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Cybersecurity · head to head

Arnica vs Synctera

Arnica logo

Arnica

Cybersecurity

AI-native application security platform detecting and fixing vulnerabilities across the SDLC

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Synctera logo

Synctera

APIs

Banking-as-a-service platform that brings its own sponsor bank and compliance tooling

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Arnica has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Arnica per-identity pricing ($25-$50/person/year) requires tracking active developers; Synctera implementation fee, platform fee and monthly minimum are all charged and none are published, so a programme cannot model its fixed cost floor without a sales process, and at low volume those fixed fees rather than transaction pricing determine your economics.
  • They diverge on capability: Arnica covers AI SAST, Synctera covers Sponsor bank matching.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Arnica and Synctera actually diverge.

Attributes where Arnica and Synctera differ
AttributeArnicaSynctera
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelPer-identity subscription with annual discountquote
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, GitHub, IDEWeb, API
CategoryCybersecurityAPIs

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Arnica

  • AI SAST
  • Software Composition Analysis
  • Secrets detection
  • IaC scanning
  • Container scanning
  • SBOM generation
  • Agentic rules
  • Pipelineless integration

Only in Synctera

  • Sponsor bank matching
  • Accounts and ledger
  • Card issuing
  • Money movement
  • KYC and KYB
  • Transaction monitoring
  • Shared bank dashboard
  • Lending support

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Arnica

  • Detecting AI-generated vulnerabilities in Copilot and Cursor suggestionsnot Synctera
  • Finding hardcoded secrets before they reach productionnot Synctera
  • Mapping container vulnerabilities back to source codenot Synctera
  • Generating SBOM for supply chain compliance requirementsnot Synctera
  • Scanning infrastructure-as-code for misconfiguration risksnot Synctera

Synctera

  • A software company adding branded debit cards and accounts that has no appetite for sourcing and negotiating with a sponsor bank itselfnot Arnica
  • A fintech whose current bank partner is exiting the programme and needs a replacement with the oversight tooling already in placenot Arnica
  • A community bank that wants to run a fintech sponsorship line of business without building transaction monitoring and reconciliation from scratchnot Arnica
  • A B2B platform issuing spend cards to its customers that needs KYB, monitoring and card issuing from one contractnot Arnica

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Arnica

  • Per-identity pricing ($25-$50/person/year) requires tracking active developers
  • Overage identity tracking via 90-day PR activity can be unpredictable
  • Free plan limited to weekly updates, requiring upgrade for real-time scanning
  • Advanced add-ons (Image Scanning, AI SAST, Agentic Rules Enforcer) pricing not published
  • On-premises deployment limited to Enterprise tier

Synctera

  • Implementation fee, platform fee and monthly minimum are all charged and none are published, so a programme cannot model its fixed cost floor without a sales process, and at low volume those fixed fees rather than transaction pricing determine your economics.
  • The sponsor bank remains a third party whose risk appetite governs what you can launch, and a bank exiting or tightening its programme can force product changes you did not choose, which has happened repeatedly across the sector.
  • Onboarding runs on bank timelines, so several months typically pass between contract and first live customer while compliance policies and flow of funds are reviewed by both Synctera and the bank.
  • Coverage is United States focused, so a fintech with cross-border plans needs an entirely separate stack for other markets rather than an extension of this one.
  • Sitting between you and the bank means Synctera is another party in the reconciliation chain, and when balances disagree you are coordinating between two organisations rather than one, which lengthens incident resolution.

Pricing, plan by plan

Arnica

Free
  • FreeFree
    • No credit card required
    • 14-day trial available
    • Weekly risk identification updates
  • Core Business$360/year
    • Monthly billing option at $30/identity/month
    • Annual billing at $25/identity/month (17% discount)
    • Real-time risk scanning and notifications
  • Core Enterprise$720/year
    • Monthly billing option at $60/identity/month
    • Annual billing at $50/identity/month (17% discount)
    • All Core Business features

Synctera

On request
  • Synctera Platform$undefined/year
    • Sponsor bank relationship included
    • Accounts, ledger and card issuing
    • ACH, wire and instant rails

Which should you pick?

Choose Arnica if

  • You need ai sast.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, GitHub, IDE.
  • You also want software composition analysis.
Arnica review

Choose Synctera if

  • You need sponsor bank matching.
  • You work on Web, API.
  • You also want accounts and ledger.
Synctera review

Questions people ask

Is Arnica or Synctera better?
Neither clearly leads. Arnica starts at Free and Synctera at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Arnica or Synctera?
Arnica has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Arnica and On request for Synctera.
Does Arnica or Synctera run on more platforms?
Arnica runs on Web, GitHub, IDE. Synctera runs on Web, API.
Can I use Arnica for free?
Yes. Arnica has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Synctera starts at On request.
What is Arnica best used for?
Arnica is most often used for detecting ai-generated vulnerabilities in copilot and cursor suggestions, finding hardcoded secrets before they reach production, mapping container vulnerabilities back to source code, generating sbom for supply chain compliance requirements. Of those, detecting ai-generated vulnerabilities in copilot and cursor suggestions and finding hardcoded secrets before they reach production are not what Synctera is typically brought in for.
What can Arnica do that Synctera cannot?
Arnica covers AI SAST, Software Composition Analysis, Secrets detection, IaC scanning. Synctera covers Sponsor bank matching, Accounts and ledger, Card issuing, Money movement.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Arnica: How are identities defined in Arnica pricing?

Identities are any users and other contributing entities that contributed code and/or had PR activity during the last 90 days. This ensures billing matches active developers.

Source
Synctera: Does Synctera provide the bank?

Yes. Unlike a pure technology vendor, Synctera contracts with sponsor banks and brings one into your programme.

Arnica: What is the annual discount?

Annual prepayment offers approximately 17% savings versus monthly billing. Core Business annual is $300/identity versus $360 for monthly.

Source
Synctera: What does it cost?

Nothing is published. Expect an implementation fee, a recurring platform fee and a monthly minimum, plus usage charges.

Arnica: Can I cancel or downgrade Arnica anytime?

Yes. Subscriptions can be cancelled or downgraded at any time. Overage identities receive automatic protection with true-up invoicing.

Source
Synctera: How long does it take to launch?

Plan for months, not weeks, because both Synctera and the sponsor bank run compliance diligence on your programme.

Synctera: Is it available outside the United States?

Its focus is the United States; it has offered Canadian capability but non-US coverage is limited.

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