Overview
OWASP ZAP and Burp Suite are the two most popular DAST (Dynamic Application Security Testing) tools. ZAP is free and open-source, ideal for automated CI/CD scanning. Burp Suite Professional is the industry standard for manual penetration testing. For vibe-coded apps, the choice depends on budget and testing approach.
Feature Comparison
| Feature | OWASP ZAP | Burp Suite Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | $449/year |
| Open source | Yes | No |
| Automated scanning | Excellent | Excellent |
| Manual testing | Basic | Industry-leading |
| CI/CD integration | Native | Available |
| API testing | OpenAPI import | Full API support |
| Extensions | Community add-ons | BApp Store |
| Learning curve | Moderate | Steep |
Security Analysis
OWASP ZAP strengths: Free with no feature limitations. Excellent for automated CI/CD scanning. Active community maintaining scan rules. AJAX Spider handles SPAs well. Docker images available for easy CI/CD integration. HUD (Heads Up Display) for interactive testing.
Burp Suite strengths: Superior manual testing capabilities (Repeater, Intruder, Collaborator). More accurate scanning with fewer false positives. Professional-grade reporting. Extensive extension ecosystem (BApp Store). Burp Collaborator detects out-of-band vulnerabilities (blind SSRF, XXE).
For vibe-coded apps: ZAP is sufficient for most automated security testing needs. Burp Suite adds value for manual penetration testing and complex vulnerability discovery that requires human expertise.
Verdict
Start with OWASP ZAP – it is free and covers most automated testing needs for vibe-coded apps. Add Burp Suite Professional if you need manual penetration testing capabilities, more accurate scanning, or professional-grade reporting. For most indie hackers and small teams, ZAP provides excellent coverage at zero cost.