Two AI Pentesting Approaches
Both RedVeil and Aikido Security now offer autonomous AI-powered penetration testing. While Aikido started as an Application Security Posture Management (ASPM) platform bundling scanners, they have launched "Aikido Attack"—an AI pentesting product that competes more directly with dedicated platforms like RedVeil.
Aikido Security Overview
Aikido is a comprehensive security platform that combines code scanning (SAST, SCA, secrets, IaC) with their newer AI pentesting offering called Aikido Attack.
Aikido Attack: AI Pentesting
- Agent-Based Testing: Aikido deploys autonomous AI agents (60-500 depending on tier) to perform whitebox, greybox, and blackbox testing.
- Validation: Findings are validated through exploitation to reduce false positives.
- Audit Reports: Generates PDF reports structured for SOC 2 and ISO 27001 compliance.
- AutoFix Integration: Leverages their existing AutoFix feature to suggest code patches for confirmed vulnerabilities.
Aikido Pricing (AI Pentest)
- Basic: From $960 (limited scope, whitebox only, 60 agents)
- Standard: $4,000 (single application, up to 11 repos, 250 agents)
- Advanced: $8,000 (complex applications, multiple microservices, 500 agents)
- Enterprise: Custom pricing
Aikido Strengths
- All-in-one platform combining code scanning with AI pentesting.
- Deep integration with their existing ASPM features.
- AutoFix can generate pull requests for confirmed vulnerabilities.
RedVeil Overview
RedVeil is a purpose-built autonomous AI penetration testing platform designed from the ground up for offensive security testing.
How RedVeil Works
- Agentic AI Engine: RedVeil's agents reason through complex attack chains, maintain authentication state, and understand business logic—not just technical vulnerabilities.
- Exploit Validation: Every finding includes proof-of-concept evidence demonstrating real-world exploitability.
- Rune AI Consultant: An interactive AI assistant that helps developers understand findings and guides remediation in plain English.
- Agent Ops Model: Transparent, consumption-based pricing that allows flexible testing across multiple targets.
Performance Transparency
RedVeil publicly validates its performance against industry-standard benchmarks—something few competitors do. On the XBEN benchmark for autonomous penetration testing, RedVeil scored 7 points higher than the previous industry leader. This transparency allows customers to objectively compare AI pentesting platforms rather than relying solely on marketing claims.
RedVeil Pricing
- Perimeter: $2,995/year (500 Agent Ops, external web & network)
- Full Coverage: $6,995/year (2,500 Agent Ops, includes internal & cloud testing)
- Enterprise: Custom pricing with SSO, integrations, and dedicated support
Key Differences
1. Platform Focus
Aikido is an all-in-one security platform where AI pentesting is one feature among many (SAST, SCA, CSPM, etc.). This breadth can be valuable but may mean less depth in any single area. RedVeil is laser-focused on penetration testing. Every feature—from the AI agents to the Rune consultant to the reporting—is optimized specifically for offensive security validation.
2. Pricing Model
Aikido charges per-test pricing ($960-$8,000+ per pentest). Running multiple tests throughout the year or testing several applications can become expensive quickly. RedVeil uses an annual subscription with a pool of "Agent Ops" that can be spent across unlimited tests and targets. This model encourages frequent testing without incremental cost anxiety.
3. Testing Methodology
Aikido offers whitebox, greybox, and blackbox testing modes, with deeper results when code access is provided. RedVeil specializes in attacking live applications from the outside (black/grey-box), simulating real-world attacker behavior without requiring source code access.
4. Remediation Support
Aikido offers AutoFix, which generates code patches through pull requests—powerful when it works, but limited to issues with clear code-level fixes. RedVeil offers Rune, an interactive AI consultant that developers can ask questions to in plain English. Rune explains the business impact, walks through remediation steps, and helps engineers understand complex vulnerabilities contextually.
Comparison Summary
| Feature | RedVeil | Aikido Attack |
|---|---|---|
| Core Focus | Dedicated AI Pentesting | ASPM + AI Pentesting |
| Pricing Model | Annual Subscription (Agent Ops) | Per-Test ($960-$8,000+) |
| Entry Price | $2,995/year | $960/test |
| Unlimited Retesting | Yes (within Agent Ops) | 90-day retest window |
| Code Access Required | No | Optional (improves results) |
| Remediation | Interactive AI Consultant (Rune) | AutoFix Pull Requests |
| Compliance Reports | Yes (SOC 2, ISO 27001) | Yes (SOC 2, ISO 27001) |
When to Choose Which
Choose Aikido if:
- You want a single platform that combines code scanning (SAST/SCA) with AI pentesting.
- You prefer per-test pricing and only need occasional penetration tests.
- You want AutoFix to automatically generate pull requests for vulnerabilities.
- You're already using Aikido's ASPM features and want to add pentesting to the same dashboard.
Choose RedVeil if:
- You want a platform purpose-built for penetration testing with maximum depth.
- You need to test frequently (every sprint, every release) without per-test costs adding up.
- You prefer an interactive AI consultant (Rune) for nuanced remediation guidance over automated pull requests.
- You want predictable annual pricing with flexible Agent Ops allocation across multiple targets.
Purpose-built for penetration testing. RedVeil delivers autonomous AI pentesting with the depth of a dedicated offensive security platform. Start testing today at app.redveil.ai.