Qualys vs Clone Systems
Enterprise vulnerability management compared with PCI ASV scanning, published pricing and penetration testing you can buy online.
Qualys is one of the largest names in vulnerability management, built for enterprise security teams managing thousands of assets. Clone Systems is a PCI Approved Scanning Vendor since 2007 that puts PCI ASV scanning, vulnerability scanning, web application scanning, and automated penetration testing in one platform you can buy online. This page compares the two on features and published pricing, using only what each company publishes about its own products.
Where Qualys is strong
Qualys VMDR is a mature enterprise platform with broad coverage: cloud agents, network scanners, passive sensors, patching (FixIT), and endpoint protection (ProtectIT). It is a PCI Approved Scanning Vendor. Large organizations with dedicated security teams, complex cloud estates, and procurement processes built around enterprise contracts are its natural customers.
Where Clone Systems is different
- Buy online, scan today. Every Clone Systems package has a published price and an online checkout. Qualys publishes fixed prices only through the AWS Marketplace; its own site quotes on request.
- Automated penetration testing in the same cart. Clone Systems sells automated external and internal pen tests from $1,995 per 30 days. Qualys offers exploit validation (TruConfirm) inside VMDR, which Qualys itself describes as validation rather than a penetration test.
- Managed penetration testing by our own engineers. Human-led testing scoped per environment. We found no equivalent service in Qualys's public materials.
- Private AI remediation. The Clone Systems AI assistant runs in our own data center and sends nothing to outside AI providers. Qualys offers AI assistants; its public materials do not state where the AI runs.
- Built for smaller scopes too. PCI ASV scanning starts at $185 a year for one IP. Qualys's smallest published VMDR package covers 128 hosts.
Feature comparison
| Capability | Clone Systems | Qualys |
|---|---|---|
| PCI Approved Scanning Vendor | ||
| External vulnerability scanning | ||
| Internal network scanning | ||
| Agent-based scanning | ||
| Authenticated web app scanning | ||
| Automated external pen testing | Limited (exploit validation) | |
| Automated internal pen testing | Limited (exploit validation) | |
| Managed penetration testing | ||
| AI remediation assistant | ||
| AI hosted in vendor's own data center | Not stated | |
| Published prices with online checkout | AWS Marketplace only | |
| Patch management | ||
| Endpoint anti-malware |
Published pricing, side by side
| Module | Clone Systems | Qualys |
|---|---|---|
| PCI ASV scanning | $185/yr (1 IP), $625 (10), $1,575 (25) | Quote only |
| Internal + external scanning, about 128 hosts | $1,095/yr internal (128 IPs) + $595/yr external (10 IPs) = $1,690 | VMDR $596/month = $7,152/yr (128 hosts, includes agents; AWS Marketplace listing) |
| Internal scanning, about 2,048 hosts | $2,295/yr | VMDR $3,719/month = $44,628/yr (AWS Marketplace listing) |
| Agent-based scanning, 100 to 128 endpoints | $3,995/yr (100 agents) | Included in VMDR at $7,152/yr (128 hosts) |
| Authenticated web app scanning | $5,995/yr (10 apps) | Quote only |
| Automated pen testing | External from $1,995, internal from $2,995 (30 days) | No comparable package |
Prices as published by each vendor, checked September 21, 2026. Qualys figures are 1-month AWS Marketplace contract rates; Qualys states 12-month contracts save up to 17%. Vendors count scope differently (IPs, hosts, assets), so matched sizes are approximate.
Who should choose which
Choose Qualys if you run a large security team, need patching and endpoint protection in the same console, and buy through enterprise procurement or AWS commitments.
Choose Clone Systems if you need a PCI ASV scan now, want vulnerability scanning and pen testing without a sales cycle, or want bank-grade scanning priced for a normal business. You can buy today and scan today.
PCI ASV scanning: how the process compares
Both companies are on the PCI SSC list of Approved Scanning Vendors (Qualys is listed as "Qualys PCI - 2026"; Clone Systems as "Clone Guard PCI"). The difference is in how you buy, how findings get reviewed, and how the attestation reaches your bank.
- Buying. Qualys PCI is a separate app on the Qualys platform, offered with a free trial and priced on request. Clone Systems PCI ASV scanning is bought online at $185, $625, or $1,575 a year, and portal access is created automatically when payment goes through.
- Reviews and exceptions. In Qualys, you generate the network report, request a review from the ASV, and get an email with an approved or rejected status. In Clone Systems, you submit false positives and compensating controls in the portal and get an approval or rejection within 24 hours; approved exceptions stay attached to future scans.
- Getting the attestation to your bank. Qualys can auto-submit compliance status directly to acquiring banks that use its PCI Bank Service, or you download the PDF and send it yourself. Clone Systems issues the Attestation of Scan Compliance (AoSC) in the portal after each passing scan, and you send it to your acquirer.
- Rescans. Clone Systems includes unlimited rescans until you pass on every plan. Qualys allows ad hoc scanning on demand in addition to the required quarterly scans.
Switching from Qualys to Clone Systems
ASV scans are external, so there is nothing to uninstall and no data to migrate. Bring the list of public IPs and domains in your PCI scope and any false-positive or compensating-control write-ups that were accepted last quarter, since you can submit them again as exceptions. Buy the plan that matches your IP count, run your first scan the same day, fix or dispute anything that fails, and rescan until you pass. Keep your Qualys subscription active until you have a passing AoSC from Clone Systems for the current quarter so there is no gap in coverage.
Frequently asked questions
Process details are taken from each vendor's public documentation and the PCI SSC ASV list, checked September 28, 2026.
Qualys is a trademark of Qualys, Inc. Clone Systems is not affiliated with Qualys. Spotted something out of date? Tell us and we will update it.