Ares vs Aikido
Two ways to secure your apps, from the inside, and from the outside.
This page compares Aikido: an all-in-one code-to-cloud developer security platform that now runs AI pentests, with Ares, a dedicated offensive platform that attacks your web, API, and mobile apps from the outside, exactly as a real adversary would. Ares also provides attack surface management and discovers Shadow AI running in your environment, with authorized testing of supported AI services and applicable MITRE ATLAS coverage.
Ares vs Aikido
Two ways to secure your apps, from the inside, and from the outside.
This page compares Aikido: an all-in-one code-to-cloud developer security platform that now runs AI pentests, with Ares, a dedicated offensive platform that attacks your web, API, and mobile apps from the outside, exactly as a real adversary would. Ares also provides attack surface management and discovers Shadow AI running in your environment, with authorized testing of supported AI services and applicable MITRE ATLAS coverage.
Ares vs Aikido
Two ways to secure your apps, from the inside, and from the outside.
This page compares Aikido: an all-in-one code-to-cloud developer security platform that now runs AI pentests, with Ares, a dedicated offensive platform that attacks your web, API, and mobile apps from the outside, exactly as a real adversary would. Ares also provides attack surface management and discovers Shadow AI running in your environment, with authorized testing of supported AI services and applicable MITRE ATLAS coverage.
What each is built for
Broad platform, or focused adversary.
Both can test your APIs, authorization, and business logic. The difference is approach: Aikido lives inside your code and stack, while Ares attacks from the outside with no access to it.
What Aikido is built for
Aikido is an all-in-one developer security platform used by tens of thousands of teams. It connects to your repositories, derives context from your source and architecture, and runs more than a dozen scanners plus a remediation engine, and with Aikido Attack and Aikido Infinite, AI pentests that probe APIs, authorization gaps, and business logic. Breadth is its strength.
What Ares is built for
Ares combines web, API, and mobile testing with attack surface management and Shadow AI discovery. Authorized assessments of supported AI services include applicable MITRE ATLAS coverage, with evidence of observed behavior and remediation context.
What each is built for
Broad platform, or focused adversary.
Both can test your APIs, authorization, and business logic. The difference is approach: Aikido lives inside your code and stack, while Ares attacks from the outside with no access to it.
What Aikido is built for
Aikido is an all-in-one developer security platform used by tens of thousands of teams. It connects to your repositories, derives context from your source and architecture, and runs more than a dozen scanners plus a remediation engine, and with Aikido Attack and Aikido Infinite, AI pentests that probe APIs, authorization gaps, and business logic. Breadth is its strength.
What Ares is built for
Ares combines web, API, and mobile testing with attack surface management and Shadow AI discovery. Authorized assessments of supported AI services include applicable MITRE ATLAS coverage, with evidence of observed behavior and remediation context.
What each is built for
Broad platform, or focused adversary.
Both can test your APIs, authorization, and business logic. The difference is approach: Aikido lives inside your code and stack, while Ares attacks from the outside with no access to it.
What Aikido is built for
Aikido is an all-in-one developer security platform used by tens of thousands of teams. It connects to your repositories, derives context from your source and architecture, and runs more than a dozen scanners plus a remediation engine, and with Aikido Attack and Aikido Infinite, AI pentests that probe APIs, authorization gaps, and business logic. Breadth is its strength.
What Ares is built for
Ares combines web, API, and mobile testing with attack surface management and Shadow AI discovery. Authorized assessments of supported AI services include applicable MITRE ATLAS coverage, with evidence of observed behavior and remediation context.
Decision snapshot
A quick read on which fits your goal.
Compare where Aikido fits as a broad code-to-cloud platform that also pentests, and where Ares fits as a specialist that proves what an external attacker can do.
Aikido may be a fit if…
You want one broad platform spanning code, cloud, and pentesting.
You value repo, CI, and cloud integration for deep context.
Merge-ready remediation PRs are a priority.
Ares may be a fit if…
You need application testing, Shadow AI discovery, and attack surface management.
