Top 5 Burp Suite Alternatives for API Security Testing

As more and more organizations move towards microservices and adopt APIs to expose their data and services, the need for comprehensive API security testing tools becomes increasingly apparent. 

While Burp Suite is one popular option, several other powerful tools are available that you may have never heard about.

In this blog post, we'll explore five Burp Suite alternatives that are worth considering. Each tool has its own strengths and weaknesses, so be sure to choose the one that best suits your needs. Let's get started!

What Are the Best Burp Suite Alternatives

Here are our top picks for the best Burp Suite alternatives to use this year:

• APIsec
• ZAP
• Acunetix
• Astra Pentest
• beSECURE

1. APIsec

APIsec is designed to give users a complete view of their API security posture by providing detailed information on every aspect of an API's security, making it easy for users to identify potential vulnerabilities and take steps to mitigate them.

Using a zero-touch deployment model, APIsec finds the most serious security vulnerabilities in APIs at the same speed as DevOps.

The platform is designed to be intuitive and user-friendly, with a simple, straightforward interface that makes it easy to get started with API security testing, even for those with no prior experience.

APIsec has several features specifically tailored for testing APIs, making it just as effective as Burp Suite at identifying vulnerabilities.

Top Features

• Actionable reporting: APIsec provides detailed reports showing exactly what vulnerabilities were found and how to fix them.
• Complete coverage: Once integrated into your system, APIsec learns your API's unique architecture and discovers any weaknesses that could be exploited—especially ones that hide in your business logic layer. 
• Fully Automated: APIsec's automated tests are quick and easy to run, allowing you the flexibility of integrating test coverage for every vulnerability listing in OWASP Top 10 and business logic flaws.
• Flexible pricing: APIsec offers several packages allowing businesses to choose the best plan for their needs and budget.

2. ZAP

One of the most popular Burp Suite alternatives, Zed Attack Proxy (ZAP), is an open-source web application security scanner developed by OWASP that is used by thousands of organizations worldwide.

ZAP's ability to intercept and modify requests makes it ideal for testing web application security. It also has a wide range of features, including an automated scanner, spider, proxy, and fuzzer.

The latest security vulnerabilities are constantly updated in ZAP, so you can be guaranteed that your API testing is always current.

ZAP is an impressive program with many features, however, new users reported feeling overwhelmed by its interface at first.

Top Features

• Customizable: You can install extensions on top of ZAP's framework to extend its functionality with custom scripts and plugins.
• Intercepting proxy: With this feature, you can intercept and modify requests to your web application server.
• Automatic Scripting: ZAPscript makes it easy to automate many of your application security testing needs with scripts written in almost any programming language.

3. Acunetix

Acunetix is an easy-to-use web application security testing platform that provides comprehensive and accurate results. Its many features make it an excellent Burp Suite alternative for API security testing.

The platform is unique in detecting and exploiting various vulnerabilities, including cross-site scripting (XSS), SQL injection, and remote code execution (RCE). 

Acunetix is able to automatically generate documentation for APIs, making it easier for developers to understand and use the tool.

However, some users reported that Acunetix requires a bit of configuration to get up and running, which can be frustrating.

Top Features

• User-friendly dashboard: The platform offers a centralized view of all vulnerabilities across your entire infrastructure, making it easy to track and fix issues.
• Vulnerability management: Use vulnerability intelligence to remediate errors faster and with less manual effort by automatically eliminating false positives and receiving detailed reports that show compromised lines of code. 
• Blended scanning: With DAST and IAST scanning, you'll uncover thousands of vulnerabilities to put your site at risk.

4. Astra Pentest

Astra Pentest combines a penetration testing solution with an automated vulnerability scanner, which automatically detects vulnerabilities while still allowing manual review.

Astra's intelligent scanner builds on top of your past pentest data, using intel about new hacks and common vulnerabilities and exposures (CVEs). 

This tool is an ideal choice for those who are new to API testing or do not have the technical expertise to install and configure Burp Suite.

There are some reports detailing instances that this scanning tool is not always capable of detecting some malware attacks, letting some potential vulnerabilities slip through the cracks.

Top Features

• Convenient integrations: Astra's platform connects your existing tech stack with security in order to enable developers to collaborate seamlessly and track progress via Slack and Jira.
• Interactive dashboard: With Astra's dashboard, you can see your team's progress in real-time, giving you full visibility into what actions need to be taken and when.
• Vulnerability scanner: With its 2500+ tests and the ability to scan assets in seconds, Astra ensures you are covered against vulnerabilities that could be exploited by cybercriminals.

5. beSECURE

BeSECURE is an all-in-one API security testing platform that helps developers secure their APIs from attacks.

The platform includes a powerful set of tools for automation and reporting, making it one of the most comprehensive solutions available for API security testing.

The simple yet powerful user interface of beSECURE makes it easy to get started. You can also take advantage of the wide range of features it has.

The biggest disadvantage of beSECURE is that it is not as widely adopted as Burp Suite, meaning that there is a smaller community of users and resources available.

Top Features

• Flexible deployment: BeSECURE's flexible deployment models allow you to choose from cloud-based, on-premise, or hybrid cloud options.
• Automatic updates: Stay ahead of the latest threats with automatic updates to our vulnerability database
• Continuous scanning: The system continually scans, detects, and blocks 99% of all possible vulnerabilities with a high degree of accuracy.

Final Thoughts

So there you have it—the top five Burp Suite alternatives for API security testing. 

Each of these tools has its own unique features and capabilities that make it worth considering. In your search for the right security testing tool, keep these things in mind:

• Is the tool compatible with your development stack?
• Can it work with the language your APIs are written in?
• How intuitive and user-friendly is it?
• Is the pricing within your budget?
• How much support exists?

Ultimately, the right tool for you will depend on your specific needs and requirements. If you're still unsure which tool would be best for you, don't worry! A member of your team is happy to help you with any questions you might have. 

We'll give your API a free vulnerability assessment and go over your options. Reach out to our experts and see how easy API security testing should be.

FAQs

1. Are there automated alternatives to Burp Suite?

Yes, APIsec offers continuous automated API security testing that eliminates manual configuration, a powerful Burp Suite free alternative for teams needing scalable coverage.

2. What tools are better for API security than Burp?

Open source alternatives to Burp Suite include OWASP ZAP for basic scanning, while APIsec provides comprehensive automated testing for business logic flaws that Burp can miss.