# Best Penetration Testing Tools - Page 9 *By [Lauren Worth](https://research.g2.com/insights/author/lauren-worth)* Penetration testing tools are used to test vulnerabilities within computer systems and applications. These tools work by simulating cyberattacks that target known vulnerabilities as well as general application components in an attempt to breach core systems. Companies conduct penetration tests to uncover new defects and test the security of communication channels and integrations. While the [best penetration testing tools](https://learn.g2.com/best-penetration-testing-tools) are related to [application security software](https://www.g2.com/categories/application-security) and [vulnerability management software](https://www.g2.com/categories/vulnerability-management), only these tools specifically perform penetration tests. There are also a number of [cybersecurity services providers](https://www.g2.com/categories/security-and-privacy-services) that offer [penetration testing services](https://www.g2.com/categories/penetration-testing-services). To qualify for inclusion in the Penetration Testing category, a product must: - Simulate cyberattacks on computer systems or applications - Gather intelligence on potential known vulnerabilities - Analyze exploits and report on test outcomes ## How Many Penetration Testing Tools Products Does G2 Track? **Total Products under this Category:** 126 ### Category Stats (Jun 2026) - **Average Rating**: 4.62/5 The average rating of products in this category, based on all submitted ratings - **New Reviews This Quarter**: 114 - **Buyer Segments**: Enterprise 38% │ Mid-Market 33% │ Small-Business 29% Represents the distribution of reviewers across all products in this category. - **Top Trending Product**: Veracode Application Security Platform (+0.74%) - Among all products in this category, Veracode Application Security Platform recorded the largest rating increase compared to last month *Last updated: June 05, 2026* ## How Does G2 Rank Penetration Testing Tools Products? **Why You Can Trust G2's Software Rankings:** - 30 Analysts and Data Experts - 3,300+ Authentic Reviews - 126+ Products - Unbiased Rankings G2's software rankings are built on verified user reviews, rigorous moderation, and a consistent research methodology maintained by a team of analysts and data experts. Each product is measured using the same transparent criteria, with no paid placement or vendor influence. While reviews reflect real user experiences, which can be subjective, they offer valuable insight into how software performs in the hands of professionals. Together, these inputs power the G2 Score, a standardized way to compare tools within every category. ## Which Penetration Testing Tools Is Best for Your Use Case? - **Leader:** [Cobalt](https://www.g2.com/products/cobalt-io-cobalt/reviews) - **Highest Performer:** [Edgescan](https://www.g2.com/products/edgescan/reviews) - **Easiest to Use:** [Cobalt](https://www.g2.com/products/cobalt-io-cobalt/reviews) - **Top Trending:** [Pentera](https://www.g2.com/products/pentera/reviews) - **Best Free Software:** [vPenTest](https://www.g2.com/products/vpentest/reviews) --- **Sponsored** ### Cyver Core Cyver Core is a pentest collaboration and management platform to digitize, automate, and optimize manual work for pentest firms, while enabling Pentest-as-a-Service delivery. Cyver Core offers pentest report automation, branded client portals, pentest management, team management, and more. [Visit website](https://www.g2.com/external_clickthroughs/record?secure%5Bad_program%5D=ppc&secure%5Bad_slot%5D=category_product_list&secure%5Bcategory_id%5D=1519&secure%5Bdisplayable_resource_id%5D=1519&secure%5Bdisplayable_resource_type%5D=Category&secure%5Bmedium%5D=sponsored&secure%5Bplacement_reason%5D=page_category&secure%5Bplacement_resource_ids%5D%5B%5D=1519&secure%5Bprioritized%5D=false&secure%5Bproduct_id%5D=143763&secure%5Bresource_id%5D=1519&secure%5Bresource_type%5D=Category&secure%5Bsource_type%5D=category_page&secure%5Bsource_url%5D=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.g2.com%2Fcategories%2Fpenetration-testing-tools%3Fpage%3D5&secure%5Btoken%5D=47917aeea985250d812c36cdbb521baa020fac43470c1d8252d31d8abf6257a0&secure%5Burl%5D=https%3A%2F%2Fcore.cyver.io%2F&secure%5Burl_type%5D=company_website) --- ## What Is Penetration Testing Tools? [DevSecOps Software](https://www.g2.com/categories/devsecops) ## What Software Categories Are Similar to Penetration Testing Tools? - [Vulnerability Scanner Software](https://www.g2.com/categories/vulnerability-scanner) - [Dynamic Application Security Testing (DAST) Software](https://www.g2.com/categories/dynamic-application-security-testing-dast) - [Risk-Based Vulnerability Management Software](https://www.g2.com/categories/risk-based-vulnerability-management) --- ## What Are the Most Common Questions About Penetration Testing Tools? *AI-generated · Last updated: May 26, 2026* ### What platform integrates penetration testing with security monitoring tools? Based on G2 reviews, several penetration testing platforms mention integrations that help security teams connect findings to their broader workflows. According to verified users, [Cobalt](https://www.g2.com/products/cobalt-io-cobalt/reviews) stands out for integrations with Slack, ticketing