Cybersecurity · head to head
Chainguard vs HCP Terraform
Chainguard
Cybersecurity
Secure-by-default open source software with hardened container images and libraries
- From
- Free
- Free plan
- Yes
HCP Terraform
Developer Tools
Infrastructure as code provisioning and management, formerly Terraform Cloud
- 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; HCP Terraform legacy free version deprecated; no current freemium tier
- Prices and features above were last checked on 29 August 2026.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Chainguard and HCP Terraform actually diverge.
| Attribute | Chainguard | HCP Terraform |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Licensing by artifact type and team size | usage-based |
| Platforms | Cloud, Container, VM | Web |
| 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 HCP Terraform
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 HCP Terraform
- Meeting supply chain security requirements for regulated industriesnot HCP Terraform
- Reducing CVE exposure with contractual remediation guaranteesnot HCP Terraform
- Building secure language packages with automatic backportsnot HCP Terraform
- Verifying artifact provenance with Sigstore signaturesnot HCP Terraform
HCP Terraform
- Infrastructure as Code managementnot Chainguard
- Cloud resource provisioningnot 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
HCP Terraform
- Legacy free version deprecated; no current freemium tier
- New users receive $500 credit but still require usage to continue service
- Terraform Enterprise requires custom pricing
Pricing, plan by plan
Chainguard
Free- Free TierFree
- Five container images to test and deploy
- Containers Per-Image$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
HCP Terraform
Free- Essentials$0.1/month
- Per resource pricing
- Remote state storage
- VCS connection
- Standard$0.47/month
- Per resource pricing
- Essentials features plus unlimited modules
- Module deprecation
- Premium$0.99/month
- Per resource pricing
- Standard features plus module revocation
- Waypoint actions
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.
Questions people ask
- Is Chainguard or HCP Terraform better?
- Neither clearly leads. Chainguard starts at Free and HCP Terraform at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Chainguard or HCP Terraform?
- Chainguard starts at Free and HCP Terraform at Free.
- Does Chainguard or HCP Terraform run on more platforms?
- Chainguard runs on Cloud, Container, VM. HCP Terraform runs on Web.
- 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 HCP Terraform is typically brought in for.
- What can Chainguard do that HCP Terraform 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.
SourceHCP Terraform: How much does HCP Terraform cost?
HCP Terraform uses per-resource pricing starting at $0.10/month/resource for Essentials, $0.47/month/resource for Standard, and $0.99/month/resource for Premium.
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.
SourceHCP Terraform: Does HCP Terraform offer a free tier?
No, the legacy free version has been deprecated. However, new users receive $500 credit to try the service.
SourceChainguard: Can I try Chainguard before purchasing?
Yes. The free tier includes five container images for testing and deployment, allowing hands-on evaluation.
SourceHCP Terraform: What does the Standard plan include?
Standard plan at $0.47/month/resource includes unlimited modules, module deprecation, team notifications, no-code provisioning, and Waypoint templates.
SourceRelated pages
More on HCP Terraform
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