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Cybersecurity · head to head

Chainguard vs Flagsmith

Chainguard logo

Chainguard

Cybersecurity

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

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Flagsmith logo

Flagsmith

Software Development

Open-source feature flag and remote config platform

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; Flagsmith the Free plan supports only a single team member, limiting collaboration for small teams.
  • They diverge on capability: Chainguard covers Hardened container images, Flagsmith covers Feature flags.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 29 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Chainguard and Flagsmith actually diverge.

Attributes where Chainguard and Flagsmith differ
AttributeChainguardFlagsmith
Pricing modelLicensing by artifact type and team sizefreemium
PlatformsCloud, Container, VMweb, api
CategoryCybersecuritySoftware Development

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 Flagsmith

  • Feature flags
  • Segments
  • A/B testing
  • Scheduled flags
  • SDKs
  • SAML/SSO

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

Flagsmith

  • Gradual feature rollouts across environmentsnot Chainguard
  • Remote configuration without redeploying codenot Chainguard
  • Running A/B tests tied to feature flagsnot Chainguard
  • Self-hosting feature flags for data residency requirementsnot 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

Flagsmith

  • The Free plan supports only a single team member, limiting collaboration for small teams.
  • Exceeding request limits triggers overage charges after a one-time 30-day grace period.
  • Enterprise-grade SSO and governance are locked behind the Scale-Up and Enterprise tiers.
  • Self-hosting requires operating and updating the platform yourself, unlike a fully managed SaaS competitor.

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

Flagsmith

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Up to 50,000 requests/month
    • 1 team member
    • Unlimited feature flags, environments, identities and segments
  • Start-Up$45/month
    • Up to 1,000,000 requests/month
    • 3 team members
    • Scheduled flags, 2FA, A/B testing, integrations, email support
  • Scale-Up$300/month
    • 5,000,000+ requests/month
    • 5-20 team members
    • SAML/SSO, governance features, priority 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 Flagsmith if

  • You need feature flags.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on web, api.
  • You also want segments.
Flagsmith review

Questions people ask

Is Chainguard or Flagsmith better?
Neither clearly leads. Chainguard starts at Free and Flagsmith at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Chainguard or Flagsmith?
Chainguard starts at Free and Flagsmith at Free.
Does Chainguard or Flagsmith run on more platforms?
Chainguard runs on Cloud, Container, VM. Flagsmith runs on web, api.
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 Flagsmith is typically brought in for.
What can Chainguard do that Flagsmith cannot?
Chainguard covers Hardened container images, CVE remediation SLA, SLSA L2/L3 builds, Sigstore signatures. Flagsmith covers Feature flags, Segments, A/B testing, Scheduled flags.

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
Flagsmith: What does Flagsmith cost?

Flagsmith has a Free plan, a Start-Up plan from $40-45/month, a Scale-Up plan from $250-300/month, and custom Enterprise pricing.

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
Flagsmith: Is there a free plan, and what are its limits?

The Free plan supports up to 50,000 requests per month and 1 team member, with unlimited feature flags, environments, identities and segments.

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
Flagsmith: How is usage metered?

Usage is metered by monthly API requests; exceeding a plan's limit triggers overage charges starting around $50 per million requests, with a 30-day grace period the first time a paid plan exceeds its limit.

Source
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