SIDE BY SIDE · FACTS ONLY

Rapid7 vs runZero: asset inventory facts side by side

SHORT ANSWER

Rapid7 describes 3 of the five approaches on the pages we read and runZero describes 3; they differ on Agent-based inventory, External attack surface management, CMDB-centred inventory and Exposure management. On collection, Rapid7 does not describe its collection method on the pages we read and runZero works without new agents. Many estates run two of these approaches together, so the question is often which pair, not which one; we do not score either.

By The Inventory Desk · CAASM Finder · Published 2026-10-11

Desk research from public vendor pages read on 27 September and 11 October 2026. Profiles follow our published method; we did not run the products.

How do their approaches compare?

Top bar: Rapid7 Surface Command
Lower bar, lighter: runZero

Full bar: described on the vendor's pages we read
Hatched bar: described with a condition (another product, a higher tier, or part of the approach)
Stub: not in our sources (it may exist; we did not find it)

The bars show what each vendor's own pages describe, or how your answers weigh the five approaches. They are not a measure of how well a product works.

What are the facts, side by side?

From each vendor's own pages. Differs marks rows where the recorded status or check value differs.
Fact	Rapid7 Surface Command	runZero
Positioning	Rapid7's attack surface product, combining external discovery (EASM) with asset discovery and a unified internal and external inventory (CAASM), part of the Rapid7 Command platform.	An asset discovery platform that runZero describes as CAASM: active scanning, passive discovery for fragile OT networks and integrations, with each asset profiled against nearly 1,000 attributes.
Deployment	Part of the Rapid7 Command platform with Exposure Command, InsightVM and InsightCloudSec. Source: Rapid7 products · Read 27 Sep 2026	SaaS or on-premises, including air-gapped environments; no agents, authentication or appliances required. Source: runZero platform · Read 27 Sep 2026
CAASM aggregation	Described Asset discovery and a unified inventory (CAASM) including devices, software, identities and controls. Source: Rapid7 Command platform packages and pricing · Read 11 Oct 2026	Described Describes itself as CAASM: integrations with ServiceNow, CrowdStrike, Intune, AWS, Azure, Google Cloud, Entra ID, Tenable, Rapid7, Qualys and others combine with its own scan data. Source: runZero integrations · Read 27 Sep 2026
Agent-based inventoryDiffers	Not in our sources Not described on the pages we read.	With a condition Collects its own data by active scanning and passive discovery, without agents. Source: runZero platform · Read 27 Sep 2026
External attack surface managementDiffers	Described Internal and external attack surface visibility (EASM), including unknown internet-facing assets and shadow IT. Source: Rapid7 Surface Command · Read 27 Sep 2026	Not in our sources Not described on the pages we read.
CMDB-centred inventoryDiffers	Not in our sources Not described on the pages we read.	With a condition Enriches a ServiceNow CMDB rather than acting as one. Source: runZero integrations · Read 27 Sep 2026
Exposure managementDiffers	With a condition Includes an Exposure Management dashboard and remediation hub; vulnerability scanning sits in the Exposure Command Essentials tier above it. Source: Rapid7 Command platform packages and pricing · Read 11 Oct 2026	Not in our sources Not described on the pages we read.
Servers and network devicesDiffers	Partly Internal attack surface visibility is described; network devices are not called out. Source: Rapid7 Surface Command · Read 27 Sep 2026	Matches Active scanning of IT, OT, IoT, cloud, mobile and remote assets. Source: runZero platform · Read 27 Sep 2026
Cloud workloadsDiffers	Partly InsightCloudSec sits in the same platform. Source: Rapid7 products · Read 27 Sep 2026	Matches Cloud assets, with AWS, Azure and Google Cloud integrations. Source: runZero integrations · Read 27 Sep 2026
SaaS applications	Not in our sources	Not in our sources
Identities as assetsDiffers	Matches Identities are part of the unified inventory. Source: Rapid7 Command platform packages and pricing · Read 11 Oct 2026	Partly Entra ID is a listed integration; identities are not described as an asset class. Source: runZero integrations · Read 27 Sep 2026
Off-network laptopsDiffers	Not in our sources	Matches Remote assets are a listed class. Source: runZero platform · Read 27 Sep 2026
OT and IoT devicesDiffers	Not in our sources	Matches Passive discovery for OT. Source: runZero platform · Read 27 Sep 2026
Internet-facing discoveryDiffers	Matches External attack surface visibility (EASM). Source: Rapid7 Surface Command · Read 27 Sep 2026	Not in our sources
Offers its own agentDiffers	Not in our sources	Not in our sources
Works without new agentsDiffers	Not in our sources	Matches No agents, authentication or appliances. Source: runZero platform · Read 27 Sep 2026
Merges records from several sources	Matches A unified asset inventory (CAASM). Source: Rapid7 Surface Command · Read 27 Sep 2026	Matches Profiles each asset against nearly 1,000 attributes. Source: runZero homepage · Read 27 Sep 2026
Feeds or updates a CMDBDiffers	Not in our sources	Matches ServiceNow integration for CMDB enrichment. Source: runZero integrations · Read 27 Sep 2026
Cross-source queries and reports	Partly Asset graph and blast radius views. Source: Rapid7 Command platform packages and pricing · Read 11 Oct 2026	Partly AI-assisted reporting on the Platform plan. Source: runZero pricing · Read 27 Sep 2026
Workflows, tickets or actionsDiffers	Matches Remediation hub and built-in, SOAR-ready automation and integrations in the Surface Command package. Source: Rapid7 Command platform packages and pricing · Read 11 Oct 2026	Not in our sources
Price or pricing basis publishedDiffers	Partly Pricing basis published: asset types and use cases in scope; no amounts. Source: Rapid7 Command platform packages and pricing · Read 11 Oct 2026	Matches Community Edition free for 100 or fewer assets; runZero Platform starts at $5,000. Source: runZero pricing · Read 27 Sep 2026
Free tier or trial	Matches Public trial. Source: Rapid7 Surface Command · Read 27 Sep 2026	Matches Free, full-featured 21-day trial. Source: runZero pricing · Read 27 Sep 2026
Platform it is part of	Rapid7: Shares the Command platform with Exposure Command, InsightVM and InsightCloudSec. Source: Rapid7 products · Read 27 Sep 2026	None
Integrations	SOAR-ready integrations, with Exposure Command, InsightVM and InsightCloudSec in the same platform. Source: Rapid7 Surface Command · Read 27 Sep 2026	ServiceNow, CrowdStrike, Intune, AWS, Azure, Google Cloud, Entra ID, Tenable, Rapid7, Qualys, VMware, Wiz, SentinelOne, Tanium and Splunk, plus a custom integration SDK. Source: runZero integrations · Read 27 Sep 2026
Price	No amounts published. Priced on the asset types and use cases in scope; Start Trial offered. Exposure Command Essentials adds vulnerability scanning and Ultimate adds cloud, IaC and DAST. Source: Rapid7 Command platform packages and pricing · Read 11 Oct 2026	Published: Community Edition free for 100 or fewer assets with 30-day retention; runZero Platform starts at $5,000 with 3-year retention; free 21-day trial. Source: runZero pricing · Read 27 Sep 2026

