Mobile apps today are shipped fast, often at the cost of security. With 75% of apps in 2024 exposing at least one vulnerability, and 60% of breaches tied to unpatched flaws, the risk isn’t hypothetical, but operational.
The real challenge? Picking tools that do more than scan surfaces. The right mobile app penetration testing tools uncover deep issues, prevent compliance risks, and help you avoid security debt that’s expensive to fix later. This list covers the most effective ones.
12 Best Mobile App Penetration Testing Tools
- Astra Security
- Burp Suite Professional
- Checkmarx
- Ostor Labs
- ZAP (Zed Attack Proxy)
- Mobile Security Framework (MobSF)
- Frida
- Data Theorem
- Drozer
- QARK
- Apktool
- iRET
Why Astra is the best in Mobile Pentesting?
- We’re the only company that combines automated & manual pentest to create a one-of-a-kind PTaaS platform with SOC 2 vulnerability tags.
- Runs 250+ test cases based on OWASP Mobile Top 10 standards.
- Integrates with your CI/CD tools to help you establish DevSecOps.
- A dynamic vulnerability management dashboard to manage, monitor, assign, and update vulnerabilities.
- Astra pentest detects business logic errors and payment gateway hacks.
- Award publicly verifiable pentest certificates which you can share with your users.
- Helps you stay compliant with SOC2, ISO27001, PCI-DSS, HIPAA, etc.
- Trusted by the brands you trust like Agora, Spicejet, Muthoot, Dream11, etc.
The Best Mobile App Penetration Testing Tools
1. Astra Security
Astra Pentest empowers you to secure mobile apps early with a hybrid approach using 250+ test cases across OWASP Mobile Top 10, custom business logic tests, and SAST+DAST automation. This helps detect real-world vulnerabilities that generic tools and checklists typically overlook.
The platform makes collaboration seamless with AI-generated test flows, scan-behind-login capabilities, and integrations with Jira, Slack, GitHub, and more. You upload your APK/IPA file, our certified experts do the rest, from analysis to remediation guidance.
Astra makes compliance effortless with two free rescans, publicly verifiable certificates, and tailored reports for engineering and leadership. It offers not just pentesting but continuous assurance that your app is breach-ready and business-resilient.
Key Features:
- Scanner Capabilities: Automated scans, manual pentest, vetted scans.
- Accuracy: Zero false positives through AI-powered and expert validation.
- Compliance Support: GDPR, ISO 27001, HIPAA, SOC2, and PCI DSS.
- App Support: Both Android and iOS.
- Pricing: Starts at $199/month.
Pros:
- Tests for reverse engineering resistance and code obfuscation.
- Detects hardcoded secrets, tokens, and sensitive data.
- Validates session management and role-based access control.
- Supports CI/CD integration for continuous pentesting.
- Offers dedicated Slack/Teams channels for faster issue resolution.
Limitations:
- Only a 1-week’s free trial is available
2. Burp Suite Professional
Burp Suite is a leading penetration testing tool for analyzing applications helping the security experts with manual as well as automated testing. It functions as a proxy server, giving testers the power to investigate and amend the data exchange between the browser and the chosen application.
Key Features:
- Scanner Capabilities: Automated and manual vulnerability testing.
- Accuracy: High, minimal false positives.
- Compliance Support: OWASP, PCI DSS, GDPR.
- App Support: Both Android and iOS.
- Pricing: Starts at $399/year. Learn more.
Pros:
- Great for manual and automated penetration testing
- Strong community support
Limitations:
- Requires a learning curve
3. Checkmarx
Checkmarx is one of the leading SAST mobile app pentesting tools that integrates with the CI/CD pipeline to identify issues in the codebase. Developers and security teams use it to detect and analyze vulnerabilities during the SDLC, helping to secure the application from the beginning.
Key Features:
- Scanner Capabilities: Scans source code for vulnerabilities, CI/CD integration.
- Accuracy: High, with detailed remediation guidance.