APIs and mobile backends are your primary risk surface.
You need deep BOLA and OWASP API Top 10 coverage.
You want true black-box results with no access to your code.
Decision snapshot
A quick read on which fits your goal.
Compare where Aikido fits as a broad code-to-cloud platform that also pentests, and where Ares fits as a specialist that proves what an external attacker can do.
Aikido may be a fit if…
You want one broad platform spanning code, cloud, and pentesting.
You value repo, CI, and cloud integration for deep context.
Merge-ready remediation PRs are a priority.
Ares may be a fit if…
You need application testing, Shadow AI discovery, and attack surface management.
APIs and mobile backends are your primary risk surface.
You need deep BOLA and OWASP API Top 10 coverage.
You want true black-box results with no access to your code.
Decision snapshot
A quick read on which fits your goal.
Compare where Aikido fits as a broad code-to-cloud platform that also pentests, and where Ares fits as a specialist that proves what an external attacker can do.
Aikido may be a fit if…
You want one broad platform spanning code, cloud, and pentesting.
You value repo, CI, and cloud integration for deep context.
Merge-ready remediation PRs are a priority.
Ares may be a fit if…
You need application testing, Shadow AI discovery, and attack surface management.
APIs and mobile backends are your primary risk surface.
You need deep BOLA and OWASP API Top 10 coverage.
You want true black-box results with no access to your code.
Key differences
Where the difference actually shows up.
Aikido and Ares overlap on AI-driven API, authorization, and business logic testing. These are the areas where approach separates them.
Black-box vs code-connected
Aikido derives context from your repos, CI, and cloud. Ares attacks from the outside with no such access, exactly as an external adversary would.
Specialist vs suite
For Aikido, AI pentesting is one feature in a broad suite. For Ares, offensive security is all she does.
Mobile-to-API attack chains
Ares follows the real attacker path from a mobile app into its API backend: mobile apps Aikido does not test.
Prove the exploit vs fix the code
Aikido leans into automated remediation. Ares proves the working exploit, then hands off a developer-ready path to your team.
Key differences
Where the difference actually shows up.
Aikido and Ares overlap on AI-driven API, authorization, and business logic testing. These are the areas where approach separates them.
Black-box vs code-connected
Aikido derives context from your repos, CI, and cloud. Ares attacks from the outside with no such access, exactly as an external adversary would.
Specialist vs suite
For Aikido, AI pentesting is one feature in a broad suite. For Ares, offensive security is all she does.
Mobile-to-API attack chains
Ares follows the real attacker path from a mobile app into its API backend: mobile apps Aikido does not test.
Prove the exploit vs fix the code
Aikido leans into automated remediation. Ares proves the working exploit, then hands off a developer-ready path to your team.
Key differences
Where the difference actually shows up.
Aikido and Ares overlap on AI-driven API, authorization, and business logic testing. These are the areas where approach separates them.
Black-box vs code-connected
Aikido derives context from your repos, CI, and cloud. Ares attacks from the outside with no such access, exactly as an external adversary would.
Specialist vs suite
For Aikido, AI pentesting is one feature in a broad suite. For Ares, offensive security is all she does.
Mobile-to-API attack chains
Ares follows the real attacker path from a mobile app into its API backend: mobile apps Aikido does not test.
Prove the exploit vs fix the code
Aikido leans into automated remediation. Ares proves the working exploit, then hands off a developer-ready path to your team.
Side by side
Aikido and Ares, compared.
Both can pentest your apps. The rows below show where coverage differs.
