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Cybersecurity · head to head

Chainguard vs ClearML

Chainguard logo

Chainguard

Cybersecurity

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

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
ClearML logo

ClearML

Machine Learning

Open-source MLOps platform for experiment tracking and orchestration

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Chainguard containers Catalog at 19,000 USD/year expensive for teams under 10 people; ClearML broad scope means more to learn and more to run than a focused tracking tool
  • They diverge on capability: Chainguard covers Hardened container images, ClearML covers Experiment tracking.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 29 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Chainguard and ClearML actually diverge.

Attributes where Chainguard and ClearML differ
AttributeChainguardClearML
Pricing modelLicensing by artifact type and team sizeOpen-source self-hosted, with paid hosted and enterprise tiers
PlatformsCloud, Container, VMLinux, macOS, Windows, Docker, Kubernetes
CategoryCybersecurityMachine Learning

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), 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 ClearML

  • Experiment tracking
  • Remote execution
  • Data versioning
  • Pipelines

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 ClearML
  • Meeting supply chain security requirements for regulated industriesnot ClearML
  • Reducing CVE exposure with contractual remediation guaranteesnot ClearML
  • Building secure language packages with automatic backportsnot ClearML
  • Verifying artifact provenance with Sigstore signaturesnot ClearML

ClearML

  • Tracking experiments across a team so results are reproduciblenot Chainguard
  • Moving training from laptops to shared GPU hardware without repackagingnot Chainguard
  • Versioning datasets alongside the experiments that consumed themnot 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

ClearML

  • Broad scope means more to learn and more to run than a focused tracking tool
  • Self-hosting the server is real infrastructure — database, file storage and web server
  • Documentation quality is uneven across the newer parts of the platform
  • Smaller community than the most popular tracking tools, so fewer worked examples exist

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

ClearML

Free
  • Open sourceFree
    • Experiment tracking
    • Pipelines
    • Self-hosted server

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 ClearML if

  • You need experiment tracking.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, macOS, Windows, Docker, Kubernetes.
  • You also want remote execution.
ClearML review

Questions people ask

Is Chainguard or ClearML better?
Neither clearly leads. Chainguard starts at Free and ClearML at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Chainguard or ClearML?
Chainguard starts at Free and ClearML at Free.
Does Chainguard or ClearML run on more platforms?
Chainguard runs on Cloud, Container, VM. ClearML runs on Linux, macOS, Windows, Docker, Kubernetes.
Can I use Chainguard for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
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 ClearML is typically brought in for.
What can Chainguard do that ClearML cannot?
Chainguard covers Hardened container images, CVE remediation SLA, SLSA L2/L3 builds, Sigstore signatures. ClearML covers Experiment tracking, Remote execution, Data versioning, Pipelines.

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
ClearML: Is ClearML free?

The open-source version is free and self-hostable. Hosted and enterprise tiers are paid.

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
ClearML: How much code does tracking require?

Very little — adding a couple of lines to an existing training script captures parameters, metrics and environment automatically.

Chainguard: Can I try Chainguard before purchasing?

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

Source
ClearML: Does ClearML replace MLflow?

It covers MLflow’s tracking and adds orchestration, remote execution and data versioning. Whether that breadth is an advantage or extra weight depends on whether you need the rest.

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