OWASP ZAP

Name: OWASP ZAP
Brand: OWASP ZAP

Free, open-source web app security scanner stewarded by Checkmarx.

softwareSecurity Auditingdastpenetration-testingopen-source

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Our Verdict

Best for

Teams wanting a free, extensible DAST scanner that fits both manual pentesting and CI/CD automation.

Skip if

You need vendor-backed enterprise support and polished reporting out of the box.

What is OWASP ZAP?

ZAP (Zed Attack Proxy) is a free and open-source web application security scanner that started under the OWASP umbrella and is now stewarded by Checkmarx with independent open-source governance. It bills itself as the world's most widely used web app scanner, aimed at both security professionals doing manual penetration testing and developers who want automated security checks in CI/CD pipelines. ZAP works as an intercepting proxy that can passively and actively scan web traffic for vulnerabilities, and it can be extended through a marketplace of community-built add-ons. Its interface is designed to be approachable for people new to security testing while still offering the automation hooks experienced testers expect, and the project maintains an active GitHub repository ranked among GitHub's top open-source projects.

SpecificationsAI-estimated

deploymentDesktop App

open source✅ Yes

api available✅ Yes

Key Features of OWASP ZAP

Acts as an intercepting proxy to inspect and manipulate web traffic during manual security testing.

Runs both passive and active scans to identify common web application vulnerabilities.

Extensible through a marketplace of community-contributed add-ons for specialized scanning needs.

Supports security automation so scans can be built into CI/CD pipelines rather than run only manually.

Designed with an approachable interface aimed at newcomers to security testing, not just specialists.

Maintained as an active open-source project with governance now under Checkmarx stewardship.

Use Cases for OWASP ZAP

Manual penetration testing

Security testers use the intercepting proxy to inspect and modify requests while probing an app for flaws.

Automated CI/CD security scanning

Development teams wire ZAP into pipelines to catch common vulnerabilities before code ships.

Learning application security

Newcomers use ZAP's approachable interface to learn hands-on web app security testing.

Extending scans with add-ons

Teams pull specialized add-ons from the marketplace to cover niche scanning scenarios.

Pros & Cons of OWASP ZAP

Pros

Completely free and open source with no licensing cost
Widely used and actively maintained with a large contributor community
Add-on marketplace extends functionality well beyond the core scanner
Supports both manual pentesting workflows and automated CI/CD scanning

Cons

As a free community tool, support is community-driven rather than a dedicated vendor SLA
Effective use for complex applications still requires security testing expertise
Reporting and enterprise workflow features are more limited than commercial DAST platforms

Frequently Asked Questions

Is OWASP ZAP free?

Yes, it is free and open source.

Who maintains ZAP now?

It is currently stewarded by Checkmarx, with independent open-source project governance.

Can ZAP be automated in CI/CD?

Yes, it supports security automation workflows suitable for CI/CD pipelines.

Does ZAP require security expertise to use?

It's designed to be approachable for beginners, though getting the most value from it benefits from security testing knowledge.

Pricing Overview

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Free

Detailed plans are not listed. Visit the official website for pricing information.

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