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The CI/CD-Native
 Alternative to Acunetix

StackHawk delivers shift-left DAST and comprehensive API security testing. With CI/CD-native integration that completes scans in minutes instead of hours and source code-driven API discovery that reveals your complete attack surface before deployment, StackHawk turns security findings into same-day fixes.

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Why Choose StackHawk Over Acunetix?

StackHawk is the only true shift-left DAST platform that’s purpose-built to bridge the gap between security and development teams to enable secure software delivery at the speed of AI development. Unlike Acunetix, which delivers hours-long scans designed for periodic security audits and per-application licensing that scales poorly with microservices, StackHawk delivers security testing results in minutes while discovering your complete attack surface from source code and enabling rapid fixes before vulnerabilities reach production.

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Scans Complete in Minutes, Not Hours

StackHawk completes comprehensive API and application security scans in minutes, enabling just-in-time feedback for developers on every build. Developers can then fix vulnerabilities while code context is fresh and fixes are cheapest—not in production. Our containerized scanner runs directly in your CI/CD pipeline in parallel with other tests, eliminating network latency and enabling development velocity.

Acunetix scans typically take hours to complete, making them impractical for fast-moving teams deploying multiple times per day. While Acunetix offers CI/CD triggers via API calls, scans execute in external environments and return results long after developers have moved on to new features, creating friction between security findings and actual remediation.

API Discovery

Source Code-Driven API Discovery

StackHawk discovers your complete attack surface from source code before deployment, automatically mapping every REST, GraphQL, gRPC, and SOAP API the moment they’re committed—including shadow APIs, internal microservices, and AI/LLM integrations that never make it into documentation. Plus, StackHawk turns visibility into test coverage by auto-generating OpenAPI specifications that can be immediately ingested by our scanner.

Acunetix discovers APIs reactively through production scanning or requires manual schema uploads for API testing. Teams must provide OpenAPI specifications, GraphQL schemas, or protobuf definitions before Acunetix can test them, creating maintenance overhead and coverage gaps when APIs evolve faster than documentation. You’re always testing what existed yesterday, not what’s being deployed today.

Built for Developer Adoption

StackHawk empowers developers to own security testing through intuitive YAML configuration, JavaScript custom tests for business logic, and immediate feedback integrated directly into their existing tools and workflows like in PR comments with full context. Our config-as-code approach means security testing lives in version control alongside application code, making it as easy as copying a file to replicate across microservices. Plus, this delivers consistent, deterministic scans.

Acunetix operates as a centralized security platform requiring its Login Sequence Recorder (LSR) for complex authentication and point-and-click UI configuration that doesn’t translate to code. While functional for security team-operated assessments, this model creates bottlenecks when development teams ship AI-generated code multiple times daily. Configuration lives in the tool, not in code, making it difficult to scale across dozens of microservices.

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Acunetix vs StackHawk Feature Comparison Guide

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Features
StackHawk
Acunetix
Developer Experience

Actionable vulnerability feedback integrated into every pull request with clear remediation steps that fit developer workflows

Security-first approach through centralized Login Sequence Recorder (LSR) requiring browser-based recording and point-and-click configuration that doesn't translate to code-based workflows

API Discovery

Source code-driven discovery finds internal and public-facing APIs before deployment, preventing exposure

Reactive API discovery through network traffic analysis, API management integrations and zero-configuration scanning of exposed APIs

API Security Testing

Comprehensive testing for all API types: REST, SOAP, GraphQL, and gRPC

Scans REST, SOAP and GraphQL APIs - requires existing API specifications or manual uploads

CI/CD Integration

Native pipeline integration across all major platforms with scans that complete within standard build times

API-triggered integrations requiring manual configuration of target IDs, API keys, and scan profile setup for each pipeline - scans execute in external environments with longer feedback loops

Business Logic Testing

Deterministic tests support detection of complex business logic flaws with full transparency and customization

Business Logic Recorder (BLR) for multi-step form navigation and custom vulnerability checks through JavaScript scripting - designed for security team operation rather than developer workflows

Frequently Asked Questions About StackHawk and Acunetix

Why does per-application pricing create problems with microservices?

StackHawk’s per-developer pricing scales naturally with team growth, making it cost-effective for organizations with dozens or hundreds of microservices. You can test unlimited applications. Acunetix’s per-target licensing becomes expensive in microservice environments where one product might consist of 20-30 separate services. Teams either accept coverage gaps or face budget constraints that security tools should solve, not create.

Can StackHawk discover APIs that Acunetix would miss?

Yes. StackHawk discovers APIs from source code before deployment, finding shadow APIs, internal microservices, and undocumented endpoints the moment they’re committed. Acunetix relies on production scanning or manual API specification uploads, which means undocumented APIs remain invisible until they’re already exposed. In the AI development era where developers generate entire API services in minutes, proactive discovery from code is the only way to maintain complete attack surface visibility.

How does authentication configuration compare between the tools?

StackHawk handles authentication through YAML configuration that supports OAuth, JWT, API keys, and custom flows. Configuration lives in version control and replicates easily across services, which is critical for dozens of microservices with similar auth patterns. Acunetix uses its Login Sequence Recorder (LSR), which requires manually recording click-through authentication in a browser tool. While functional for traditional web apps, it creates maintenance overhead for API-first architectures and doesn’t align with infrastructure-as-code workflows that modern DevSecOps teams expect.

How do hour-long scans impact development velocity in the AI era?

StackHawk’s minute-long scans enable developers to get security feedback on every build without workflow disruption. This matters as AI-assisted development accelerates code production. Teams shipping faster need security testing that keeps pace. Acunetix’s multi-hour scans are designed for periodic assessments, not continuous testing. Vulnerabilities are discovered days after code is written when developer context is lost and fixes cost significantly more. When teams deploy multiple times daily, hour-long scans become release blockers rather than enablers.

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