Venedy
As of July 2026 · Vendor information may change
Tools that get compared often don't solve the same problem at all. Before prices and features are put side by side, it helps to look at the category:
- DAST / API testing: Running APIs are actively tested for vulnerabilities, before or on every deployment (StackHawk, ZAP, Akto, Venedy).
- Runtime protection: Live traffic is analysed and attacks are blocked in production (Salt).
- API gateways: Rules are enforced in production (auth, rate limiting), but nothing is tested (Kong, Tyk).
- Contract/design-first: The API specification (OpenAPI) is checked for conformance and errors (42Crunch).
The tools at a glance
| Tool | Type | Approach | Deployment | Price (public) | BOLA/BFLA logic testing |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Salt Security | Runtime | Traffic analysis in production | SaaS | on request | Detection at runtime |
| StackHawk | DAST | CI tests, template-/role-based | SaaS | from $10/user/mo | Yes, configured roles |
| 42Crunch | Contract-first | OpenAPI audit + scan | SaaS | free up to $599/mo, + Enterprise | Partly, contract-based |
| Akto | API testing | Template-/role-based, 1000+ tests | OSS, self-hosted, Cloud | OSS free, Cloud on request | Yes, configured roles |
| Kong | Gateway | Runtime enforcement | OSS, self-hosted, SaaS | OSS + Enterprise | No |
| Tyk | Gateway | Runtime enforcement | OSS, self-hosted, SaaS | OSS + Enterprise | No |
| OWASP ZAP | DAST | Pattern scan, open source | Self-hosted | Free | Only via scripting |
| Venedy | AI-agent testing | Logic testing, agents build context | SaaS, EU-hosted | from ~€625/mo | Yes, core focus |
API security tools by category, approach, deployment and price (as of July 2026)
BOLA (Broken Object Level Authorization) means: user A reaches user B's objects. To find this, a tool has to understand which objects belong to whom and then deliberately request foreign ones. There are two ways:
Template- and role-based (e.g. Akto, StackHawk): Test roles and tokens are set up in advance, and the tool runs prebuilt test patterns with them. BOLA is found within the configured scope, but setup work is required, and anything that fits no template is missed.
Agent-based (Venedy): Test users and context are created by the AI agents themselves. From the API's behaviour it is inferred which objects belong to whom, and attack paths are tried out without anyone writing a template first.
Both ways are legitimate. The difference lies in the setup effort and in how well multi-step, atypical logic flaws are found.
An example that shows the difference: With an ordering API, authorization is checked cleanly on every single call. Only by combining two endpoints, for instance creating an invoice via its ID and then retrieving it through a second, less strictly checked endpoint, does foreign data become accessible. No single request looks wrong, which is why a purely template-based test does not trigger.
The tools in brief
Salt Security - Enterprise runtime protection. Strong at detecting and blocking attacks in live traffic. Limit: logic flaws are only detected once already in production, no public pricing.
StackHawk - Solid DAST for the development team. BOLA, BFLA and IDOR are actively tested in CI, template- and role-based. In 2026 strongly geared toward AI coding agents. Low entry price. Limit: test depth depends on good configuration.
42Crunch - The contract-first specialist: the OpenAPI specification is checked against the OWASP API Top 10. Strong at shift-left. Limit: true multi-user logic testing is not the core.
Akto - The closest comparison to Venedy. The open-source edition (MIT) already offers a lot: API discovery, a test framework with 1000+ tests and CI/CD integration, self-hostable. The BOLA checks run template- and role-based: prebuilt test patterns plus manually configured test roles. The AI-agent and governance part is paid. Limit vs. Venedy: no EU-sovereignty promise, and setup and operation rest with the user.
Kong / Tyk - Mature API gateways. Important: a gateway enforces rules, it does not test for vulnerabilities. Both complement a testing tool, they don't replace it.
OWASP ZAP - The free open-source classic. Good for getting started and for pattern-based scans. Business-logic flaws are only found with significant manual effort.
Venedy - AI-agent testing focused on logic flaws. Without prebuilt templates, test users and context are created by the agents themselves and attack paths are inferred from the API's behaviour. It is operated conversationally through the agent, with the option to step in at any point instead of through dashboards and config files. EU-sovereign hosted, and findings are logged traceably: which agent decided what and why. Limit: SaaS, not self-hostable, and as a young tool without the platform breadth of the enterprise vendors.
What to look for when choosing
- Deployment & data residency: SaaS or self-hosted? Is EU hosting required for compliance (DORA, NIS2, GDPR)?
- CI/CD integration: Does the test run automatically on every deployment, or only manually?
- Setup effort: Do test roles, tokens and seed data have to be maintained by hand, or does the tool handle that?
- Control & intervention: Is it operated through dashboards and config files, or conversationally through an agent that can be stepped into at any point?
- Logic depth: Just pattern scanning, or real BOLA/BFLA testing across multiple endpoints?
- False positives: How much rework does each run create?
- Traceability: Does the tool explain why a finding is a finding, or is it a black box?
Which tool for which case?
- Monitor live traffic in production → Salt
- Self-hosting or open source → Akto or Tyk
- Low-cost DAST in CI → StackHawk or ZAP
- Secure the OpenAPI specification → 42Crunch
- AI-driven logic testing, EU-sovereign and traceable → Venedy
Frequently asked questions
What is the best API security tool?
There is none. The choice depends on whether the goal is to test before production (DAST), protect in production (runtime) or enforce rules (gateway).
Are there open-source API security tools?
Yes, OWASP ZAP and Akto (Community Edition) are open source, as are the gateways Kong and Tyk.
Which tool finds business-logic flaws like BOLA?
StackHawk, Akto and Venedy actively test for them. StackHawk and Akto template- and role-based, Venedy agent-based. Salt detects them at runtime. Gateways and pure scanners do not.
Sources
- Salt Security, product and platform salt.security, retrieved July 2026
- StackHawk, pricing stackhawk.com, retrieved July 2026
- 42Crunch, pricing 42crunch.com, retrieved July 2026
- Akto, open-source repository (MIT) github.com/akto-api-security, retrieved July 2026
- OWASP ZAP, project site zaproxy.org, retrieved July 2026