The Developer-First Alternative to Rapid7 InsightAppSec

StackHawk offers powerful API scanning and automated DAST, plus native CI/CD integration that delivers scan results in minutes, first-class GraphQL and gRPC support, and config-as-code workflows that developers actually adopt.

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Why Choose StackHawk Over Rapid7 InsightAppSec?

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 Rapid7 InsightAppSec, which was designed for periodic, centralized scans by security teams, StackHawk delivers CI/CD-native testing with automatic API discovery, fast incremental scans, and developer-friendly results that enable same-day remediation when context is fresh and fixes are cheapest.

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Built for CI/CD Speed and Developer Workflows

StackHawk is designed for CI/CD automation with Docker-based deployment, native integrations for GitHub Actions, GitLab CI, Jenkins, and CircleCI. Scan results are delivered in minutes directly in build logs, PR checks, and developer tools. Fast incremental scans enable testing on every pull request without slowing releases, with unlimited scanning across all applications and environments.

Rapid7 InsightAppSec is designed for periodic, centralized scanning by security teams with cloud-based or on-premises scan engines that can introduce delays to fast-moving CI/CD pipelines. While basic CI plugins exist, the security-centric workflow means developers wait for scan results and remain disconnected from the triage process, creating bottlenecks that slow delivery.

Native API Coverage Without Manual Configuration

StackHawk provides first-class, out-of-the-box support for REST, SOAP, GraphQL, and gRPC APIs with automatic discovery and testing capabilities. Modern microservices architectures get comprehensive security coverage from the start, with custom attack templates to address unique API behaviors and business logic vulnerabilities without requiring Swagger files or traffic capture.

Rapid7 InsightAppSec requires manual setup or proxy traffic recording to enable API scanning, with limited or no native support for GraphQL and gRPC protocols. Teams must invest significant time capturing traffic or maintaining API specifications to achieve coverage, which creates ongoing maintenance overhead and potential blind spots in rapidly evolving microservices environments.

Developer-Friendly Results That Accelerate Fixes

StackHawk delivers actionable security findings with clear remediation guidance in developers’ language, including cURL reproduction commands, precise request/response data, and framework-specific fix recommendations. Config-as-code with YAML enables version-controlled security testing, while integrations with Slack, Jira, and Microsoft Teams deliver findings where developers already work to eliminate context switching.

Rapid7 InsightAppSec uses a security team-centric UI and workflow designed for centralized vulnerability management rather than developer adoption. Authentication configuration requires macro or Selenium recorders that are less flexible for complex auth flows, and reporting is geared toward compliance rather than immediate remediation, which increases friction between security findings and developer action.

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Rapid7 InsightAppSec vs StackHawk Feature Comparison Guide

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Features

StackHawk

Rapid7 InsightAppSec

Developer Experience

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

Security-centric interface designed for periodic scanning by security teams; limited developer-facing features, and requires manual ticket creation for developer involvement

API Discovery

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

Manual application configuration required; lacks automated API discovery capabilities from source code repositories

API Security Testing

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

Limited API support; basic REST testing with manual Swagger import required; lacks native GraphQL and gRPC support

CI/CD Integration

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

Basic CI plugins available but not optimized for developer workflows; slower cloud-based scans can delay pipeline execution

Business Logic Testing

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

Limited business logic testing capabilities; relies on pre-built attack templates without adaptive learning from API behavior; requires significant manual configuration

Frequently Asked Questions About StackHawk and Rapid7 InsightAppSec

What are the benefits of StackHawk's portable scanner over Rapid7's hosted scanner?

Cloud-hosted scanners suffer from network latency penalties, with every request traveling across the public internet and back, adding 50-200ms per round trip that compounds across thousands of API endpoints. They also compete for bandwidth with other network traffic and face geographic distance delays that slow scan completion. StackHawk’s scanner runs within your infrastructure or CI/CD pipeline, eliminating internet latency and bandwidth competition. This proximity enables faster request/response cycles, higher concurrency, and more comprehensive security testing within typical development timelines.

Rapid7 advertises 95+ attack types. How does StackHawk's coverage compare?

StackHawk covers all OWASP Top 10 vulnerabilities, common misconfigurations, and supports custom tests for business logic flaws specific to your applications. The key difference is that we deliver these findings in a developer-friendly format with immediate feedback during development, whereas Rapid7’s results are typically provided after code has shipped. The value of our approach is we go beyond comprehensive attack type coverage to catch vulnerabilities early when they’re cheapest to fix.

How does each tool handle compliance and audit requirements?

StackHawk’s scan summary report provides a clear record of findings history well-suited for audit compliance, and the API offers flexibility to integrate with any external reporting platform you choose, whether that’s Jira, ServiceNow, or compliance management tools. Rapid7 InsightAppSec includes built-in compliance reporting features with pre-formatted PDF reports and templates designed for security teams managing formal audit processes across various regulatory standards.

Can I schedule scans with StackHawk like I can with Rapid7?

Yes. You can schedule tests with StackHawk using any scheduling tool your team already uses, whether cron jobs, CI/CD pipeline schedules, or enterprise schedulers. Rather than adding a standalone “scan button,” we integrate with your existing DevSecOps toolchain. This ensures security testing happens automatically within your development workflows, not as a manual afterthought, while still supporting scheduled periodic scans when needed.

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