SIDE BY SIDE · FACTS ONLY

runZero vs Tenable: asset inventory facts side by side

SHORT ANSWER

runZero describes 3 of the five approaches on the pages we read and Tenable describes 3; they differ on CAASM aggregation, Agent-based inventory, External attack surface management, CMDB-centred inventory and Exposure management. On collection, runZero works without new agents and Tenable does not describe its collection method on the pages we read. 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: runZero
Lower bar, lighter: Tenable One

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	runZero	Tenable One
Positioning	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.	Tenable's exposure management platform. Tenable Attack Surface Management, part of Tenable One, maps external assets from a map of more than 5 billion assets; Tenable One adds attack path analysis, Hexa AI remediation and connectors for third-party data.
Deployment	SaaS or on-premises, including air-gapped environments; no agents, authentication or appliances required. Source: runZero platform · Read 27 Sep 2026	Tenable Attack Surface Management is sold through a demo request, not online. Source: Tenable: buy · Read 27 Sep 2026
CAASM aggregationDiffers	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	With a condition Tenable One Connectors bring third-party data into the platform; a unified asset inventory is not described in detail on the pages we read. Source: Tenable One · Read 27 Sep 2026
Agent-based inventoryDiffers	With a condition Collects its own data by active scanning and passive discovery, without agents. Source: runZero platform · Read 27 Sep 2026	Not in our sources Not described on the pages we read.
External attack surface managementDiffers	Not in our sources Not described on the pages we read.	Described Identifies domains related to your inventory from a map of 5 billion+ assets with 200+ metadata fields. Source: Tenable Attack Surface Management · Read 27 Sep 2026
CMDB-centred inventoryDiffers	With a condition Enriches a ServiceNow CMDB rather than acting as one. Source: runZero integrations · Read 27 Sep 2026	Not in our sources Not described on the pages we read.
Exposure managementDiffers	Not in our sources Not described on the pages we read.	Described Tenable One is Tenable's exposure management platform, with attack path analysis across 150+ techniques and Hexa AI automated remediation. Source: Tenable One · Read 27 Sep 2026
Servers and network devicesDiffers	Matches Active scanning of IT, OT, IoT, cloud, mobile and remote assets. Source: runZero platform · Read 27 Sep 2026	Partly Tenable One includes vulnerability management alongside external attack surface data. Source: Tenable: buy · Read 27 Sep 2026
Cloud workloadsDiffers	Matches Cloud assets, with AWS, Azure and Google Cloud integrations. Source: runZero integrations · Read 27 Sep 2026	Not in our sources
SaaS applications	Not in our sources	Not in our sources
Identities as assetsDiffers	Partly Entra ID is a listed integration; identities are not described as an asset class. Source: runZero integrations · Read 27 Sep 2026	Not in our sources
Off-network laptopsDiffers	Matches Remote assets are a listed class. Source: runZero platform · Read 27 Sep 2026	Not in our sources
OT and IoT devicesDiffers	Matches Passive discovery for OT. Source: runZero platform · Read 27 Sep 2026	Not in our sources
Internet-facing discoveryDiffers	Not in our sources	Matches A 5 billion+ asset map with 200+ metadata fields. Source: Tenable Attack Surface Management · Read 27 Sep 2026
Offers its own agentDiffers	Not in our sources	Not in our sources
Works without new agentsDiffers	Matches No agents, authentication or appliances. Source: runZero platform · Read 27 Sep 2026	Not in our sources
Merges records from several sourcesDiffers	Matches Profiles each asset against nearly 1,000 attributes. Source: runZero homepage · Read 27 Sep 2026	Partly Tenable One Connectors bring third-party data into the platform. Source: Tenable One · Read 27 Sep 2026
Feeds or updates a CMDBDiffers	Matches ServiceNow integration for CMDB enrichment. Source: runZero integrations · Read 27 Sep 2026	Not in our sources
Cross-source queries and reportsDiffers	Partly AI-assisted reporting on the Platform plan. Source: runZero pricing · Read 27 Sep 2026	Not in our sources
Workflows, tickets or actionsDiffers	Not in our sources	Partly Hexa AI orchestrates automated remediation in Tenable One. Source: Tenable One · Read 27 Sep 2026
Price or pricing basis publishedDiffers	Matches Community Edition free for 100 or fewer assets; runZero Platform starts at $5,000. Source: runZero pricing · Read 27 Sep 2026	Partly Attack Surface Management is not sold online; Tenable publishes adjacent prices, such as Tenable One Vulnerability Management at $3,700 for one year for up to 250 assets. Source: Tenable: buy · Read 27 Sep 2026
Free tier or trialDiffers	Matches Free, full-featured 21-day trial. Source: runZero pricing · Read 27 Sep 2026	Partly Free trials for Tenable One Vulnerability Management and Nessus; the Tenable One platform and its exposure products are demo only. Source: Tenable free trials · Read 11 Oct 2026
Platform it is part of	None	Tenable: External findings sit in Tenable One next to Tenable vulnerability data. Source: Tenable One · Read 27 Sep 2026
Integrations	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	Tenable One Connectors bring third-party data into the platform. Source: Tenable One · Read 27 Sep 2026
Price	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	Attack Surface Management: demo request only. Adjacent published price: Tenable One Vulnerability Management at $3,700 for one year for up to 250 assets. Source: Tenable: buy · Read 27 Sep 2026

Where do they differ?

CAASM aggregation: runZero describes it; Tenable describes it with a condition.
Agent-based inventory: runZero describes it with a condition; Tenable is not in our sources.
External attack surface management: runZero is not in our sources; Tenable describes it.
CMDB-centred inventory: runZero describes it with a condition; Tenable is not in our sources.
Exposure management: runZero is not in our sources; Tenable describes it.
Servers and network devices: runZero matches; Tenable partly matches.
Cloud workloads: runZero matches; Tenable is not in our sources.
Identities as assets: runZero partly matches; Tenable is not in our sources.
Off-network laptops: runZero matches; Tenable is not in our sources.
OT and IoT devices: runZero matches; Tenable is not in our sources.
Internet-facing discovery: runZero is not in our sources; Tenable matches.
Works without new agents: runZero matches; Tenable is not in our sources.
Merges records from several sources: runZero matches; Tenable partly matches.
Feeds or updates a CMDB: runZero matches; Tenable is not in our sources.
Cross-source queries and reports: runZero partly matches; Tenable is not in our sources.
Workflows, tickets or actions: runZero is not in our sources; Tenable partly matches.
Price or pricing basis published: runZero matches; Tenable partly matches.
Free tier or trial: runZero matches; Tenable partly matches.

Can they work together?

Yes, on the pages we read:

Tenable 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 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

Choose Tenable if

You already run Tenable vulnerability management
Your question is which exposures to fix first more than which assets exist

Which limits should you check?

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.

Tenable

Attack Surface Management and the Tenable One platform are demo only; free trials cover Vulnerability Management and Nessus.
A unified internal asset inventory, SaaS apps and identities are not described on the pages we read.

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

Questions people ask

Is runZero or Tenable better?

Neither is scored on this site. runZero describes 3 of five approaches and Tenable 3 on the pages we read, and they differ on 18 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 runZero and Tenable work with a CMDB?

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

Do runZero or Tenable publish prices?

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. Tenable: Attack Surface Management: demo request only. Adjacent published price: Tenable One Vulnerability Management at $3,700 for one year for up to 250 assets.