systems, APIs, and Google Sheets workflows, which reviewers say helps teams collaborate with testers and move findings into remediation faster. G2 reviewers also mention platforms like [Edgescan](https://www.g2.com/products/edgescan/reviews) and [Strobes Security](https://www.g2.com/products/strobes-security/reviews) for connecting with Jira and other security operations processes. Across reviews, buyers most often value integrations that reduce back-and-forth, keep findings visible, and support ongoing vulnerability tracking rather than one-time reporting. ### What platform provides compliance-focused penetration testing? Based on G2 reviews, compliance is a common reason buyers choose penetration testing tools, but [Cobalt](https://www.g2.com/products/cobalt-io-cobalt/reviews) appears most often in recent review data and is frequently described as helping teams meet annual testing, PCI, SOC 2, HIPAA, and broader audit requirements. According to verified users, reviewers value its straightforward reporting, retesting workflows, and support for external and internal assessments tied to compliance needs. G2 reviewers mention that it helps security teams demonstrate requirements to customers and auditors while giving developers findings they can act on. Reviews also note tradeoffs such as pricing and occasional variation in tester depth, but compliance support and easy-to-share reports are recurring strengths. ### Which vendor offers AI-powered threat simulation? Based on G2 reviews, [Pentera](https://www.g2.com/products/pentera/reviews) is the clearest fit for AI-powered threat simulation in this category. According to verified users, reviewers describe Pentera as automating attack simulation in a way that mimics real attackers, validates exploitable paths, and helps teams focus on real risk rather than broad vulnerability lists. G2 reviewers mention AI-driven insights, automated validation, and continuous testing as strengths that help security teams prioritize remediation and reduce manual effort. Some users also note setup complexity, reporting customization limits, or higher cost, but the reviews consistently frame Pentera as a platform built around automated attack emulation and validation rather than just traditional scanning. ### Which penetration testing platform offers the most comprehensive vulnerability coverage? Based on G2 reviews, buyers describe comprehensive coverage in different ways, including application, network, API, cloud, and continuous testing support. According to verified users, [Cobalt](https://www.g2.com/products/cobalt-io-cobalt/reviews) is praised for external and internal testing, application assessments, collaboration with testers, and retesting. G2 reviewers also highlight [Astra Pentest](https://www.g2.com/products/astra-pentest/reviews) for combining automated scanning with manual validation across web apps, APIs, and cloud-related findings, while [vPenTest](https://www.g2.com/products/vpentest/reviews) is often cited for broad automated internal and external coverage with clear reports. In reviews, the most comprehensive platforms tend to balance strong discovery, practical remediation guidance, and enough testing breadth to support both engineering and compliance goals. **Here are some of the top-rated products on G2:** - [Cobalt](https://www.g2.com/products/cobalt-io-cobalt/reviews) – often used for external, internal, application, and compliance-driven testing with collaborative remediation workflows - [vPenTest](https://www.g2.com/products/vpentest/reviews) – commonly used for automated internal and external testing with clear reporting for recurring assessments - [Astra Pentest](https://www.g2.com/products/astra-pentest/reviews) – frequently chosen for web app, API, and cloud-related testing with validated findings and responsive support ### What is the most affordable penetration testing software for SMBs? Based on G2 reviews, affordability for SMBs usually means faster setup, repeatable testing, and lower overhead than traditional engagements. According to verified users, [vPenTest](https://www.g2.com/products/vpentest/reviews) is often described as a cost-effective option for smaller businesses and MSPs because it supports recurring testing, clear customer-friendly reporting, and easier self-managed workflows. G2 reviewers mention that it helps teams test more frequently without the effort and delay of manual-only engagements. Reviewers also note that some findings may still need manual verification and that scan or report turnaround can vary, but the platform is repeatedly framed as strong value for teams that need practical security coverage on tighter budgets. **Here are some of the top-rated products on G2:** - [vPenTest](https://www.g2.com/products/vpentest/reviews) – often chosen by MSPs and smaller teams for affordable recurring internal and external testing - [Cobalt](https://www.g2.com/products/cobalt-io-cobalt/reviews) – reviewers describe it as reasonable for some use cases, especially when teams value reporting and tester collaboration - [Astra Pentest](https://www.g2.com/products/astra-pentest/reviews) – users often highlight strong value from validated findings, responsive support, and efficient remediation workflows ### Which vendor provides real-time penetration testing reports? Based on G2 