Gartner’s 2025 Guide to Buying AppSec Tools & 5 Mistakes to Avoid

Choosing the wrong AST (Application Security Testing) platform doesn't just waste your budget. It leads to:

• Slower release cycles
• Burned-out developers
• Incomplete coverage across CI/CD
• Exposure to compliance fines and zero-day risks

In its latest research, “How to Avoid Common Pitfalls in Selecting Application Security Testing Tools,” Gartner highlights the five most common mistakes security leaders make when evaluating AST platforms.

In this blog, we break down Gartner’s key insights and share what teams should look for when choosing a tool that works in the real world.

Key takeaways

• Appknox is listed as a Sample Vendor in Gartner’s AST tooling report (2025).
• Most companies make avoidable mistakes when evaluating application security platforms.
• Avoiding these pitfalls can save time, compliance headaches, and developer friction.

Pitfall #1: Over-prioritizing demo accuracy

Focusing only on false positives during a demo is like test-driving a car based on the cupholders.

Gartner warns that organizations often prioritize scan accuracy during PoCs but neglect developer experience, integration ease, and remediation speed, which ultimately drive success or failure.

What to ask instead?

• Will your developers know what to fix, and how?
• How quickly can results be triaged?
• Can it triage alerts based on severity and exploitability?
• Does it integrate with tools like Jira, Slack, or your CI/CD?
• Can the tool integrate into your CI/CD pipeline? 

Pitfall #2: Buying point tools instead of unified platforms

Tool sprawl is the silent killer of AppSec velocity.

Teams that adopt separate tools for SAST, DAST, API testing, and runtime checks often face integration gaps, overlapping alerts, and delayed remediation.

What to prioritize?

• Platforms that unify scans across:
  
  • Source code
  • Binaries
  • APIs
  • Mobile SDKs
• Single-pane-of-glass visibility for security + dev teams
  
• Platforms that:
  • Support multiple testing types
  • Consolidate findings
  • Offer end-to-end coverage, from code to runtime.

Pitfall #3: Ignoring deployment and data residency needs

It’s easy to overlook where your AppSec tool will run until legal and compliance teams step in.

Especially in regulated sectors or international rollouts, cloud-only models may not be enough.

What to look for?

Vendors offering:

• Vendors that offer flexible deployment options - public cloud, private cloud, or on-premise
• Region-aware data flow mapping and compliance
• Geo-risk visibility (like Appknox’s Privacy Shield)

Pitfall #4: Underestimating post-sale support

Security tools aren’t just a transaction; they’re a relationship.

Gartner stresses the importance of evaluating vendor responsiveness, roadmap alignment, and customer success capabilities, all of which matter more after the deal is signed.

What should you ask in your demo session?

• Direct access to technical support
• Clarity on roadmap priorities
• Proof of ongoing engagement beyond onboarding.

Pitfall #5: Leaving developers out of the equation

The best AppSec tools make developers part of the solution, not the problem.

Tools that don’t align with dev workflows will be ignored, bypassed, or resisted. Gartner recommends prioritizing usability, fast feedback, and non-blocking remediation flows.

What to look for instead?

Tools that offer:

• Developer-friendly scan results
• Contextual guidance
• CI-native tools (Jenkins, GitHub, GitLab)
• Fast feedback loops
• Non-blocking scans (dev velocity preserved)
• Seamless integration into IDEs, CI/CD systems, or ticketing platforms

Comparison table: Pitfalls vs. what to prioritize

Final thought

AppSec tools fail for one of two reasons: either the team can't scale them, or the developers won’t use them.

Gartner’s report is a reminder to choose a tool that sits right with the reality of your team, with your people, your process, and your compliance needs, not just what shines in the demo.

If you are evaluating AST platforms today, these five checkpoints could save you time, money, and post-purchase regret.

Where Appknox stands

Appknox is proud to be recognized by Gartner in this year’s AST report, not because we checked a box, but because we’ve built a solution designed for the reality of modern security teams.

Want to see what a developer-friendly, mobile-first AppSec platform really looks like? 

Book a demo with Appkox

Gartner attribution

Gartner, “How to Avoid Common Pitfalls in Selecting Application Security Testing Tools,” Dale Gardner, 10 July 2025. GARTNER is a registered trademark and service mark of Gartner, Inc. and/or its affiliates and is used herein with permission. All rights reserved.