Comparison
OnScanner vs Intruder
Intruder is an external vulnerability scanner that layers its own checks and triage on established scanning engines, with attack surface monitoring. OnScanner runs its own specialist engines in one live pass and extends coverage into privacy and tracker analysis, email authentication, and TLS and WAF posture, prioritized with EPSS and CISA KEV.
Evaluating options? See OnScanner as an alternative to Intruder.
Intruder facts verified ·Page updated
TL;DR
Choose OnScanner when you want more than vulnerabilities in each scan: in-house engines in one live pass, privacy, consent and Global Privacy Control verification, email and WAF posture, safe in-band exploit checks as a scan add-on, and compliance evidence mapped by versioned rules when you turn it on. Free plan, REST API and hosted MCP server included.
Intruder is a great choice when you want continuous attack surface monitoring with curated, noise-reduced findings and integrations aimed at lean teams that want a managed feel.
Feature comparison
Verified against public product pages on 2026-07-02. Cells marked "Not listed" mean the capability is not described on the vendor's public docs as of that date, not that it is impossible.
| Capability | OnScanner | Intruder |
|---|---|---|
| External (unauthenticated) scanning | YesThe anonymous attacker's view, no agents | YesExternal vulnerability scanning of 'your internet-facing infrastructure for known vulnerabilities' |
| Authenticated scanning | YesScan behind login with credentials | YesAuthenticated web app scanning behind login pages |
| Privacy, tracker & consent scanning | Yes40+ categories incl. fingerprinting | Not listed*Not listed on public docs as of 2026-07-02 |
| Consent & Global Privacy Control verification | YesAdvanced and deep scans click Accept all and Reject all, send the GPC signal, and diff trackers and cookies against a normal visit | Not listed* |
| CVE intelligence (EPSS & CISA KEV) | YesCVE/CPE matching with EPSS + KEV context | YesPrioritizes 'by blending severity scores with exploit intelligence (EPSS, KEV list)' |
| Active exploit verification | YesSafe, non-destructive, in-band probes | PartialAI pentesting agents 'interact directly with your target, sending requests, analyzing responses', sold as a separate service |
| Patch-status & end-of-life detection | YesVendor/distro patch data + EOL flags | PartialScans detect 'missing patches, misconfigurations, common mistakes, encryption weaknesses'; end-of-life flags are not described |
| Email security (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) | Yes | Not listed*Not listed on public docs as of 2026-07-02 |
| WAF detection | Yes | YesPlatform flags 'Web application firewall (WAF) detected' on target detail pages |
| Continuous monitoring | YesMonitors re-scan weekly or daily and diff each run; on paid plans, an alert email when something changes for the worse | Yes'24/7 automated scanning for new threats' plus emerging threat scans when new critical risks appear |
| REST API | Yes | YesPublic REST API (developer hub): manage targets, kick off scans, retrieve issues/results, CI/CD integration |
| MCP server for AI agents | YesHosted: mcp.onscanner.com | YesFirst-party open-source MCP server (github.com/intruder-io/intruder-mcp, announced 2025-05-15) for agents such as Claude |
| Deployment regression gate | YesCompares a preview scan with a production baseline (headers, TLS, exposed paths, trackers, OWASP families) for pass, regressed or inconclusive, via the REST API or MCP | PartialREST API supports CI/CD integration; a baseline regression verdict is not described |
| AI analysis & remediation | YesOptional AI Findings (no extra credits per scan, turned on in account settings): executive summary, Top Risks, attack paths and remediation | PartialGregAI virtual analyst; AI-powered pentests are a separately priced service |
| Rule-based compliance matrix | YesOptional, turned on in account settings, +1 credit per scan. Versioned rules map scan evidence to SOC 2, ISO 27001, GDPR, PCI DSS, HIPAA, US state privacy and EU CRA controls; a plain-language AI narrative over each framework never changes a verdict | Not listed* |
| Compliance evidence & coverage | YesEach failing control cites what the scan observed; PDF evidence binder plus JSON or Vanta-format export. 25 of 229 controls are checkable from outside, the rest need your own evidence. Evidence at scan time, not a certification | PartialCompliance integrations with Drata and Vanta |
| Transparent self-serve pricing | YesFree plan; Pro $129/mo for 20 credits | PartialFree plan, 14-day trial and per-target pricing model are public; subscription prices need the calculator or sales |
Why teams pick OnScanner
- In-house engines for security, privacy, CVE, DNS, technology and infrastructure analysis run in parallel in one live pass.