reviews, [Cobalt](https://www.g2.com/products/cobalt-io-cobalt/reviews) is most consistently associated with real-time penetration testing visibility. According to verified users, reviewers say vulnerabilities appear in the dashboard as testers discover them, which allows teams to ask questions immediately, validate fixes faster, and keep remediation aligned with development work. G2 reviewers mention direct collaboration through the platform and Slack, plus continuous updates rather than waiting only for a final report. While some reviews note variability in tester quality or report interface improvements they would like to see, the recurring theme is immediate findings visibility and active communication during the engagement rather than delayed, static reporting. ### What is the top-rated penetration testing platform for enterprises? Based on G2 reviews, enterprise buyers tend to prioritize scalability, reporting, collaboration, and dependable remediation workflows. According to verified users, [Cobalt](https://www.g2.com/products/cobalt-io-cobalt/reviews) is the most visible choice in recent review data and is often described as fitting enterprise needs through real-time findings visibility, ticketing integrations, structured retesting, and support for recurring application and infrastructure testing. G2 reviewers mention that it works well for security teams that need to coordinate across engineering, compliance, and stakeholder reporting. Some users note pricing or scoping constraints, but reviews repeatedly describe Cobalt as a mature option for organizations managing larger programs and ongoing testing demands. **Here are some of the top-rated products on G2:** - [Cobalt](https://www.g2.com/products/cobalt-io-cobalt/reviews) – frequently used by larger teams for collaborative testing, retesting, and integration with engineering workflows - [Astra Pentest](https://www.g2.com/products/astra-pentest/reviews) – valued for dashboard visibility, manual-plus-automated testing, and structured support through remediation - [vPenTest](https://www.g2.com/products/vpentest/reviews) – used for scalable recurring assessments with strong reporting and self-managed scheduling ### Which tool supports penetration testing for cloud environments? Based on G2 reviews, several products are used for cloud-related penetration testing, but buyers often call out support for cloud apps, infrastructure visibility, and validation of cloud exposures. According to verified users, [Astra Pentest](https://www.g2.com/products/astra-pentest/reviews) is noted for cloud target integration and reviews that cover misconfigurations, exposed services, IAM gaps, and broader attack-surface visibility. G2 reviewers also mention [Intruder](https://www.g2.com/products/intruder/reviews) for scanning cloud resources across environments like AWS and Azure, and [Cobalt](https://www.g2.com/products/cobalt-io-cobalt/reviews) for cloud and web application tests scheduled around changing development needs. In reviews, the strongest cloud tools combine clear reporting with practical remediation guidance. ### What is the best tool for simulating cyberattacks? Based on G2 reviews, the best fit for cyberattack simulation depends on whether teams want validated attack paths, automation, or continuous testing. According to verified users, [Pentera](https://www.g2.com/products/pentera/reviews) is repeatedly described as simulating real attacker behavior, including lateral movement, validation of exploitable weaknesses, and clear attack-path organization. G2 reviewers mention that it helps teams understand real risk, reduce manual effort, and focus remediation on what is actually actionable. Reviews also note occasional concerns around installation complexity, reporting customization, or cost, but the product is consistently positioned as a strong option for organizations that want realistic attack simulation rather than basic vulnerability discovery alone. **Here are some of the top-rated products on G2:** - [Pentera](https://www.g2.com/products/pentera/reviews) – designed for attacker-style simulation with validated attack paths and remediation guidance - [NodeZero from Horizon3.ai](https://www.g2.com/products/nodezero-from-horizon3-ai/reviews) – used for automated attack-path testing and repeated validation after fixes - [RidgeBot](https://www.g2.com/products/ridgebot/reviews) – valued for simulating exploitability and helping teams prioritize risks based on validated impact ### Which solution supports both automated and manual penetration testing? Based on G2 reviews, [Astra Pentest](https://www.g2.com/products/astra-pentest/reviews) is strongly associated with combining automated scanning and manual penetration testing in one workflow. According to verified users, reviewers say this approach helps validate findings, reduce false positives, and keep teams focused on real issues instead of generic scanner output. G2 reviewers mention a unified dashboard, responsive support, and easier tracking of findings, remediation, and certification-related progress. Some users would like smoother onboarding or faster communication in certain cases, but the recurring review pattern is clear: Astra is chosen by teams that want the efficiency of automation alongside human verification and collaborative remediation support.