Top API Security Testing Tools You Need Now

Gartner predicts that APIs will become the primary attack vector in 2022, so API testing tools are in high demand right now.

With more frequent and incredibly sophisticated cyberattacks looming, the challenge to protect your API assets from data breaches that can permanently - and often, irrevocably - damage your brand's reputation has to be a top priority.

Companies that don't have a well-polished API security strategy in place can easily fall victim to these attacks and see their revenue plummet.

To help you stay ahead of hackers, we compiled the five best API security testing tools, ranked based on their functionalities, ease of use, test coverage, reporting systems, and integration capabilities.

When evaluating tools, prioritize those that offer comprehensive vulnerability scanning alongside functional and business-logic testing.​

When comparing vendors, prioritize an api security testing platform that offers broad coverage, deep logic testing, and CI/CD integration instead of simple signature scans.​

What Are the Best API Security Testing Tools?

Here are our top picks for the best API security testing tools:

1. APIsec
2. Burp Suite
3. Acunetix
4. beSECURE
5. Zap

1. APIsec

APIsec is a comprehensive API security testing platform that automatically monitors your APIs around the clock to protect them from vulnerabilities, data breaches, and other cyber threats.

The platform leverages the power of AI to offer comprehensive, continuous, and automated testing of all of your APIs and endpoints.

APIsec is the only automated API security testing solution that writes security test cases for you. After that, the tool will automatically execute those tests to ensure full coverage.

These factors make APIsec an excellent option for companies looking for ways to save development resources while increasing their test coverage and eliminating human error.

Key Features:

• Test every endpoint and method against OWASP risks
• Identify business logic flaws
• Execute complete API test suites in minutes, not hours or days
• Automatically generate security and logic tests
• Integrate with CI/CD for automated testing on every release
• Extensive reporting capabilities, including audit-ready pen-test reports
• Offers free API pen-test service

Pricing:

APIsec offers a flexible pricing structure to help you seamlessly scale your API security testing as your company grows.

• Free - get a free API assessment covering the entire OWASP API Security Top 10 list.
• Standard - $500/month (billed annually).
• Professional - $1,950/month (billed annually).
• Enterprise - based on your unique API testing needs.

Get started with APIsec today to get a free vulnerability assessment.

2. Burp Suite

Burp Suite is a security testing tool used by over 15,000 organizations and 60,000 developers worldwide.

The Burp Suite offers API security tools and modules that allow pen testers and developers to find security vulnerabilities and issues within your APIs.

Burp Suite is a popular tool among many API security testers for its robust features, affordability, and ease of use.

Key Features:

• Extensive manual penetration features
• Uncover hidden attack surface
• Construct CSRF exploits
• Powerful brute-forcing and fuzzing functionalities

Pricing:

Burp Suite offers a three-tier pricing model for organizations to use their resources more effectively:

• Starter - $6,995 per year
• Grow - $14,480 per year
• Accelerate - from $29,450 per year

When choosing a testing tool, many teams weigh burp suite vs owasp zap against newer automated platforms designed specifically for APIs. ​If you're exploring burp suite alternatives, consider platforms that offer continuous testing and business-logic coverage beyond traditional scanners. ​

3. Acunetix

Acunetix is a web vulnerability scanner that has been on the market for over ten years, helping development teams secure websites, web applications, and APIs.

The platform provides you with complete security reports that are easy to understand and implement.

Key Features:

• Detect over 7,000 web and 50,000 network vulnerabilities.
• Automatically prioritize your high-risk vulnerabilities
• OWASP Top 10 scanning
• Unlimited web scanning
• Eliminate false positives
• Increase your test coverage

Pricing:

The price tag depends on your unique API security testing needs. Acunetix requires you to sign a multi-year, long-term contract.

4. beSECURE

beSECURE is a cloud-based vulnerability assessment solution that helps you quickly and easily identify vulnerabilities in your APIs.

For those without any prior experience or training, beSECURE offers an intuitive interface that makes it easy to get started.

Key Features:

• Flexible reporting
• Continuous scanning of network vulnerabilities
• Supply workflow capabilities for prioritizing and tracking remediation efforts.
• A bug bounty program aimed at eliminating false positives and negatives.

Pricing:

beSECURE doesn't offer structured pricing packages, providing you with a custom quote based on your needs.

5. Zap

Designed and supported by OWASP, Zap is a tool used to run and manage API security tests.

Zap allows you to create, schedule, and automate your own custom vulnerability scans based on the OWASP best practices.

Key Features:

• Test your web applications and API across the entire OWASP Top 10 list
• Free to use
• Easy integrations with third-party tools and platforms

Pricing:

Zap is a free tool maintained by a dedicated team of international volunteers to make the Web a safer place.

