powerful enterprise security platform — with enterprise complexity and pricing to match. For MSPs running external security assessments across client portfolios, Qualys's $4,000+/year entry point and deployment overhead are barriers, not features. Here's the comparison.
What Qualys Is Built For
Qualys is a cloud-based security and compliance platform that covers vulnerability management, web application scanning, policy compliance, and more. It's designed for enterprise IT departments that need a unified view of their security posture across cloud and on-premises infrastructure.
Qualys is a strong choice for:
- Enterprise IT teams managing hybrid cloud infrastructure
- Organizations needing PCI ASV-certified scanning
- Companies running continuous vulnerability management programs
- Security teams that need web application scanning alongside VM
Where Qualys falls short for MSPs:
- Pricing starts at $4,000+/year for meaningful functionality
- Complex deployment with agents, scanners, and appliances
- Built for internal IT teams, not MSP client assessment workflows
- Steep learning curve — requires dedicated training
- No white-label reporting for client deliverables
ComplianceLayer vs Qualys
| Feature | ComplianceLayer | Qualys |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | $99/month | $4,000+/year |
| Self-serve signup | Yes | Limited (enterprise sales for full features) |
| Time to first scan | 5 minutes | Weeks (deployment + configuration) |
| Scan type | External (agentless) | Internal + external (agent-based) |
| API access | Included on all plans | Platform-dependent |
| Per-client scanning | Core use case | Not the primary design |
| White-label reports | Yes | No |
| Contract | Monthly, cancel anytime | Annual minimum |
| Free tier | 10 scans/month | Community Edition (limited) |
| Target market | MSPs, SMBs | Enterprise IT / compliance |
Where Qualys Wins
Where ComplianceLayer Wins
Pricing Comparison
Qualys
- VMDR: starts at approximately $4,000/year
- Per-asset pricing increases with scale
- Additional modules priced separately
- Annual contracts required
ComplianceLayer ★ MSP Pricing
- Free: 10 scans/month, 1 domain, 7-day history
- Pro: $99/month — 1,000 scans, 50 domains, full API
- Enterprise: $499/month — 5,000 scans, 200 domains
- No contracts, cancel anytime
Common questions
Is ComplianceLayer a replacement for Qualys?
They serve different use cases. Qualys is a comprehensive vulnerability management and compliance platform built for enterprise IT. ComplianceLayer is an external security scanner built for MSPs — it checks what the internet sees about a domain: DNS, SSL, email authentication, open ports, and security headers. If you need external posture assessment for clients, ComplianceLayer is the right tool.
Can I switch from Qualys to ComplianceLayer?
If you use Qualys primarily for external scanning and client assessments, yes. Sign up for free and start scanning immediately. If you rely on Qualys for internal vulnerability management or PCI ASV scanning, you may want to run both tools — ComplianceLayer handles the external view, Qualys handles internal compliance.
Does ComplianceLayer support PCI compliance scanning?
ComplianceLayer is not a PCI ASV (Approved Scanning Vendor). If you need PCI ASV-certified scans, you will still need Qualys or another ASV. ComplianceLayer covers the external security checks that matter for cyber insurance, general security posture, and MSP client assessments.
Does ComplianceLayer work for cyber insurance audits?
Yes. The scan output maps directly to the security questions most cyber insurers ask — email authentication, SSL validity, exposed administrative ports, and security headers. Many MSPs use ComplianceLayer reports to pre-qualify clients before underwriting.
Start scanning your first
domain in 60 seconds.
No credit card. No sales call. No setup. Free tier is permanent.
All scans are passive and external — we never access your servers, install agents, or require credentials. View our security practices, live system status, or browse domain reports.