AquilaX API Security Scanner

AquilaX API Security Scanner analyzes API specifications and probes running endpoints to identify security issues. Its checks target the OWASP API Security Top 10, including broken authentication, object-level authorization problems, mass assignment, excessive data exposure, and rate-limiting gaps. Supported inputs include OpenAPI 3.x, Swagger 2.0, GraphQL schemas, gRPC/Protobuf, Postman collections, discovered URLs, REST APIs, and webhook endpoints. The API scanner is available on Premium and Ultimate plans; all plans include unlimited scans without per-scan fees or quotas. AquilaX lists more than 50 integrations, including GitHub, GitLab, Jira, Slack, Azure DevOps, Bitbucket, and REST API access. CI/CD and IDE connections include GitHub Actions, GitLab CI, Jenkins, Azure Pipelines, CircleCI, Bitbucket Pipelines, TeamCity, VS Code, and JetBrains IDEs. Deployment options include web, extension, API, and self-hosted use; on-premises deployments support air-gapped environments. AquilaX says source code is analyzed in temporary isolated environments and only security findings are retained. It states that data in transit uses TLS 1.3 and stored findings and metadata use AES-256 encryption. Premium is $19 per developer per month; Ultimate is $99 per developer per month and includes a 14-day free trial.

AquilaX combines specification analysis with active API probing and supports many input formats. The API scanner is not included in the Free plan; it is available on Premium and Ultimate.

It suits development and security teams that need API checks alongside specification analysis, runtime probing, and CI/CD or IDE integrations. The API scanner itself is limited to Premium and Ultimate plans.

AquilaX API Security Scanner combines API definition analysis with active testing of running services. It suits DevSecOps teams managing varied API architectures who want security checks tied to their delivery workflow. Its broad coverage and unlimited scans are persuasive, but API scanning requires a paid tier.

Overview

AquilaX examines OpenAPI and other API descriptions, then probes reachable endpoints for vulnerabilities such as broken object-level authorization, broken authentication, mass assignment, excessive data exposure and rate-limiting weaknesses. Static specification analysis and dynamic runtime testing together cover every endpoint against the OWASP API Security Top 10. That makes it more useful than a contract review alone when a testable service is available.

The scanner is part of an application-security platform positioned for modern DevSecOps teams. Paid tiers add source, dependency, container and infrastructure analysis, so organizations consolidating security checks may get more value than teams seeking an API-only utility.

Key features

Broad API input support

AquilaX accepts OpenAPI 3.x, Swagger 2.0, GraphQL schemas, gRPC/Protobuf, Postman collections, discovered URLs, REST APIs and webhook endpoints. API discovery, authentication testing, authorization testing and input-validation testing are supported. This range accommodates mixed service estates and teams that do not maintain one standard specification format.

Testing and delivery integration

More than 50 integrations include GitHub, GitLab, Jira, Slack, Azure DevOps, Bitbucket and REST API access. CI/CD connections cover GitHub Actions, GitLab CI, Jenkins, Azure Pipelines, CircleCI, Bitbucket Pipelines and TeamCity, while VS Code and JetBrains IDE integrations bring checks closer to development. These connections make AquilaX a better fit for teams that want findings routed into existing engineering workflows rather than reviewed in isolation.

Security controls and deployment

AquilaX states that source code is processed in ephemeral isolated environments, with only security findings retained and scan containers destroyed afterward. Data in transit uses TLS 1.3, while findings and metadata are encrypted with AES-256. Its Trust Center lists ISO 27001, SOC 2, PCI-DSS and GDPR commitments. On-premises deployment supports Docker and Docker Compose, air-gapped environments, Ubuntu 22.04 LTS and RHEL 9, with full data sovereignty. That option matters to regulated or highly controlled environments, although it is reserved for the Ultimate and custom-deployment tiers.

