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Cybersecurity · head to head

Chainguard vs GovPilot

Chainguard logo

Chainguard

Cybersecurity

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

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Full reviewWebsite
GovPilot logo

GovPilot

Government

Digital forms and workflow modules for small municipalities priced out of enterprise govtech

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; GovPilot modules are prebuilt and configured rather than developed, so a municipality with an unusual ordinance or fee structure must adapt its process to the software rather than the reverse.
  • They diverge on capability: Chainguard covers Hardened container images, GovPilot covers Prebuilt process modules.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Chainguard and GovPilot actually diverge.

Attributes where Chainguard and GovPilot differ
AttributeChainguardGovPilot
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 GovPilot

  • Prebuilt process modules
  • GIS property map
  • Digital form intake
  • Report a concern app
  • Public records request handling
  • Workflow routing

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

GovPilot

  • A small town replacing paper permit applications without funding a large implementationnot Chainguard
  • A clerk's office that needs a defensible record of public records requests and response timesnot Chainguard
  • A municipality wanting residents to report issues from a phone with location attachednot Chainguard
  • A borough adding modules gradually as budget allows rather than buying a full system at oncenot 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

GovPilot

  • Modules are prebuilt and configured rather than developed, so a municipality with an unusual ordinance or fee structure must adapt its process to the software rather than the reverse.
  • The install base is concentrated in New Jersey and the north east, so agencies elsewhere find fewer reference sites and modules tuned to another state's terminology.
  • Module based pricing means the total climbs in steps as departments are added, and the initial quote often covers fewer processes than the town eventually needs.
  • It is not built for the complexity larger cities carry, so an agency that grows into multi department plan review will outgrow it and face a second migration.
  • Integration options are limited compared with enterprise platforms, so connecting to an existing finance or utility billing system may mean manual reconciliation.

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

GovPilot

On request
  • GovPilot$undefined/year
    • Quoted by module count and municipality population
    • Implementation is short because modules are configured rather than built
    • Payment processing on citizen transactions charged separately

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 GovPilot if

  • You need prebuilt process modules.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want gis property map.
GovPilot review

Questions people ask

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

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
GovPilot: Who is GovPilot actually for?

Small and mid sized municipalities that are currently on paper and cannot fund an Accela or Tyler implementation.

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
GovPilot: How long does implementation take?

Short by govtech standards, because modules are prebuilt and configured rather than custom developed.

Chainguard: Can I try Chainguard before purchasing?

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

Source
GovPilot: Can we find comparable pricing?

Yes. Municipal contracts are public, and in this segment neighbouring towns' council minutes give a genuinely comparable number.

GovPilot: Will we outgrow it?

A city that develops complex multi department plan review will, and should plan for that rather than discover it.

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