- Privacy and consent coverage Intruder does not list: 40+ tracker and fingerprinting checks, plus Accept all versus Reject all and Global Privacy Control verification on advanced and deep scans.
- Email authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) and end-of-life detection in every security or full scan, next to the EPSS and CISA KEV prioritization both tools share.
- Exploit verification inside the scan: safe, in-band checks for known CVEs are a +1 credit add-on to any security or full scan (included in Deep mode), not a separately priced pentest.
- Optional compliance evidence you can hand over: versioned rules map scan evidence to seven frameworks, with a PDF evidence binder and a Vanta-format export you send with your own token.
- Where Intruder's API feeds CI tooling, OnScanner returns a verdict: compare a preview scan with a production baseline and get pass, regressed or inconclusive through the REST API or MCP.
- Monitors that re-scan weekly or daily and diff each run, with an alert email on paid plans when something changes for the worse, plus a hosted MCP server on every plan.
When Intruder fits
- You are a lean team that wants one tool for external and internal vulnerability scanning, authenticated web app testing, and cloud misconfiguration checks across AWS, Azure, and GCP.
- You want emerging threat scans that check your systems when new critical vulnerabilities appear in the wild.
- You want triage help built in: exploit-likelihood filtering that blends EPSS and the CISA KEV catalog, a virtual analyst, compliance integrations (Drata, Vanta, Jira, Slack), and an MCP server.
The difference in one line: OnScanner runs its own engines in one live pass and adds 40+ privacy and tracker checks, consent and Global Privacy Control verification, and an optional, rule-based compliance matrix across seven frameworks, from a free tier.
Pricing
OnScanner is self-serve with a free plan and Pro at $129 per month for 20 scan credits. Intruder has a free plan and paid tiers (Cloud, Pro and Enterprise) priced as a base fee plus a small fee per target. Its subscription prices are not shown as fixed figures: you get them from the interactive calculator or from sales, and Enterprise is quoted separately. AI-powered web application pentests start at $3,500 per test, and there is a 14-day free trial. Intruder prices verified 2026-07-02.
Frequently asked questions
What is the main difference between OnScanner and Intruder?
Coverage per pass and how findings are produced. OnScanner runs its own specialist engines live against your target and includes privacy, email and WAF posture with EPSS and KEV context. Intruder focuses on external vulnerability scanning and attack surface monitoring with curated results.
Do both offer APIs?
Check the comparison table for what each vendor's public docs list as of the verification date. OnScanner ships a REST API and a hosted MCP server on every plan, so both scripts and AI agents can run scans and fetch structured results.
Can I try both before choosing?
Usually yes; OnScanner has a free plan with no sales call, and most external scanners offer trials. Running both against the same target you own is the fastest way to see which findings you would actually act on.
Sources
Every Intruder fact above was checked against these public pages on 2026-07-02. If something has changed since, tell us at support@onscanner.com and we will correct it.
- Intruder homepage
- Intruder pricing
- External vulnerability scanning (Intruder)
- Risk-based vulnerability management (Intruder)
- Vulnerability management platform (Intruder)
- AI pentesting (Intruder)
- Authenticated web app scanning announcement (Intruder)
- Product updates, July 2024 (Intruder blog)
- Claude and Intruder MCP post (Intruder blog)
- Intruder developer API docs
- Intruder MCP server (GitHub)
See what OnScanner finds on your site
Live, never-cached security and privacy scanning: OWASP Top 10, CVE intelligence with EPSS and KEV, 40+ privacy checks with consent and Global Privacy Control verification, a REST API and an MCP server. Most scans finish in minutes. Free plan, no sales call.