Nuclei is an open-source scanner used by security researchers. It runs community-written templates to check targets for CVEs and misconfigurations. The listing cites more than 10,000 community templates. Because templates are written in YAML, teams can add or adjust checks for their own environments. The project is available at projectdiscovery.io/nuclei.
How Nuclei compares with its closest alternatives
All 5 closest alternatives have a free plan, as Nuclei does. Only Burp Suite lists a starting price, $449 a month. All 5 offer an API, as Nuclei does. Nuclei offers a desktop app. Of the alternatives, 4 offer a desktop app. Nuclei was founded in 2020; the alternatives were founded between 2003 and 2020, 4 of them earlier. The alternatives with a known headquarters are in Israel.
Market position · Security
How Nuclei compares in Security
Nuclei has moderate opportunity and sits in the bottom third of 361 live Security tools on FalcoScan. Across Security, the average opportunity score is 70.4 and the average saturation score 33. FalcoScan rates Nuclei's own market position as open. 121 of the 361 operating Security tools have hot momentum, and FalcoScan has recorded 1 shutdown in the category.
The closest alternatives to Nuclei that are still running, matched on the AI capabilities, uses and audience they share, are Trivy, Grype, Burp Suite, OWASP ZAP, and Mend.
Is Nuclei still running?
Yes. As of 1 November 2026, FalcoScan lists Nuclei as operating at projectdiscovery.io.
Does Nuclei have an API?
Yes. Nuclei offers an API.
Who is Nuclei for?
Nuclei is built for security researchers and pentesters.
How do I sign in to Nuclei?
Sign in on Nuclei's own website, projectdiscovery.io. FalcoScan reviews Nuclei but does not run its accounts, so logins, passwords and billing are handled by Nuclei directly.