Documented by Cortex Xpanse only: CONTAINED.
Documented by CyCognito only: OWNED, PROVEN and RECHECKED.
Documented by both: FOUND and ROUTED.
HEAD-TO-HEAD
Cortex Xpanse vs CyCognito: which ASM tool takes an exposure further?
THE SHORT ANSWER
CyCognito scores higher overall on our weights, 6.90 to 6.40. Cortex Xpanse scores higher on Contains before the patch and Fits the enterprise stack; CyCognito scores higher on Finds the unlisted estate, Routes to an owner, Proves exploitability, Closes the loop and Buying transparency. The table below gives the reason for every score.
Cortex Xpanse
Rank 5 of 10
Best for: Palo Alto Networks Cortex estates that want automated response through XSOAR
CyCognito
Rank 3 of 10
Best for: Teams that want proof and a retested fix, starting from nothing but a company name
Which tool scores higher on each criterion?
| Criterion | Cortex Xpanse | CyCognito | Higher |
|---|---|---|---|
Finds the unlisted estate 15%WhyCortex Xpanse: Palo Alto Networks states it scans all 4.3 billion IPv4 addresses several times a day and 500 billion+ ports daily. CyCognito: Starts from the organization's name with no IP ranges or asset lists, covering subsidiaries, brands and business units. | 8 / 10 | 9 / 10 | CyCognito |
Routes to an owner 10%WhyCortex Xpanse: Identifies third-party stakeholders for exposures; subsidiary attribution detail is not on the pages reviewed. CyCognito: Each finding carries a trace of how it was found and which subsidiary, brand or business unit it belongs to. | 7 / 10 | 8 / 10 | CyCognito |
Proves exploitability 20%WhyCortex Xpanse: Exploitability validation is not described on the product pages reviewed; the emphasis is discovery and response. CyCognito: Runs 100,000+ unauthenticated black-box tests across 30+ categories without state changes, and added Continuous AI Pentesting in June 2026. | 5 / 10 | 9 / 10 | CyCognito |
Contains before the patch 20%WhyCortex Xpanse: Active Response runs built-in automated playbooks against exposures; edge WAF rules are not named. CyCognito: No compensating control or automated mitigation is described; exposures wait for the owner's fix. | 7 / 10 | 2 / 10 | Cortex Xpanse |
Closes the loop 15%WhyCortex Xpanse: Routes and remediates through Cortex XSOAR playbooks; a retest after the fix is not described. CyCognito: Step-by-step guidance, owner-linked workflows and a retest after each fix. | 6 / 10 | 9 / 10 | CyCognito |
Fits the enterprise stack 10%WhyCortex Xpanse: Native ties to Cortex XSOAR and Prisma Cloud inside the Palo Alto Networks Cortex portfolio. CyCognito: Names ServiceNow, Jira, Splunk and Zendesk for remediation workflows; edge and SOAR connections are not named on the pages reviewed. | 9 / 10 | 6 / 10 | Cortex Xpanse |
Buying transparency 10%WhyCortex Xpanse: No price from Palo Alto Networks; a UK G-Cloud reseller listing shows £70,850.84 per instance per year. CyCognito: Publishes its pricing basis and an AWS Marketplace price: $30,000 per 12 months for ASM covering up to 250 assets. | 3 / 10 | 6 / 10 | CyCognito |
Which steps does each tool document?
Cortex Xpanse
- FOUNDDocumented
Internet-wide IPv4 scanning several times a day.
- OWNEDPartial
Third-party stakeholders identified; subsidiary attribution not detailed.
- PROVENNot documented
Exploitability validation not described on the pages reviewed.
- CONTAINEDDocumented
Active Response automated playbooks.
- ROUTEDDocumented
Routing and remediation through Cortex XSOAR playbooks.
- RECHECKEDNot documented
Retest after a fix not described.
CyCognito
- FOUNDDocumented
Seedless discovery from the organization's name.
- OWNEDDocumented
Subsidiary, brand or business unit with a trace per finding.
- PROVENDocumented
100,000+ black-box tests; Continuous AI Pentesting since June 2026.
- CONTAINEDNot documented
No compensating control or automated mitigation described.
- ROUTEDDocumented
Owner-linked workflows into ServiceNow, Jira, Splunk and Zendesk.
- RECHECKEDDocumented
Retest after each fix.
Partial counts as not documented for these three lines.
What do they cost?
Cortex Xpanse
No price from Palo Alto Networks. Reseller price: a UK G-Cloud 14 listing by Khipu Networks shows £70,850.84 per instance per year, no free trial, public-facing attack surface only.
To start: Not published on the pages reviewed.
CyCognito
Pricing basis published: total asset volume for ASM; active IPs and web applications for exposure validation. AWS Marketplace: CyCognito ASM 250 (up to 250 assets) $30,000 per 12 months; 24-month contracts "save up to 8%", 36-month "save up to 11%".
To start: The organization's name. "No IP ranges, no asset lists."
Which should you choose?
Choose Cortex Xpanse if
- it matters most to you that it fits the enterprise stack (9/10)
- it matters most to you that it finds the unlisted estate (8/10)
Choose Cortex Xpanse if Cortex XSOAR already runs your response and you want exposures acted on by playbook. Look elsewhere if proof of exploitability is your main gap.
Choose CyCognito if
- it matters most to you that it proves exploitability (9/10)
- it matters most to you that it finds the unlisted estate (9/10)
Choose CyCognito if you have no reliable asset list and want proof and a verified fix for each finding. Look elsewhere if you need exposures blocked at the edge before the patch lands.
Frequently asked questions
Which proves exploitability better, Cortex Xpanse or CyCognito?
CyCognito scores higher on our proof criterion (Cortex Xpanse 5/10, CyCognito 9/10). Cortex Xpanse: Exploitability validation is not described on the product pages reviewed; the emphasis is discovery and response. CyCognito: Runs 100,000+ unauthenticated black-box tests across 30+ categories without state changes, and added Continuous AI Pentesting in June 2026.
Can Cortex Xpanse or CyCognito contain an exposure before the patch?
Cortex Xpanse documents one: Active Response automated playbooks. CyCognito: not documented on the pages reviewed Contain scores: Cortex Xpanse 7/10, CyCognito 2/10.
Which is easier to buy, Cortex Xpanse or CyCognito?
Cortex Xpanse: No price from Palo Alto Networks. Reseller price: a UK G-Cloud 14 listing by Khipu Networks shows £70,850.84 per instance per year, no free trial, public-facing attack surface only. CyCognito: Pricing basis published: total asset volume for ASM; active IPs and web applications for exposure validation. AWS Marketplace: CyCognito ASM 250 (up to 250 assets) $30,000 per 12 months; 24-month contracts "save up to 8%", 36-month "save up to 11%". Buying transparency scores: Cortex Xpanse 3/10, CyCognito 6/10.
Read next
- Cortex Xpanse profile
Scores, sources and pricing
- CyCognito profile
Scores, sources and pricing
- Beyond Cortex Xpanse: alternatives
Eight alternatives ranked
- Beyond CyCognito: alternatives
Eight alternatives ranked
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