Catalog comparison
ZAP (Zed Attack Proxy)Burp Suite
Side-by-side facts from the TestGuild Tool Matcher catalog. Empty cells mean the catalog does not list that attribute — not that the product lacks it.
The world's most widely used web app scanner. Free and open source DAST tool by Checkmarx. A community based GitHub Top 1000 project that anyone can contribute to.
The world's #1 web penetration testing toolkit. Burp Suite enables users to accelerate application security testing with both free Community Edition and professional-grade tools. Chosen by over 70,000 security professionals worldwide.
At a glance
Primary testing surface
ZAP (Zed Attack Proxy)
Security
Burp Suite
Security
Primary capability
ZAP (Zed Attack Proxy)
Security
Burp Suite
Security
License and pricing
ZAP (Zed Attack Proxy)
free · open source
Burp Suite
freemium
Free trial
ZAP (Zed Attack Proxy)
No
Burp Suite
No
Free-tier limit
ZAP (Zed Attack Proxy)
Not listed in catalog
Burp Suite
Free community edition with essential manual tools for web security testing
Complexity
ZAP (Zed Attack Proxy)
intermediate
Burp Suite
intermediate
Team fit
ZAP (Zed Attack Proxy)
enterprise, large, medium, small
Burp Suite
enterprise, large, medium, small
Test authoring languages
ZAP (Zed Attack Proxy)
Java, JavaScript, Python, REST API
Burp Suite
Java, JavaScript, Python, REST API
Supported platforms
ZAP (Zed Attack Proxy)
CLI, Docker, Linux, macOS, Web, Windows
Burp Suite
Java, Linux, macOS, Windows
MCP server
ZAP (Zed Attack Proxy)
No
Burp Suite
No
Key features (catalog)
ZAP (Zed Attack Proxy)
Active scanning capabilities, API security testing, Authentication support, Automated security scanning, CI/CD integration, Community-driven development, Comprehensive reporting, Cross-platform support (Windows, Mac, Linux), Docker container support, Dynamic Application Security Testing (DAST) +9 more
Burp Suite
API security testing, Auto and manual OAST testing (Burp Collaborator), Automated crawling and content discovery, Bug bounty hunting support, Burp Comparer for response comparison, Burp Decoder for encoding/decoding, Burp Intruder for custom attacks, Burp Repeater for request manipulation, Burp Sequencer for randomness analysis, CI/CD integration capabilities +18 more
Limitations (catalog)
ZAP (Zed Attack Proxy)
Limited enterprise support options, Limited to web application testing, May generate false positives requiring manual review, No built-in SAST capabilities, No mobile app security testing, Requires manual configuration for complex applications, Requires security expertise to use effectively, Steep learning curve for advanced features
Burp Suite
Community Edition has limited features, Limited to web application testing, May generate false positives requiring manual review, No mobile app security testing, No SAST capabilities, Professional version requires paid license ($475), Requires security expertise to use effectively, Resource intensive for large applications +1 more
| Attribute | ZAP (Zed Attack Proxy) | Burp Suite |
|---|---|---|
| Primary testing surface | Security | Security |
| Primary capability | Security | Security |
| License and pricing | free · open source | freemium |
| Free trial | No | No |
| Free-tier limit | Not listed in catalog | Free community edition with essential manual tools for web security testing |
| Complexity | intermediate | intermediate |
| Team fit | enterprise, large, medium, small | enterprise, large, medium, small |
| Test authoring languages | Java, JavaScript, Python, REST API | Java, JavaScript, Python, REST API |
| Supported platforms | CLI, Docker, Linux, macOS, Web, Windows | Java, Linux, macOS, Windows |
| MCP server | No | No |
| Key features (catalog) | Active scanning capabilities, API security testing, Authentication support, Automated security scanning, CI/CD integration, Community-driven development, Comprehensive reporting, Cross-platform support (Windows, Mac, Linux), Docker container support, Dynamic Application Security Testing (DAST) +9 more | API security testing, Auto and manual OAST testing (Burp Collaborator), Automated crawling and content discovery, Bug bounty hunting support, Burp Comparer for response comparison, Burp Decoder for encoding/decoding, Burp Intruder for custom attacks, Burp Repeater for request manipulation, Burp Sequencer for randomness analysis, CI/CD integration capabilities +18 more |
| Limitations (catalog) | Limited enterprise support options, Limited to web application testing, May generate false positives requiring manual review, No built-in SAST capabilities, No mobile app security testing, Requires manual configuration for complex applications, Requires security expertise to use effectively, Steep learning curve for advanced features | Community Edition has limited features, Limited to web application testing, May generate false positives requiring manual review, No mobile app security testing, No SAST capabilities, Professional version requires paid license ($475), Requires security expertise to use effectively, Resource intensive for large applications +1 more |
How the trade-offs apply to your team
Guidance below is inferred only from catalog differences. It is not a winner pick.
Consider ZAP (Zed Attack Proxy) if…
- you need coverage for CLI, Docker, Web
- open source matters for your team
- you care about Active scanning capabilities and Authentication support
Consider Burp Suite if…
- you need coverage for Java
- you care about Auto and manual OAST testing (Burp Collaborator) and Automated crawling and content discovery
Questions to verify before choosing
- Confirm current pricing and packaging on the ZAP (Zed Attack Proxy) and Burp Suite websites.
- Trial both tools against a real slice of your application, not a demo site.
- Verify the exact browser, device, or OS matrix you must support.