Cybersecurity · head to head
Chainguard vs Deep Code
Chainguard
Cybersecurity
Secure-by-default open source software with hardened container images and libraries
- From
- Free
- Free plan
- Yes
Deep Code
Developer Tools
Desktop AI coding assistant that runs on DeepSeek models
- From
- Free
- Free plan
- Yes
The short version
- Each has a real cost: Chainguard containers Catalog at 19,000 USD/year expensive for teams under 10 people; Deep Code model choice is narrow. Bring your own key covers DeepSeek-V4-Pro and Flash plus the GLM and Mimo coding plans, and no frontier model from OpenAI, Anthropic or Google.
- They diverge on capability: Chainguard covers Hardened container images, Deep Code covers DeepSeek-backed agent.
- Prices and features above were last checked on 15 September 2026.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Chainguard and Deep Code actually diverge.
| Attribute | Chainguard | Deep Code |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Licensing by artifact type and team size | freemium |
| Platforms | Cloud, Container, VM | Windows, macOS, Linux |
| Category | Cybersecurity | Developer Tools |
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 Deep Code
- DeepSeek-backed agent
- Session management
- File explorer
- Snippets panel
- Voice input
- Bring your own key
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 Deep Code
- Meeting supply chain security requirements for regulated industriesnot Deep Code
- Reducing CVE exposure with contractual remediation guaranteesnot Deep Code
- Building secure language packages with automatic backportsnot Deep Code
- Verifying artifact provenance with Sigstore signaturesnot Deep Code
Deep Code
- AI-assisted coding on a budgetnot Chainguard
- Debugging and bug fixingnot Chainguard
- Refactoring existing codenot Chainguard
- Reusing prompt templates across projectsnot Chainguard
- Using an existing DeepSeek API key without proxy setupnot 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
Deep Code
- Model choice is narrow. Bring your own key covers DeepSeek-V4-Pro and Flash plus the GLM and Mimo coding plans, and no frontier model from OpenAI, Anthropic or Google.
- The Pro tier caps included usage at 100 Pro Credits per day rather than offering an unmetered plan.
- Bring your own key is a paid feature, so the free tier cannot be pointed at your own DeepSeek account.
- Desktop only, with no editor extension, web version or team seat management as of September 2026.
- A small, young vendor with no independent review coverage yet, so there is nothing outside the vendor's own site to corroborate the cost claim.
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
Deep Code
Free- FreeFree
- Session management
- File explorer and snippets panel
- Voice input
- Pro$5/month
- All Free features
- 100 daily Pro Credits
- BYOK across DeepSeek-V4-Pro, DeepSeek-V4-Flash, GLM Coding Plan and Mimo Coding Plan
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.
Choose Deep Code if
- You need deepseek-backed agent.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Windows, macOS, Linux.
- You also want session management.
Questions people ask
- Is Chainguard or Deep Code better?
- Neither clearly leads. Chainguard starts at Free and Deep Code at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Chainguard or Deep Code?
- Chainguard starts at Free and Deep Code at Free.
- Does Chainguard or Deep Code run on more platforms?
- Chainguard runs on Cloud, Container, VM. Deep Code runs on Windows, macOS, Linux.
- 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 Deep Code is typically brought in for.
- What can Chainguard do that Deep Code cannot?
- Chainguard covers Hardened container images, CVE remediation SLA, SLSA L2/L3 builds, Sigstore signatures. Deep Code covers DeepSeek-backed agent, Session management, File explorer, Snippets panel.
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.
SourceDeep Code: Which models does Deep Code run on?
DeepSeek V4 family models, with the vendor's headline built around DeepSeek V4.1. The free tier's included credits run on DeepSeek-V4-Flash. Paid users bringing their own key can also use DeepSeek-V4-Pro, the GLM Coding Plan and the Mimo Coding Plan.
SourceChainguard: 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.
SourceDeep Code: What does Deep Code cost?
There are two tiers. Free is $0 per month and includes session management, the file explorer, snippets, voice input and weekly free credits on DeepSeek-V4-Flash. Pro is $5 per month and adds 100 daily Pro Credits plus bring-your-own-key support for multiple models.
SourceChainguard: Can I try Chainguard before purchasing?
Yes. The free tier includes five container images for testing and deployment, allowing hands-on evaluation.
SourceDeep Code: Do I need my own API key to use it?
No. The free tier includes weekly credits and needs no credit card, so the app works without a key. Bring your own key is available on the $5 per month Pro tier and covers DeepSeek-V4-Pro, DeepSeek-V4-Flash, the GLM Coding Plan and the Mimo Coding Plan.
SourceDeep Code: Which operating systems does it run on?
Windows, macOS and Linux. It is a desktop application rather than an editor extension, so it runs alongside whatever editor you already use.
SourceDeep Code: Is the 95 percent cheaper claim independently verified?
No. It is the vendor's own figure, based on DeepSeek token pricing against frontier model pricing. Actual savings depend on which model you compare against and how much of your usage falls inside the included credits.
SourceRelated pages
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