Core Philosophy and Pricing Models

OWASP ZAP embodies the open-source philosophy of democratizing security testing. As a completely free tool backed by the Open Web Application Security Project, ZAP provides professional-grade security testing capabilities without financial barriers. This accessibility enables students, independent researchers, small businesses, and non-profit organizations to implement robust security testing programs. The open-source nature also means complete transparency—users can inspect source code, verify security claims, and contribute improvements.

Burp Suite follows a commercial model with a free Community edition and paid Professional/Enterprise editions. The Community edition, while free, includes deliberate limitations like throttled scanning speeds and disabled features that push serious users toward paid versions. Professional edition costs approximately $449 per user per year, while Enterprise editions reach tens of thousands annually. This pricing model provides Portswigger sustainable revenue for development but creates barriers for budget-conscious organizations.

The philosophical differences extend beyond pricing to development approaches. ZAP's community-driven development means features are added based on user needs rather than commercial considerations. Anyone can contribute code, report bugs, or suggest improvements. Burp Suite's commercial development provides focused, professional development but limits community input to feature requests and bug reports. Both approaches have merits, but ZAP's openness often results in faster adaptation to emerging security trends.