Security header analysis vs penetration testing
Pentest-Tools.com is an online penetration testing toolkit built for security professionals. It includes tools for network port scanning, subdomain enumeration, service fingerprinting, and web application vulnerability scanning. The platform is broad by design, covering the full scope of what a pentester needs to assess an attack surface.
SiteSecurityScore has a narrower focus: the security configuration of your website. It analyzes the HTTP headers your server sends to browsers, evaluates your TLS setup, checks DNS authentication records, and audits cookie attributes. Within that scope it goes considerably deeper than the header check inside Pentest-Tools, examining individual CSP directives, DMARC policy modes, and per-cookie flag combinations.
The free tier difference is significant. SiteSecurityScore has no scan limit. Pentest-Tools restricts free accounts to two scans per day in a lightweight mode that skips most of the deeper analysis. Full scans and API access require a paid subscription.
Feature comparison
Security Header Analysis
| Feature | SiteSecurityScore | Pentest-Tools |
|---|---|---|
| Security headers analyzed | 15+ | ~6 |
| Deep CSP directive analysis | ||
| DNS security (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) | ||
| Cookie security attributes | ||
| CORS configuration check | ||
| TLS/SSL configuration | ||
| Actionable header fix recommendations |
Features
| Feature | SiteSecurityScore | Pentest-Tools |
|---|---|---|
| Unlimited free scans | ||
| REST API (free tier) | ||
| Browser extension (scan authenticated pages) | ||
| PDF security reports | ||
| Free header generator tools | ||
| CI/CD pipeline integration | Paid only |
What SiteSecurityScore checks in depth
Pentest-Tools includes a web application scanner that reports on a handful of security headers as part of a broader vulnerability report. SiteSecurityScore is built around header analysis and goes much deeper on each area.
15+ security headers
Checks all major headers including COOP, COEP, CORP, Origin-Agent-Cluster, and Permissions-Policy, not just the six commonly covered by general scanners.
Deep CSP analysis
Evaluates every directive in your Content Security Policy. Flags unsafe-inline, wildcard sources, missing default-src fallbacks, and configurations that exist but offer little real protection.
DNS security records
SPF, DKIM, and DMARC record analysis including DMARC policy mode and subdomain policy. General pentest tools typically skip this entirely.
Cookie security audit
Checks every cookie for HttpOnly, Secure, SameSite, Path, and Domain attributes. Surfaces session hijacking and CSRF risks at a glance.
TLS/SSL configuration
Protocol version, cipher suites, certificate validity, and HSTS preload status. Covers both the headers that enforce TLS and the underlying configuration.
CORS review
Checks Access-Control-Allow-Origin and related headers for overly permissive cross-origin configurations that could expose sensitive data.
Free tier comparison
The practical gap between the two free tiers is large. Pentest-Tools limits free users to two scans per day in a light scan mode, which skips deep crawling and most active vulnerability checks. Getting full scan results requires a paid subscription starting around $55 per month.
SiteSecurityScore has no scan limit on the free tier and no account requirement. Every free scan runs the full analysis: all headers, full CSP evaluation, TLS configuration, DNS records, and cookie attributes. Paid plans add API access, PDF reports, and monitoring features, but the core analysis is entirely free.
| Free tier | SiteSecurityScore | Pentest-Tools.com |
|---|---|---|
| Daily scan limit | Unlimited | 2 scans/day |
| Account required | No | Yes |
| Full analysis depth | Yes | Light mode only |
| API access | Paid plan | Paid plan |
| Paid plan starts at | Lower tier | ~$55/month |
API access for CI/CD and monitoring
The SiteSecurityScore API returns structured JSON for every scan, covering headers, CSP directives, TLS configuration, DNS records, and cookie data in a single request. Teams use it to catch header regressions before a deployment ships, feed results into compliance dashboards, and schedule regular monitoring across a portfolio of sites. Pentest-Tools.com also has an API, but only on paid plans.
curl -X POST https://www.sitesecurityscore.com/api/scan \
-H "x-api-key: sss_your_api_key_here" \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-d '{"url": "example.com"}'Free security header generators
Knowing which headers are missing or misconfigured is only the first step. SiteSecurityScore includes free generator tools that produce copy-paste configurations for Apache, Nginx, and Node.js so you can fix findings immediately. Pentest-Tools does not include generation tools.
Scan pages behind login walls
Chrome Extension
Both server-side scanners and pentest platforms can only reach publicly accessible URLs. The SiteSecurityScore browser extension reads real response headers from your authenticated browser sessions. Scan admin panels, staging environments, and internal tools that require a login without any server-side access.
Try a free scan right now
Enter any URL and get a full security report covering 15+ headers, CSP, TLS, DNS records, and cookies. No account required, no scan limits.
Start scanningFrequently asked questions
Is SiteSecurityScore a free alternative to Pentest-Tools.com?
Yes, for security header analysis specifically. SiteSecurityScore offers unlimited free scans covering 15+ security headers, TLS configuration, DNS security records (SPF, DKIM, DMARC), and cookie attributes with no daily limits or account required. Pentest-Tools.com restricts free users to two scans per day in a limited scan mode, and full vulnerability scanning requires a paid plan starting around $55 per month.
What does SiteSecurityScore check that Pentest-Tools.com does not?
SiteSecurityScore checks 15+ HTTP security headers with deep CSP directive analysis, DNS security records (SPF, DKIM, DMARC), cookie security attributes for every cookie on the page, and CORS configuration. Pentest-Tools.com includes a web vulnerability scanner but focuses on active security testing like port scanning, network enumeration, and OWASP Top 10 vulnerability discovery, which SiteSecurityScore does not do.
How limited is the Pentest-Tools.com free tier?
The Pentest-Tools.com free tier allows two scans per day, limited to a light scan mode that does not perform deep crawling or active vulnerability testing. Full scans, network tools, and API access require a paid plan. SiteSecurityScore has no scan limit on its free tier.
Does SiteSecurityScore have an API?
Yes. SiteSecurityScore provides a REST API that returns structured JSON results for every scan, covering headers, CSP, TLS, DNS records, and cookie data. The API integrates into CI/CD pipelines, monitoring workflows, and compliance dashboards. Pentest-Tools.com also has an API, but it requires a paid subscription.
When does Pentest-Tools.com make more sense than SiteSecurityScore?
Pentest-Tools.com is designed for active penetration testing: network port scanning, service enumeration, subdomain discovery, and OWASP Top 10 vulnerability testing. If you need to conduct a comprehensive pentest of a web application or network, it provides tools that SiteSecurityScore does not offer. SiteSecurityScore is the better choice when you need to audit and improve your security header configuration specifically.