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API Security Tools Comparison: Choosing the Right Solution

API security testing tools fall into four main categories, each addressing different vulnerability types:

• SAST (Static Analysis): Scans code before deployment for hardcoded secrets and injection flaws
• DAST (Dynamic Testing): Tests running APIs for OWASP Top 10 vulnerabilities and runtime issues
• Runtime Protection: Monitors production traffic for anomalies and business logic abuse
• Discovery Tools: Identifies shadow APIs and undocumented endpoints across environments

Key Features Comparison

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APIsec's Competitive Advantages

Unlike traditional tools requiring manual test creation, APIsec automatically generates comprehensive security test suites based on API specifications. This eliminates the expertise barrier and scales efficiently as API portfolios grow.

• Automated Business Logic Testing: APIsec simulates complex multi-step attack scenarios that exploit authorization flaws and workflow bypassesvulnerabilities that traditional DAST tools systematically miss.
• Verified Exploits, Zero False Positives: APIsec validates every finding by demonstrating actual exploitation rather than reporting theoretical vulnerabilities, dramatically reducing alert fatigue.
• Continuous Testing Without Manual Overhead: While penetration testing provides point-in-time assessments, APIsec runs automatically in CI/CD pipelines, testing every API update without security team intervention.

Choosing Based on Your Needs

• Teams Without Security Expertise: APIsec automates comprehensive testing without requiring penetration testing skills or dedicated security specialists.
  
  
• Manual Penetration Testing: Burp Suite provides deep control for security professionals conducting custom attack scenario development.
  
  
• Budget-Conscious Teams: Zap offers free OWASP Top 10 coverage with community support, though requiring more manual configuration.
  
  
• Compliance Requirements: APIsec generates audit-ready penetration test reports, simplifying validation for security assessment regulations.
  
  
• Large API Portfolios: Automated platforms like APIsec scale cost-effectively compared to manual tools requiring linear security team expansion.

Integration Requirements

Modern API security tools must integrate with:

• CI/CD Platforms: Jenkins, GitHub Actions, GitLab for automated pipeline testing
• API Gateways: Kong, Apigee, AWS API Gateway for realistic deployment testing
• Secrets Managers: HashiCorp Vault, AWS Secrets Manager for secure credential handling

Comprehensive API security typically requires multiple complementary tools: automated platforms for continuous testing, manual tools for deep assessments, and discovery solutions for complete visibility across the API ecosystem.

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What Are API Security Testing Tools?

API security testing tools are used to identify vulnerabilities and security issues in APIs.

Pen testers, developers, and security specialists can adopt these tools to find, exploit, and fix vulnerabilities in their applications. the

APIsec is a web application security scanner that uses automated vulnerability.

The tools listed above represent some of the most popular and effective options available today.

When evaluating API testing tools, ensure they can also model emerging AI threats like prompt injection and LLM-specific API abuse, not just classic OWASP-style vulnerabilities.

Final Thoughts: Best API Security Testing Tools

So, there you have it: the five best API security testing tools in 2022.

Each of these tools has its own unique set of features and benefits, so be sure to choose the one that best suits your needs.

Are you looking for ways to get started with API security testing? Get in touch with our team today to get a free vulnerability scan.

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FAQs

1. How does APIsec differentiate itself from other API security testing tools?
APIsec stands out through continuous, fully automated, logic-aware testing that simulates real attacker behaviors instead of relying only on static scans, which aligns directly with the capabilities described in the automated API security testing platform. It evaluates authorization, workflows, and business logic at scale, which most traditional scanners cannot do.

2. What key features should I look for in an API security testing platform?‍

Look for continuous testing, object-level authorization checks, business-logic validation, automated discovery, and support for OpenAPI-driven test generation, all outlined in the best API security testing tools guide. Strong CI/CD integration and detailed, reproducible findings are also essential.

3. How do automated API security testing tools improve vulnerability detection?‍

Automated tools run thousands of behavioral tests consistently, catching issues like BOLA, mass assignment, and logic bypasses that humans overlook, capabilities central to an automated API security testing platform. They provide repeatable, fast coverage for every code change, reducing blind spots.

4. Are there free API security testing tools that are effective?‍

Free tools help with basic scanning and input validation, but they rarely detect logic flaws or role-based authorization issues, a limitation highlighted in the comparison of best API security testing tools. They’re useful for surface-level checks but not a substitute for continuous, business-logic testing.

5. What pricing options are available for popular API security testing tools?‍

Pricing varies from free community editions to subscription-based plans and enterprise tiers. Costs typically depend on features such as automation depth, test volume, integrations, and reporting capabilities.

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