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Cybersecurity · head to head

Chainguard vs Greasemonkey

Chainguard logo

Chainguard

Cybersecurity

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

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Greasemonkey logo

Greasemonkey

Browser Extensions

The original userscript manager, for Firefox

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; Greasemonkey firefox only. There is no Chrome, Edge or Safari build and there never has been.
  • They diverge on capability: Chainguard covers Hardened container images, Greasemonkey covers Userscript execution.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 17 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Chainguard and Greasemonkey actually diverge.

Attributes where Chainguard and Greasemonkey differ
AttributeChainguardGreasemonkey
Pricing modelLicensing by artifact type and team sizeopen-source
PlatformsCloud, Container, VMFirefox
CategoryCybersecurityBrowser Extensions

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 Greasemonkey

  • Userscript execution
  • Built-in script editor
  • GM. API
  • @resource support
  • Script localisation
  • Firefox for Android

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

Greasemonkey

  • Restyling or de-cluttering a site you use dailynot Chainguard
  • Automating a repetitive action on a web applicationnot Chainguard
  • Adding a missing feature to a site you do not controlnot Chainguard
  • Running userscripts on Firefox for Androidnot Chainguard
  • Writing and testing your own scripts in the browsernot 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

Greasemonkey

  • Firefox only. There is no Chrome, Edge or Safari build and there never has been.
  • Its API diverged from the Tampermonkey conventions most shared scripts are written against, so a script from a sharing site may need adjusting to run.
  • The dashboard is plainer than Tampermonkey's, with no diff view when a script updates itself.
  • No cloud sync of the kind Tampermonkey and Violentmonkey offer; moving machines means exporting.
  • A userscript manager can read and rewrite every page you visit, so the security of the arrangement depends entirely on the scripts you choose to install.

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

Greasemonkey

Free
  • Open sourceFree
    • Unlimited scripts
    • Built-in editor
    • No account required

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 Greasemonkey if

  • You need userscript execution.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Firefox.
  • You also want built-in script editor.
Greasemonkey review

Questions people ask

Is Chainguard or Greasemonkey better?
Neither clearly leads. Chainguard starts at Free and Greasemonkey at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Chainguard or Greasemonkey?
Chainguard starts at Free and Greasemonkey at Free.
Does Chainguard or Greasemonkey run on more platforms?
Chainguard runs on Cloud, Container, VM. Greasemonkey runs on Firefox.
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 Greasemonkey is typically brought in for.
What can Chainguard do that Greasemonkey cannot?
Chainguard covers Hardened container images, CVE remediation SLA, SLSA L2/L3 builds, Sigstore signatures. Greasemonkey covers Userscript execution, Built-in script editor, GM. API, @resource support.

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
Greasemonkey: Is Greasemonkey still maintained?

Yes. Version 4.14 was released on 2 June 2026, and the project has an active repository, bug tracker and discussion groups.

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
Greasemonkey: Does Greasemonkey work on Chrome?

No. It is a Firefox extension and has never shipped for Chrome. Violentmonkey and Tampermonkey are the equivalents there.

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
Greasemonkey: Will Tampermonkey scripts run in Greasemonkey?

Often, but not always. Greasemonkey's API diverged from the conventions most shared scripts are written against, so a script may need its header or its GM calls adjusted.

Source
Greasemonkey: Does Greasemonkey run on mobile?

On Firefox for Android, from version 4.12. There is no iOS build, because Firefox on iOS cannot load extensions of this kind.

Source
Greasemonkey: What is the GM API?

The set of functions a userscript manager exposes to scripts, named after Greasemonkey, which defined it. Greasemonkey supports the promise-based GM. form including GM.xmlHttpRequest and GM.registerMenuCommand.

Source
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