A DAST tool that detects security weaknesses in applications while they are running. It effectively identifies possible security issues at runtime by interacting with the application.

This blog discusses various DAST tools, their importance, key features, and pricing.

What are DAST Tools?

DAST tools are essential for identifying security vulnerabilities in web applications and APIs while they are actively running. These tools mimic actual attacks to identify possible vulnerabilities that harmful entities could target.

DAST tools start with the web application crawling automatically. In that process, they inject different forms of inputs, such as specific characters or scripts in forms, simulating an attacker's behavior when attacking vulnerabilities.

DAST tools identify weak points in the web application on the basis of attack simulations and traffic analysis, which includes poor coding practices, configuration errors, or logical faults that attackers could exploit.

Why Do Organizations Need DAST Tools?

Here are some of the reasons to include DAST tools in the web application testing:

Identify security vulnerabilities in web applications

DAST tools function as advanced scanning assistants that detect how hackers could exploit to access web applications. Threat modeling helps address security flaws and ensures organizations remove vulnerabilities proactively.

Mitigate security breach risks

Given the prevalence of web application attacks, organizations should use Dynamic Application Security Testing tools to reduce the risk of attacks by addressing vulnerabilities that DAST identifies, organizations protect information and maintain customer and stakeholder trust.

Improve DevSecOps integration

This integration will enable application security engineers to include DAST tools in the pipeline to enable continuous testing and vulnerability detection during the development phase, which reduces the remediation cost and ensures a safe web application deployment.

Ensure compliance with security standards

Many industries require adherence to strict security regulations like GDPR, HIPAA, and PCI DSS. DAST tools help organizations meet these requirements by identifying compliance gaps and providing actionable insights to address them effectively.

Simulate realistic attacks

Dynamic Application Security Testing tools mimic real-world scenarios of how attackers may find and exploit vulnerabilities in web applications. This simulation is essential in identifying possible attack paths and determining effective remediation measures.

How to choose the right DAST Tool?

Choosing the right DAST tool is important for improving application security and solving problems effectively. Understanding important factors such as compatibility, scalability, and integration can help security engineers make informed decisions that match the objectives of their organization.

Understand the application environment

When selecting a DAST tool, ensure that such a tool is compatible with the technologies and frameworks utilized by the security team involved, be it APIs, web applications, or a microservice. A tool that works on the required conditions ensures thoroughness and accuracy in vulnerability scans.

Evaluate scalability

An effective DAST tool must withstand growing application needs and the load. It should retain performance and accuracy even when the number of apps or the complexity of environments grows.

Check integration capabilities

The tool should interact seamlessly with existing security and development workflows, such as CI/CD pipelines and version control systems. This makes it possible to include vulnerability detection throughout the development lifecycle.

Concentrate on ease of use

Security teams must use an intuitive interface to effectively manage vulnerabilities, making a DAST solution easier to configure for scans, results analysis, and actionable reporting that would help security engineers respond quicker.

Evaluate reporting features

Reporting features are essential when choosing the correct Dynamic Application Security Testing tool. Security teams need detailed reports that categorize by severity and provide clear solutions to prioritize and address essential concerns effectively.

Top DAST Tools in 2025

1. Akto API Security Platform - Comprehensive API Security and testing platform

2. Burp Suite - Application security testing software

3. OWASP ZAP - Web Application Scanner

4. Veracode - Cloud-based Application security platform

5. Netsparker - Web vulnerability management tool

6. Acunetix - Web Application and API security scanner

7. AppSpider - Dynamic application security testing solution

8. HCL AppScan - Advanced Application Security testing solution

9. WebInspect - Dynamic application security testing tool

10. Qualys WAS - Web Application Scanning & API Security solution

1. Akto

Akto is an API security platform that provides complete security test capabilities, including DAST tools, and it effectively integrates with any development pipeline. It ensures that the development process identify security weaknesses. Its features include automated scanning, real-time vulnerability detection, detailed reporting, and ease of integration with CI/CD workflows.

Pricing

Akto provides flexible pricing options to suit the needs of different organizations:

• Free Plan: This plan is ideal for the organization at a small level. It supports up to 25 API endpoints per month and allows 12,500 monthly tests. With limited scalability, this plan suits early-stage developers or organizations exploring API security without significant costs.