Pricing

Free: $0.00 forever. No credit card is required. It includes secrets scanning, PII detection, compliance auditing, unlimited scans and CI/CD plus IDE integration, but not the API Security Scanner. It is useful for evaluating the surrounding platform, not for free API assessment.

Premium: $19 per developer per month, billed to your organization. Premium adds SAST, SCA, DAST, container security, an IaC scanner, the API Security Scanner and seven scan engines total. This is the entry point for API testing and the most practical choice for teams that need broad application coverage without Ultimate-only capabilities.

Ultimate: $99 per developer per month, billed to your organization. It includes Premium, malware detection, Vibe Code, Securitron AI, AI remediation and on-premises deployment. A 14-day free trial is included. Choose it when advanced AI features, priority support or controlled deployment justify the substantially higher per-developer cost.

Enterprise & Custom Deployments: custom pricing. Custom seat counts, SSO/SAML, a dedicated Securitron AI model, single-tenant on-premises deployment, enterprise SLA options and volume discounts target larger organizations. All plans include unlimited scans with no per-scan fees or scan quotas, but the API scanner itself starts at Premium.

Platforms

AquilaX is offered through API, extension, self-hosted and web deployments. Self-hosting extends to air-gapped Docker or Docker Compose installations on Ubuntu 22.04 LTS or RHEL 9, while Ultimate and custom deployments provide the strongest data-sovereignty and onboarding options.

Who it's for

AquilaX is best for development and security teams that operate multiple API styles, need OWASP API Top 10 coverage in both specifications and runtime services, and already use CI/CD or IDE tooling. Premium fits organizations wanting API checks alongside SAST, SCA, DAST, container and IaC scanning. Ultimate or custom deployment suits enterprises requiring on-premises control, dedicated models, priority support or formal SLA arrangements.

It is a weaker fit for a small team seeking free API scanning: the Free plan excludes the API scanner. Teams wanting only a narrowly focused API product may also pay for application-security capabilities they will not use.

Pros and cons

• Pro: Static and dynamic testing covers the full OWASP API Security Top 10, including authorization and authentication failures.
• Pro: Support for OpenAPI, GraphQL, gRPC, Postman, discovered URLs, REST and webhooks accommodates heterogeneous estates.
• Pro: Unlimited scans without per-scan charges support frequent pipeline execution.
• Pro: Extensive CI/CD, IDE and issue-tracking integrations fit established engineering processes.
• Con: API scanning is unavailable on Free and begins at the paid Premium tier.
• Con: On-premises deployment and priority support require Ultimate or custom arrangements, raising the cost for organizations that need them.

Alternatives

For a broader directory of comparable tools, see API Security Testing Software.

Parasoft SOAtest is a paid, quote-based option with a free plan and trial across API, desktop and mobile platforms; consider it when tailored pricing and wider platform coverage matter.

42Crunch API Security Platform offers a free tier with an AI coding plugin, OpenAPI audit, vulnerability scans and automatic fixes, making it an alternative for specification-focused teams.

APISec Platform has a free plan with public API testing, basic simulations and community support for teams starting with hosted testing.

Automatic API Attack Tool is a free MIT-licensed tool for Linux and Windows requiring Java 8 or newer, Gradle and a Swagger 2.0 specification.

Beagle Security offers a free plan with one lite test per month plus surface reports and monitoring; its Essential plan is $99 per month billed annually.

OWASP Amass is a free, Apache-licensed open-source framework for Linux, macOS, Windows and self-hosting.

PurpleTeam provides locally hosted Community access with unlimited scans, unlimited targets and 12 concurrent sessions; Standard is $85 per month billed annually.

Pynt has a free Starter plan limited to 10 API endpoints, while its Business tier provides full API security testing at custom pricing.

Verdict

Choose AquilaX if you need broad API-format support, OWASP Top 10 testing and unlimited scans integrated with a wider DevSecOps toolchain. Look elsewhere if free API scanning or a dedicated API-only product is your priority, because the scanner starts at Premium and the platform’s broader features may exceed a narrowly scoped need.