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Cybersecurity · head to head

Chainguard vs Clariti

Chainguard logo

Chainguard

Cybersecurity

Secure-by-default open source software with hardened container images and libraries

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Full reviewWebsite
Clariti logo

Clariti

Government

Permitting, licensing and land management for local government, built natively on Salesforce

From
On request
Free plan
No
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Chainguard has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Chainguard containers Catalog at 19,000 USD/year expensive for teams under 10 people; Clariti salesforce platform licences sit underneath the subscription and are not always visible in the initial quote, so the fully loaded cost can be materially higher than the comparison against Accela or Tyler suggests.
  • They diverge on capability: Chainguard covers Hardened container images, Clariti covers Permitting workflows.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Chainguard and Clariti actually diverge.

Attributes where Chainguard and Clariti differ
AttributeChainguardClariti
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelLicensing by artifact type and team sizequote
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsCloud, Container, VMWeb, iOS, Android
CategoryCybersecurityGovernment

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 Chainguard

  • Hardened container images
  • CVE remediation SLA
  • SLSA L2/L3 builds
  • Sigstore signatures
  • SBOM generation
  • Language libraries
  • VM images
  • Artifact scanning

Only in Clariti

  • Permitting workflows
  • Business licensing
  • Inspections
  • Code enforcement
  • Public portal
  • Salesforce platform tooling

What people use each for

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

Chainguard

  • Deploying hardened container images with minimal attack surfacenot Clariti
  • Meeting supply chain security requirements for regulated industriesnot Clariti
  • Reducing CVE exposure with contractual remediation guaranteesnot Clariti
  • Building secure language packages with automatic backportsnot Clariti
  • Verifying artifact provenance with Sigstore signaturesnot Clariti

Clariti

  • A city already standardised on Salesforce that wants permitting inside the same platformnot Chainguard
  • An agency replacing a legacy permitting system whose vendor was acquired and whose roadmap stallednot Chainguard
  • A county needing configurable workflows across permits, licensing and code enforcementnot Chainguard
  • An IT department that wants to configure and report on its own permitting workflows without vendor ticketsnot Chainguard

Where each one falls short

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

Chainguard

  • Containers Catalog at 19,000 USD/year expensive for teams under 10 people
  • Per-image pricing for containers requires custom quotes with no transparency
  • Free tier limited to 5 container images for testing
  • Libraries pricing by ecosystem and developer count lacks transparent per-developer cost
  • VM image catalog pricing opacity makes cost estimation difficult

Clariti

  • Salesforce platform licences sit underneath the subscription and are not always visible in the initial quote, so the fully loaded cost can be materially higher than the comparison against Accela or Tyler suggests.
  • Building on Salesforce means the agency inherits Salesforce release cycles and pricing changes, neither of which Clariti controls.
  • It has far less accumulated edge case handling than the incumbents, so unusual fee schedules, historic district rules or state mandated reporting can become configuration projects.
  • Professional services dominate the first year cost, as with every permitting implementation, and agencies that budget only for licence are the ones whose projects stall.
  • The install base is smaller than Accela or Tyler, so there are fewer peer agencies to call for reference and fewer trained implementation consultants in the market.

Pricing, plan by plan

Chainguard

Free
  • Free TierFree
    • Five container images to test and deploy
  • Containers Per-Image$undefined/custom
    • Licensed by quantity and type
    • Base images, application images, AI/ML images, FIPS variants
    • Custom pricing per image
  • Containers Catalog$19000/year
    • For 10-person engineering teams
    • 2,000+ container images
    • Contractual CVE remediation SLAs
  • Libraries Licensing$undefined/custom
    • Licensed by ecosystem (Python, Java, JavaScript)
    • Licensed by developer count
    • Unlimited pulls with no metering

Clariti

On request
  • Clariti$undefined/year
    • Quoted by agency size and module scope
    • Salesforce platform licences are a separate cost underneath the subscription
    • Implementation and configuration services typically exceed first year licence cost

Which should you pick?

Choose Chainguard if

  • You need hardened container images.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Cloud, Container, VM.
  • You also want cve remediation sla.
Chainguard review

Choose Clariti if

  • You need permitting workflows.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want business licensing.
Clariti review

Questions people ask

Is Chainguard or Clariti better?
Neither clearly leads. Chainguard starts at Free and Clariti at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Chainguard or Clariti?
Chainguard has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Chainguard and On request for Clariti.
Does Chainguard or Clariti run on more platforms?
Chainguard runs on Cloud, Container, VM. Clariti runs on Web, iOS, Android.
Can I use Chainguard for free?
Yes. Chainguard has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Clariti starts at On request.
What is Chainguard best used for?
Chainguard is most often used for deploying hardened container images with minimal attack surface, meeting supply chain security requirements for regulated industries, reducing cve exposure with contractual remediation guarantees, building secure language packages with automatic backports. Of those, deploying hardened container images with minimal attack surface and meeting supply chain security requirements for regulated industries are not what Clariti is typically brought in for.
What can Chainguard do that Clariti cannot?
Chainguard covers Hardened container images, CVE remediation SLA, SLSA L2/L3 builds, Sigstore signatures. Clariti covers Permitting workflows, Business licensing, Inspections, Code enforcement.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Chainguard: How much is the Chainguard Containers Catalog?

The Containers Catalog is 19,000 USD per year for 10-person engineering teams, providing access to 2,000+ hardened container images.

Source
Clariti: Do we need Salesforce licences as well?

Yes. Clariti runs on the Salesforce platform, and those licences are a separate line item. Insist on a fully loaded quote.

Chainguard: What SLAs does Chainguard offer?

Chainguard provides contractual CVE remediation SLAs: 7 days for critical vulnerabilities, 14 days for high/medium/low severity, all with priority support.

Source
Clariti: How does it compare with Accela?

Accela has far deeper accumulated handling of edge cases. Clariti offers a more modern and configurable platform, at the price of Salesforce underneath.

Chainguard: Can I try Chainguard before purchasing?

Yes. The free tier includes five container images for testing and deployment, allowing hands-on evaluation.

Source
Clariti: Can we see what other agencies paid?

Yes. Permitting contracts are public records and award notices routinely list implementation and annual subscription values.

Clariti: Is it suitable for a small town?

Usually not. The platform cost and implementation effort suit mid sized and larger agencies.

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