• Professional Plan: It is good for organizations with moderate API security needs; this plan costs $490 per month. It accommodates up to 100 API endpoints and allows up to 200,000 tests per month. This tier includes features that help automate API security processes for mid-sized teams, offering a balance between affordability and functionality.

• Enterprise Plan: Designed for large-scale enterprises with complicated API security demands, this plan offers advanced customization options, enhanced scalability, and premium features. Although security engineers can request pricing for this plan, the plan is tailored to organizations that require extensive API testing capabilities and robust support.

2. Burp Suite

Burp Suite has dominant features in the DAST tools landscape, including powerful scanning capability, wide customization options, and robust vulnerability detection. Most security engineers rely on this tool for interactive scanning with manual testing capabilities for exploiting security flaws.

Burp Suite provides advanced functions including spidering, intruder, repeater, sequencer, and extender in addition to performing comprehensive security evaluations by security engineers. There are also several extensions that improve its features.

Image Source: Burp Suite

Pricing

Burp Suite offers two primary editions, Professional and Enterprise, each tailored to different security testing needs. Burp Suite Professional is designed for hands-on security testers and penetration testers. Burp Suite offers it through an annual subscription priced at $449 per user. Each user needs a personal subscription since they do not allow sharing by several users.

They design Burp Suite Enterprise Edition for organizations that require scalable, automated scanning across many applications. This edition supports unlimited users per license, and they base pricing on specific scanning requirements and the number of websites to secure. For more detailed pricing information, organizations should contact PortSwigger directly to receive a quote tailored to their needs.

3. OWASP ZAP

OWASP ZAP excels in terms of providing the user with an easily understandable interface, continuous updates, and large numbers of plugins that expand the security test functionality. Also, it can carry out automated as well as manual scans for security scanning.

This is a top DAST tool that supports both passive and active scanning, spidering, fuzzing, and scripting. Additionally, the OWASP ZAP will integrate with popular development tools and CI/CD pipelines that ensure security testing goes throughout the entire development cycle with no friction.

Image Source: OWASP ZAP

Pricing

OWASP Zed Attack Proxy (ZAP) is free of licensing fees. Security teams can download and use ZAP's full features for free, making it free for individual and organizational usage in their quest to strengthen web application security.

4. Veracode

Veracode is a cloud-based platform with deep scanning capabilities, DAST tools and detailed reporting features to help security teams identify and fix vulnerabilities. It also integrates well with various development tools, giving real-time feedback and ensuring continuous security assessment.

The key features of Veracode include static and dynamic analysis and software composition analysis. It also provides minute remediation guidance and allows for a full dashboard monitor of application security.

Image Source: Veracode

Pricing

Veracode does not disclose specific pricing information on its official website. The pricing for the various security offerings depends on the organization's size, including the total number of applications to be evaluated and the particular service requirements. To get a tailored quote as per the organization's requirements, application security engineers can inquire about the same directly on their official platform.

5. Netsparker

Netsparker’s automation features, advanced scanning engine, and integration with CI/CD pipelines provide correct detection of security weaknesses. Security teams can focus on real security threats by using the proof-based scanning approach to reduce false positives.

The key features include automated crawling, vulnerability confirmation, comprehensive reporting, and support for a wide variety of web technologies. Netsparker also offers a friendly user interface and integration with issue-tracking systems.

Image Source: Netsparker

Pricing

Invicti, formerly Netsparker, has customized pricing for its web application security scanner according to the particular needs of every organization. To get an accurate price quotation, one is supposed to contact Invicti from their website directly as they have a sales team who can provide a custom quote according to the requirements of the organization.

6. Acunetix

Acunetix is a comprehensive DAST tool, offering advanced scanning algorithms, interactive reporting, and easy integration with development workflows. It offers precise, detailed, and actionable insights to advance application security.

Automated scanning, advanced crawling, and integration are its main features. Acunetix also supports multiple methods of authentication and comes with a comprehensive dashboard that keeps a tab on the security status.

Image Source: Acunetix

Pricing

Acunetix uses customized pricing to fit the needs of the organization. The number of websites, web applications, and APIs to be scanned determines how much the team will pay. According to their pricing page, there is always an opportunity to get a custom quote that fits your requirements by contacting Acunetix directly.

