--- title: "Nmap vs Tenable: Which is searched more?" description: "Is Nmap or Tenable more popular in search? Compare estimated monthly branded-search demand and Share of Search inside the Penetration testing platforms set worldwide. Branded searches tell you how often people look for a brand by name or related terms. Comparing these searches across competitors helps you see how popular each brand is over time." canonical: "https://gobrandwave.com/demand/global-en/compare/nmap-vs-tenable" publisher: "Brandwave" --- # Nmap vs Tenable: Which is searched more? Is Nmap or Tenable more popular in search? Compare estimated monthly branded-search demand and Share of Search inside the Penetration testing platforms set worldwide. Branded searches tell you how often people look for a brand by name or related terms. Comparing these searches across competitors helps you see how popular each brand is over time. ## Key facts - **Compared**: Nmap and Tenable - **Competitive set**: Penetration testing platforms - **Market**: Global - **Month measured**: Sep 2026 - **Nmap Share of Search**: 16.2% - **Tenable Share of Search**: 4.9% ## Is Nmap or Tenable more popular in search? - In September 2026, Nmap had more branded searches than Tenable among penetration testing platforms worldwide. Nmap had about 165,000 branded searches, while Tenable had 49,500. Nmap made up 16.2% of all penetration testing platform searches we track, and Tenable accounted for 4.9%. - Nmap was ahead of Tenable in every measured month of the 12 months ending September 2026. - Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Nmap’s share of searches among penetration testing platforms worldwide moved from 16.5% to 16.2%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 201K to 165K. - Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Tenable’s share of searches among penetration testing platforms worldwide moved from 6.1% to 4.9%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 74K to 49.5K. ## Top penetration testing platforms in ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews In three ChatGPT questions and two Google AI Overviews, Nmap was mentioned in three out of five: in one of the three ChatGPT answers and in both Google AI Overviews. Tenable was mentioned in three out of five: in two of the three ChatGPT answers and in one of the two Google AI Overviews. Nmap and Tenable were each listed first in two of the four answers that named either. Brands get a higher AI rank if they are mentioned earlier in the answers that list options. | Brand | AI rank | ChatGPT answers that named it | Google AI Overviews that named it | All answers that named it | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Burp Suite | 1st | 3 of 3 | 2 of 2 | 5 of 5 | | Kali Linux | 2nd | 2 of 3 | 1 of 2 | 3 of 5 | | Metasploit | 3rd | 2 of 3 | 2 of 2 | 4 of 5 | | ZAP | 4th | 3 of 3 | 2 of 2 | 5 of 5 | | Tenable | 5th | 2 of 3 | 1 of 2 | 3 of 5 | | Nmap | 6th | 1 of 3 | 2 of 2 | 3 of 5 | | Horizon3.ai | 7th | 1 of 3 | 1 of 2 | 2 of 5 | | Pentera | 8th | 1 of 3 | 1 of 2 | 2 of 5 | | Intruder | 9th | 0 of 3 | 1 of 2 | 1 of 5 | | Cobalt | 10th | 1 of 3 | 0 of 2 | 1 of 5 | | Astra Security | Not ranked | 0 of 3 | 0 of 2 | 0 of 5 | ## Every AI answer about penetration testing platforms - Asked ChatGPT "Which penetration testing platform should I use?": 1. Kali Linux, 2. Burp Suite, 3. ZAP, 4. Pentera - Asked ChatGPT "What are the best penetration testing platforms?": 1. Kali Linux, 2. Burp Suite, 3. Metasploit, 4. Nmap, 5. ZAP, 6. Tenable, 7. Cobalt - Asked ChatGPT "What's the best penetration testing platform for security weaknesses?": 1. Burp Suite, 2. Metasploit, 3. Tenable, 4. ZAP, 5. Horizon3.ai - Searched Google, AI Overview "penetration testing software": 1. Burp Suite, 2. Kali Linux, 3. Metasploit, 4. Nmap, 5. Horizon3.ai, 6. Pentera, 7. Intruder, 8. ZAP - Searched Google, AI Overview "security testing tools": 1. ZAP, 2. Burp Suite, 3. Tenable, 4. Metasploit, 5. Nmap Not named in any answer: Astra Security. Brands are listed in the order each answer named them. The answers were collected in the United States on October 21, 2026. ## How did search popularity change for penetration testing platforms worldwide in September 2026? - In September 2026, ZAP overtook Tenable to rank 4th among penetration testing platforms worldwide, with 5.1% of the searches. - In September 2026, Nmap lost share of searches among penetration testing platforms worldwide, from 16.8% to 16.2%. - Tenable’s share of searches among penetration testing platforms worldwide has lost ground for 3 months in a row, from 5.8% to 4.9% in September 2026. ## Month by month | Month | Nmap estimated searches | Nmap Share of Search | Nmap rank | Tenable estimated searches | Tenable Share of Search | Tenable rank | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Oct 2025 | 201K | 16.5% | 2 | 74K | 6.1% | 4 | | Nov 2025 | 165K | 15.6% | 2 | 74K | 7% | 4 | | Dec 2025 | 165K | 16.2% | 2 | 60.5K | 5.9% | 4 | | Jan 2026 | 165K | 16.1% | 2 | 60.5K | 5.9% | 4 | | Feb 2026 | 165K | 16.1% | 2 | 60.5K | 5.9% | 4 | | Mar 2026 | 201K | 18.7% | 2 | 60.5K | 5.6% | 4 | | Apr 2026 | 165K | 15.9% | 2 | 60.5K | 5.8% | 4 | | May 2026 | 165K | 17.8% | 2 | 60.5K | 6.5% | 4 | | Jun 2026 | 135K | 15.7% | 2 | 49.5K | 5.8% | 5 | | Jul 2026 | 165K | 18.7% | 2 | 49.5K | 5.6% | 4 | | Aug 2026 | 165K | 16.8% | 2 | 49.5K | 5% | 4 | | Sep 2026 | 165K | 16.2% | 2 | 49.5K | 4.9% | 5 | ## How each brand is measured Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using Nmap’s and Tenable’s names. When viewed over time, estimated search volumes for these branded terms can be used to understand whether interest in the brands is growing, holding steady, or fading. - **Nmap**: Measured on the search term “nmap”. - **Tenable**: Measured on the search term “nessus”. - [Nmap profile](/demand/global-en/brands/nmap) - [Tenable profile](/demand/global-en/brands/tenable) - [All penetration testing platforms worldwide](/demand/global-en/categories/penetration-testing-platforms): The set both shares are measured inside, 11 brands. ## Methodology - [How is the Brand Demand Index measured?](/demand/methodology): Where the figures come from, what they compare, and how they may be reused. ## Frequently asked questions ### Is Nmap or Tenable more popular in search? In September 2026, Nmap had more branded searches than Tenable among penetration testing platforms worldwide. Nmap had about 165,000 branded searches, while Tenable had 49,500. Nmap made up 16.2% of all penetration testing platform searches we track, and Tenable accounted for 4.9%. ## Cite this page Brandwave. "Nmap vs Tenable: Which is searched more?". https://gobrandwave.com/demand/global-en/compare/nmap-vs-tenable This page is also available as HTML at https://gobrandwave.com/demand/global-en/compare/nmap-vs-tenable. Brandwave publishes an index of its Markdown pages at https://gobrandwave.com/llms.txt.