- Compliance Support: GDPR, ISO 27001, and OWASP Top 10.
- App Support: Both Android and iOS.
- Pricing: Custom pricing available.
Pros:
- Easy to integrate into CI/CD pipelines
- Provides detailed remediation guidelines
Limitations:
- Slower scan times for large projects
4. Ostor Labs
Ostor Labs is one of the most recommended tools by security analysts as it provides a strong automated mobile application testing platform that performs in-depth vulnerability scans on the applications.
Key Features:
- Scanner Capabilities: Automated static and dynamic scans.
- Accuracy: High, with minimal false positives.
- Compliance Support: PCI DSS, GDPR, and OWASP.
- App Support: Both Android and iOS.
- Pricing: Starts at $250/month.
Pros:
- Strong automation with minimal manual intervention
- Supports multiple compliance standards
Limitations:
- Limited customization for advanced testing scenarios
5. ZAP (Zed Attack Proxy)
ZAP or Zed Attack Proxy is a free and open-source application testing tool for web applications and includes mobile applications. It is a DAST tool based on the OWASP Top 10 and performs a comprehensive analysis of mobile applications.
Key Features:
- Scanner Capabilities: Automated scans, proxy-based manual testing.
- Accuracy: Moderate, with some false positives.
- Compliance Support: OWASP Top 10.
- App Support: Android, iOS.
- Pricing: Open source (Free)
Pros:
- Streamlined user experience
- Advanced security testing capabilities
Limitations:
- Direct support options may be limited
No other pentest product combines automated scanning + expert guidance like we do.
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6. Mobile Security Framework (MobSF)
MobSF, or Mobile Security Framework, is an all-in-one tool for static and dynamic testing of mobile applications. It delves into the code to scout for possible security issues and vulnerabilities in libraries and examines insecure permissions and configurations.
Key Features:
- Scanner Capabilities: Comprehensive scans covering static, dynamic, and malware analysis.
- Accuracy: High for static analysis, moderate for dynamic.
- Compliance Support: PCI DSS, OWASP, and others.
- App Support: Both Android and iOS.
- Pricing: Open source (Free).
Pros:
- Provides support for both static and dynamic analysis
- Automated API and permissions analysis
Limitations:
- The interface could be more intuitive
7. Frida
Frida is a dynamic toolkit used by security experts to analyze mobile applications at runtime. As one of the more prominent mobile application pentesting tools, it equips testers with the ability to inspect, intercept, and modify app behavior, making it a very effective dynamic testing tool.
Key Features:
- Scanner Capabilities: Customizable real-time vulnerability assessment.
- Accuracy: High, depending on user expertise.
- Compliance Support: Indirect support through custom analysis.
- App Support: Both Android and iOS.
- Pricing: Open source (Free).
Pros:
- Great for dynamic analysis and runtime testing
- Provides flexibility
Limitations:
- Requires expertise to use effectively
8. Data Theorem
Data Theorem provides automated security and privacy scanning for mobile apps, APIs, and cloud ecosystems. It is a DAST scanner focusing on identifying vulnerabilities in the runtime and helps mitigate potential risks.
Key Features:
- Scanner Capabilities: Automated scans for runtime and API vulnerabilities.
- Accuracy: High with real-time insights.
- Compliance Support: GDPR, SOC 2, and HIPAA.
- App Support: Both Android and iOS.
- Pricing: Custom pricing available.
Pros:
- Strong focus on runtime and API security
- Real-time monitoring with actionable insights
Limitations:
- Limited manual testing capabilities
9. Drozer
Drozer is a powerful Android security testing toolkit built to identify and exploit application vulnerabilities. It runs comprehensive tests to identify and exploit misconfigurations and issues related to exposed components and permissions.
Key Features:
- Scanner Capabilities: Targeted scans for Android app vulnerabilities.
- Accuracy: High for Android-specific issues.
- Compliance Support: Android-specific security guidelines.
- App Support: Android only.