7. AppSpider

AppSpider has dynamic scan features, interactive testing functionalities, DAST security tools, and detailed reporting that are helpful to security engineers in tackling security problems according to their needs. It also offers multi-audit method authentication for some applications that the security engineers test accordingly.

It has automated and manual testing, comprehensive vulnerability detection, detailed reporting, and integrates into CI/CD pipelines. Besides, it also has a user-friendly interface, and its good documentation ensures easy usage.

Image Source: App Spider

Pricing

Rapid7 does not have any published specific prices on AppSpider, but Rapid7 has a set of security products with definite beginning prices. InsightAppSec solution is a kind of web application security testing provided at a cost of $175 per month for every application. For getting a current and exact price of AppSpider, the organization may seek further details from Rapid7 as they quote on the particular need and requirement of the organization.

8. HCL AppScan

HCL AppScan provides robust scanning capabilities, integrations with all types of development tools, and great reporting features. It includes automated scanning, DAST tool, vulnerability management, detailed reporting, and integration with several popular development tools. HCL AppScan supports multiple languages and frameworks, allowing for an application environment of any diversification.

Image Source: HCL AppScan

Pricing

HCL AppScan comes with a full range of solutions in application security testing. However, there are different prices for the variety of deployment models and the needs of an organization. For instance, the HCL AppScan on Cloud comes with a pay-per-scan price that will charge at $268.97 USD for one scan. A minimum of five scans must be purchased and comes with a one-year subscription.

For other items within the AppScan range, including HCL AppScan Standard, Enterprise, and Source, they do not publicly announce the specific price. These prices are rather a function of the number of users, the deployment size, and the specific needs of an organization.

For get proper pricing that will be accurate and suitable to organizational needs, the organizations should either contact HCL Software directly or get in touch with an authorized HCL AppScan reseller. They can provide precise quotations according to specific organizational requirements.

9. WebInspect

Image Source: WebInspect

WebInspect is outstanding due to its scanning engine's depth, detailed vulnerability report, and seamless integration into the security operations center. The application supports a wide variety of technologies and frameworks that could be used in enterprise-level security testing.

The key features include automated scanning, advanced crawling, detailed reporting, and integration with popular development and DAST tools. In addition to providing continuous monitoring and real-time alerts, WebInspect enables proactive security management.

Pricing

Pricing information on this product is not publicly available from Micro Focus on their website. The cost of Fortify WebInspect has to be estimated from the scale of deployment, licensing model, and the general requirements of the organizations.

To get the most accurate and tailored pricing, it is advisable to contact Micro Focus directly or an authorized reseller. They can give a quote tailored to the organization's specific needs and budget considerations.

10. Qualys WAS

Image Source: Qualys WAS

Qualys WAS provides the cloud-based platform, broad scanning abilities, and extensive reporting to enable an organization to better discover and reduce risks. Real-time alerts accompany continuous monitoring to help a company in its proactive management of security.

The key features include automated scanning, detailed reporting, integration with popular development tools, and support for various web technologies. Qualys WAS also comes with a user-friendly interface and extensive documentation to make it easier to use.

Pricing

Several factors, such as the number of web applications, IP addresses, and user licenses required, determine the pricing for Qualys WAS. Qualys offers flexible subscription plans, depending on the needs of organizations, ranging from small business enterprises to large enterprises.

Qualys tailors security packages to small businesses' unique needs and provides a low total cost of ownership with flexible pricing. Such packages include features such as vulnerability management, detection and response, patch management, and endpoint security. To obtain a precise quote tailored to the organization's specific requirements, it's recommended to contact Qualys directly.

Final Thoughts

Utilizing the DAST technologies will ensure the application security. The solutions listed above can solve a wide range of security challenges, from web apps and APIs to enterprise-level applications. These DAST tools meet a variety of organizational demands, including real-time scanning, easy integration, and in-depth vulnerability research.

API Security Platform distinguishes itself in API-driven applications with real-time vulnerability detection and smooth integration into DevSecOps workflows. Akto's approach to API security guarantees that it constantly secures applications against potential attacks which makes it an excellent solution for modern organizations wishing to improve their security posture. Book a demo to learn more about Akto.