HailBytes ASM vs Wiz
A self-hosted ASM alternative for teams that need active reconnaissance ownership, unlimited scans, and full data control—versus a SaaS cloud-risk platform that aggregates public findings.
TL;DR
Wiz is a cloud security platform that discovers misconfigurations across cloud accounts by ingesting cloud provider APIs and public datasets. HailBytes ASM is an active attack surface management platform that runs reconnaissance pipelines inside your infrastructure to discover and verify external-facing assets and vulnerabilities.
- Pick HailBytes ASM if you need active scanning, unlimited asset discovery, custom wordlists, self-hosted control, or white-label deliverables for clients.
- Stay with Wiz if you want consolidated cloud-risk visibility across AWS, Azure, GCP, and Kubernetes, or need Wiz’s developer-centric workflow and fine-grained resource context.
Pricing & Cost Model
| Dimension | HailBytes ASM | Wiz |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing axis | Infrastructure ($0.24/vCPU/hour) | Per cloud resource / per protected resource |
| Annual cost (small surface) | ~$4,200 | ~$50,000+ entry |
| Annual cost (mid surface) | ~$4,200–$8,400 | $100,000–$300,000+ |
| Free tier | 30-day trial via Marketplace | Limited free tier for up to 100 resources |
| Procurement path | Cloud marketplace (counts toward EDP / MACC) | Direct SaaS contract |
Architecture & Control
| Dimension | HailBytes ASM | Wiz |
|---|---|---|
| Deployment | Self-hosted in your AWS / Azure account | SaaS (Wiz-hosted, processes your cloud metadata) |
| Source code access | Source-available under ELv2 | Closed source |
| Data residency | Whatever cloud region you pick | Wiz-controlled processing regions |
| Scan model | Active recon pipeline, you control cadence and scope | Passive ingestion of cloud APIs and public feeds |
| Custom scan logic / wordlists | ✅ Full control | ❌ |
| Per-tenant isolation | One VM per tenant | Multi-tenant SaaS |
Capability Comparison
| Capability | HailBytes ASM | Wiz |
|---|---|---|
| External asset discovery (active) | ✅ Active subdomain enumeration, port scanning, tech fingerprint | 🟡 Passive, relies on cloud APIs + public datasets |
| Internal cloud resource discovery | 🟡 Limited to exposed endpoints | ✅ Comprehensive IAM, compute, storage, network discovery |
| Cloud misconfigurations | 🟡 Basic S3/GCS bucket checks | ✅ 100+ cloud configuration checks |
| Kubernetes security | ❌ | ✅ Cluster scanning and posture |
| Unlimited active scans | ✅ Infrastructure-priced | N/A (passive) |
| Custom wordlists / payloads | ✅ Unlimited | ❌ |
| AI-powered analysis | ✅ OpenAI + Ollama (local GPU) | ✅ Wiz IQ risk scoring |
| MCP server / AI-agent tooling | ✅ Built-in (Claude / Cursor / Windsurf) | ❌ |
| SIEM integration | ✅ Splunk, Sentinel, Elastic, Chronicle | ✅ Wiz platform API + SIEM connectors |
| Government cloud (GovCloud / Azure Gov) | ✅ Both | 🟡 Limited availability |
| White-label for client deliverables | ✅ Built-in | ❌ |
| REST API with OpenAPI docs | ✅ 40+ endpoints | ✅ Wiz Platform API |
When HailBytes ASM Wins
- You need active external reconnaissance. Wiz excels at internal cloud posture; HailBytes ASM owns external-facing asset discovery with active scanning.
- Pen-test firms and MSSPs. White-label output and a fixed per-instance cost make resold continuous monitoring viable.
- Government and regulated industries. Deploy in AWS GovCloud or Azure Government with full data control.
- Active scanning at scale. Unlimited scans at infrastructure cost—$0.24/vCPU/hour vs per-resource SaaS pricing.
- AI-agent recon workflows. The built-in MCP server lets Claude, Cursor, and Windsurf drive scans and triage findings.
When Wiz Wins
- Unified cloud risk platform. Single pane of glass for cloud misconfigurations, compliance, and resource context across AWS, Azure, GCP, and Kubernetes.
- Developer workflow. Wiz’s issue prioritization and fine-grained resource context resonate with dev teams.
- Existing Wiz investment. If you already have Wiz, the marginal value of adding HailBytes ASM for external-facing active recon is clear.
Many enterprises run both: Wiz for internal cloud posture and HailBytes ASM for external-facing attack surface intelligence and active verification.
Try HailBytes ASM
30-day free trial through AWS Marketplace and Azure Marketplace, including the underlying VM.
Related Comparisons
Other cloud security and ASM platforms often evaluated alongside Wiz:
- vs CrowdStrike Falcon Surface — Crowdstrike's Reposify-based ASM.
- vs Censys — Internet-wide certificate and port intelligence.
- vs Shodan — Global passive scan dataset.
- vs Qualys CSAM — Qualys Cloud Platform module.
- Full ASM comparison matrix — Every vendor side by side, plus the HailBytes ASM product page.
See HailBytes ASM in Action
Skip the slide deck. Watch the product run end-to-end before you book a call.
Try HailBytes ASM Free
Get a free trial deployment on AWS or Azure. Our team will walk you through setup and help you run your first reconnaissance scan within 30 minutes.
- ✓ 30-day free trial on AWS or Azure
- ✓ Guided onboarding from our security team
- ✓ No credit card required to start
- ✓ 30+ security tools pre-configured