- Pricing: Open source (Free).
Pros:
- High accuracy with Android security misconfigurations
- One of the free and open-source mobile penetration testing tools
Limitations:
- Limited to Android testing
10. QARK
QARK or Quick Android Review Kit is an open-source tool built to test for misconfigurations and vulnerabilities in Android applications. It is designed to perform tests using ADB commands to look for potential vulnerabilities in the applications.
Key Features:
- Scanner Capabilities: Automated scanning for misconfigurations and coding flaws.
- Accuracy: Excellent for configuration checks.
- Compliance Support: Android security best practices.
- App Support: Android only.
- Pricing: Open source (Free).
Pros:
- Strong static analysis for Android apps
- Allows creating custom tests for specific vulnerabilities.
Limitations:
- Lacks advanced dynamic analysis
11. Apktool
Apktool is an open source reverse engineering tool for android applications designed to decompile APK files and analyzes them for misconfigurations. It is used by security experts mainly to look for structural vulnerabilities and debugging issues in Android applications.
Key Features:
- Scanner Capabilities: Decompile APKs, uncover structural vulnerabilities.
- Accuracy: Manual review required; accuracy depends on expertise.
- Compliance Support: Secure development practices.
- App Support: Android only.
- Pricing: Open source (Free).
Pros:
- Great for decompiling and modifying APKs
- It provides a user-friendly command-line interface
Limitations:
- Requires expertise to use the tool effectively
12. iRET
iRET or iOS Reverse Engineering Toolkit, as its name suggests, is an open-source reverse engineering tool for iOS applications designed to analyze and identify potential vulnerabilities. It performs an in-depth analysis of the app binaries and security controls.
Key Features:
- Scanner Capabilities: Reverse engineering and security feature inspection.
- Accuracy: High when handled by experienced users.
- Compliance Support: Focuses on iOS-specific security standards.
- App Support: iOS only.
- Pricing: Open source (Free).
Pros:
- Helps identify hard-to-find security flaws
- Free and open-source
Limitations:
- No Android Support
- Requires jailbroken devices for full functionality.
How To Choose the Best Mobile App Pentesting Tool For You?
Type of Analysis
Determine whether your application and organization require static analysis, dynamic analysis, or a mix of both to ensure complete coverage for vulnerability assessment as well as compliance needs.
Compatibility
Determine whether the platform or mobile application penetration testing tools support the target applications (Android, iOS, or both) to match the needs of the mobile application environments.
Integrations
Choose platforms or tools that can be easily integrated into the development lifecycle CI/CD workflows to avoid missing vulnerabilities and implement a proactive approach towards security.
Features
Choose platforms or tools that provide good reporting of issues, have a vast knowledge base and are constantly updated with the emerging threats in the cybersecurity landscape.
Final Thoughts
Mobile app penetration testing tools are not just an investment but a necessity to create a secure environment for the users of the application and their data. Using the right combination of tools enables you to adopt a proactive approach and detect vulnerabilities before attackers can exploit them.
Choosing solutions that align with your application needs, provide seamless integrations, and have top features like compliance reporting can significantly help reduce risks and strengthen your defense policies.
Astra Pentest is built by the team of experts that helped secure Microsoft, Adobe, Facebook, and Buffer
FAQs
1. What is the timeline for mobile application penetration testing?
A mobile application penetration testing takes 7-10 days. The rescans take half as much time.
2. How much does penetration testing cost?
The cost of mobile penetration testing depends on the scope of the test along with some other factors. Hence, it is difficult to provide a definitive figure. It can cost anywhere from $4,000-$100,000. Read about Penetration Testing Cost.
3. Why choose Astra for Pentesting?
The security engineers at Astra perform extensive manual pentest on top of machine learning-driven automated scans. The vulnerability reports appear on your dashboard with detailed remediation guides. You will have access to a team of 2 to 10 security experts to help you with the fixes. Know about Astra’s hacker-style pen-testing.