Capability
Aikido
Ares
Primary focus
All-in-one code-to-cloud security
API-first exposure validation
Product type
Code-to-cloud platform
Offensive platform
API security testing
Yes, via Aikido Attack
Purpose-built, API-first
Web app testing
Yes, code-connected
Purpose-built
Mobile app testing
Not in scope
Tested today
Standalone API testing
Part of a broad suite
Available today
True black-box testing
No, connects to your stack
Attacks from the outside
Exploit validation
Proves exploitability
Proves exploitability
Mobile-to-API attack chains
No mobile surface to chain
Follows the real attacker path
BOLA & OWASP API Top 10
Via Aikido Attack
Authored into product DNA
Dedicated offensive platform
One feature in a broad suite
All she does
Code-to-cloud coverage (SAST, SCA, CSPM)
Yes, their core strength
No, offensive by design
Built for security & engineering teams
Developers & security
Security & engineering
Side by side
Aikido and Ares, compared.
Both can pentest your apps. The rows below show where coverage differs.
Capability
Aikido
Ares
Primary focus
All-in-one code-to-cloud security
API-first exposure validation
Product type
Code-to-cloud platform
Offensive platform
API security testing
Yes, via Aikido Attack
Purpose-built, API-first
Web app testing
Yes, code-connected
Purpose-built
Mobile app testing
Not in scope
Tested today
Standalone API testing
Part of a broad suite
Available today
True black-box testing
No, connects to your stack
Attacks from the outside
Exploit validation
Proves exploitability
Proves exploitability
Mobile-to-API attack chains
No mobile surface to chain
Follows the real attacker path
BOLA & OWASP API Top 10
Via Aikido Attack
Authored into product DNA
Dedicated offensive platform
One feature in a broad suite
All she does
Code-to-cloud coverage (SAST, SCA, CSPM)
Yes, their core strength
No, offensive by design
Built for security & engineering teams
Developers & security
Security & engineering
Side by side
Aikido and Ares, compared.
Both can pentest your apps. The rows below show where coverage differs.
Capability
Aikido
Ares
Primary focus
All-in-one code-to-cloud security
API-first exposure validation
Product type
Code-to-cloud platform
Offensive platform
API security testing
Yes, via Aikido Attack
Purpose-built, API-first
Web app testing
Yes, code-connected
Purpose-built
Mobile app testing
Not in scope
Tested today
Standalone API testing
Part of a broad suite
Available today
True black-box testing
No, connects to your stack
Attacks from the outside
Exploit validation
Proves exploitability
Proves exploitability
Mobile-to-API attack chains
No mobile surface to chain
Follows the real attacker path
BOLA & OWASP API Top 10
Via Aikido Attack
Authored into product DNA
Dedicated offensive platform
One feature in a broad suite
All she does
Code-to-cloud coverage (SAST, SCA, CSPM)
Yes, their core strength
No, offensive by design
Built for security & engineering teams
Developers & security
Security & engineering
Use-case fit
Which option fits your use case?
Compare code-to-cloud security with Ares: application and supported AI testing, attack surface management, and Shadow AI discovery with applicable MITRE ATLAS coverage.
Broad code-to-cloud coverage
Aikido
Autonomous exposure validation
Ares
App, AI & attack surface coverage
Ares
Mobile-to-API attack chains
Ares
Merge-ready remediation PRs
Aikido
True black-box adversary testing
Ares
Use-case fit
Which option fits your use case?
Compare code-to-cloud security with Ares: application and supported AI testing, attack surface management, and Shadow AI discovery with applicable MITRE ATLAS coverage.
Broad code-to-cloud coverage
Aikido
Autonomous exposure validation
Ares
App, AI & attack surface coverage
Ares
Mobile-to-API attack chains
Ares
Merge-ready remediation PRs
Aikido
True black-box adversary testing
Ares
Use-case fit
Which option fits your use case?
Compare code-to-cloud security with Ares: application and supported AI testing, attack surface management, and Shadow AI discovery with applicable MITRE ATLAS coverage.
Broad code-to-cloud coverage
Aikido
Autonomous exposure validation
Ares
App, AI & attack surface coverage
Ares
Mobile-to-API attack chains
Ares
Merge-ready remediation PRs
Aikido
True black-box adversary testing
Ares
TALK TO ASSAIL
Compare the evidence for yourself.
Discuss your evaluation criteria and how Ares fits your assessment workflow.
Your environment. Your objectives. A mission built around both.