Where do they differ?

Agent-based inventory: Rapid7 is not in our sources; runZero describes it with a condition.
External attack surface management: Rapid7 describes it; runZero is not in our sources.
CMDB-centred inventory: Rapid7 is not in our sources; runZero describes it with a condition.
Exposure management: Rapid7 describes it with a condition; runZero is not in our sources.
Servers and network devices: Rapid7 partly matches; runZero matches.
Cloud workloads: Rapid7 partly matches; runZero matches.
Identities as assets: Rapid7 matches; runZero partly matches.
Off-network laptops: Rapid7 is not in our sources; runZero matches.
OT and IoT devices: Rapid7 is not in our sources; runZero matches.
Internet-facing discovery: Rapid7 matches; runZero is not in our sources.
Works without new agents: Rapid7 is not in our sources; runZero matches.
Feeds or updates a CMDB: Rapid7 is not in our sources; runZero matches.
Workflows, tickets or actions: Rapid7 matches; runZero is not in our sources.
Price or pricing basis published: Rapid7 partly matches; runZero matches.

Can they work together?

Yes, on the pages we read:

Rapid7 is a listed integration.
Source: runZero integrations · Read 27 Sep 2026
ServiceNow, CrowdStrike, Intune, AWS, Azure, Google Cloud, Entra ID, Tenable, Rapid7, Qualys, VMware, Wiz, SentinelOne, Tanium and Splunk, plus a custom integration SDK.
Source: runZero integrations · Read 27 Sep 2026

Choose Rapid7 if

You already run InsightVM or another Rapid7 product
You want internal and external assets in one inventory

Choose runZero if

You need to find unmanaged devices on the network, including OT, without agents
You want a published price and a free tier to start

Which limits should you check?

Rapid7

No price amounts published; pricing depends on the asset types and use cases in scope.
Vulnerability scanning sits in the Exposure Command tiers, and SaaS apps and OT are not described on the pages we read.

runZero

SaaS applications are not covered on the pages we read.
No workflow or enforcement actions of its own are described; action happens in ServiceNow or other tools.
Ownership changed in September 2026 (Dragos acquisition); roadmap effects are not yet published.

Put Rapid7 and runZero in the asset census with others Run the finder

Questions people ask

Is Rapid7 or runZero better?

Neither is scored on this site. Rapid7 describes 3 of five approaches and runZero 3 on the pages we read, and they differ on 14 recorded facts. Which fits depends on where your assets live, whether you can install agents, your CMDB and your tools; the finder checks those.

Do Rapid7 and runZero work with a CMDB?

Rapid7: Not in our sources. runZero: Matches. ServiceNow integration for CMDB enrichment.

Do Rapid7 or runZero publish prices?

Rapid7: No amounts published. Priced on the asset types and use cases in scope; Start Trial offered. Exposure Command Essentials adds vulnerability scanning and Ultimate adds cloud, IaC and DAST. runZero: Published: Community Edition free for 100 or fewer assets with 30-day retention; runZero Platform starts at $5,000 with 3-year retention; free 21-day trial.