Softwr

Cybersecurity · head to head

Chainguard vs Drata

Chainguard logo

Chainguard

Cybersecurity

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

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Drata logo

Drata

Cybersecurity

Agentic trust management with compliance automation.

From
On request
Rated
-
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; Drata no published pricing for any tier; requires contacting sales team for quotes
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 29 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Chainguard and Drata actually diverge.

Attributes where Chainguard and Drata differ
AttributeChainguardDrata
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelLicensing by artifact type and team sizesubscription
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsCloud, Container, VMWeb, API

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

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 Drata

Nothing recorded that Chainguard does not also cover.

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

Drata

  • SaaS companies automating SOC 2 certification for enterprise salesnot Chainguard
  • Organisations managing multi-framework compliance simultaneouslynot Chainguard
  • Vendor management programmes requiring third-party security assessmentsnot Chainguard
  • Enterprises implementing AI governance and monitoring AI systemsnot Chainguard
  • Organisations seeking continuous compliance monitoring rather than point-in-time auditsnot 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

Drata

  • No published pricing for any tier; requires contacting sales team for quotes
  • Solution tiers (Startup, Growth, Enterprise) are marketing categories with no corresponding published prices or feature differentiation
  • No transparency on cost per framework, per user, or based on organisational size
  • AI questionnaire automation claims 375+ hours saved annually but does not publish per-questionnaire costs or limits
  • Compared directly with Vanta by customers, but pricing opaque for cost-benefit analysis

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

Drata

On request
  • Startup$undefined/variable
    • 'Launch Trust Fast' with automated evidence collection
    • SOC 2 and other framework support
    • Basic compliance automation
  • Growth$undefined/variable
    • 'Accelerate Trust Smoothly' as teams expand
    • Multi-framework compliance
    • Enhanced AI automation
  • Enterprise$undefined/variable
    • 'Command Trust at Scale' for complex needs
    • Advanced GRC capabilities
    • Dedicated support

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 Drata if

  • You work on Web, API.
Drata review

Questions people ask

Is Chainguard or Drata better?
Neither clearly leads. Chainguard starts at Free and Drata at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Chainguard or Drata?
Chainguard has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Chainguard and On request for Drata.
Does Chainguard or Drata run on more platforms?
Chainguard runs on Cloud, Container, VM. Drata runs on Web, API.
Can I use Chainguard for free?
Yes. Chainguard has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Drata 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 Drata is typically brought in for.
What can Chainguard do that Drata cannot?
Chainguard covers Hardened container images, CVE remediation SLA, SLSA L2/L3 builds, Sigstore signatures.

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
Drata: What compliance frameworks does Drata support?

Drata supports multiple frameworks including SOC 2, ISO 27001, GDPR, HIPAA, PCI DSS and others, with multi-framework management capabilities.

Source
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
Drata: Does Drata automate questionnaires?

Yes. Drata's AI uses approved content to draft consistent responses, automating questionnaire completion and saving claimed 375+ hours per year.

Source
Chainguard: Can I try Chainguard before purchasing?

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

Source
Drata: How many customers does Drata have?

Drata serves 8,500+ global customers ranging from startups to enterprises, with a 4.8/5.0 rating on G2.

Source
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