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Cybersecurity · head to head

Chainguard vs Nixpacks

Chainguard logo

Chainguard

Cybersecurity

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

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Nixpacks logo

Nixpacks

Developer Tools

Build system that turns a source directory into an OCI image, now in maintenance mode

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; Nixpacks the project is in maintenance mode with no commits on the default branch since May 2026 and no release since October 2025, so support for new language versions arrives only if someone forks it.
  • They diverge on capability: Chainguard covers Hardened container images, Nixpacks covers Automatic language detection.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Chainguard and Nixpacks actually diverge.

Attributes where Chainguard and Nixpacks differ
AttributeChainguardNixpacks
Pricing modelLicensing by artifact type and team sizeOpen source, no licence fee
PlatformsCloud, Container, VMLinux, macOS, CLI, Docker
CategoryCybersecurityDeveloper 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 Nixpacks

  • Automatic language detection
  • No Dockerfile required
  • Nix toolchains
  • Configuration escape hatches
  • Docker layer caching

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

Nixpacks

  • Understanding the build behaviour of a platform that adopted Nixpacks before it was frozennot Chainguard
  • Producing container images from a polyglot monorepo where nobody wants to own several Dockerfilesnot Chainguard
  • Reproducing an existing Railway build locally while planning a migration to Railpacknot Chainguard
  • Comparing what a Nix based builder does differently from a buildpack before choosing a successornot 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

Nixpacks

  • The project is in maintenance mode with no commits on the default branch since May 2026 and no release since October 2025, so support for new language versions arrives only if someone forks it.
  • Build determinism is softer than it appears, because providers pin a nixpkgs archive commit and bumping that archive silently moves compiler and runtime versions underneath a build that looks unchanged.
  • Caching is limited to Docker layers rather than a content addressed graph, so a small change early in the build invalidates everything after it, which is exactly the limitation Railpack was rewritten to fix.
  • Images carry Nix store layers and come out larger than an equivalent tuned Dockerfile or buildpack output, which costs registry storage and slows cold pulls on scale-out.
  • There is no specification, no vendor neutral governance and no third party provider ecosystem, so a single company was able to redirect strategy and leave every downstream user with a frozen build tool.

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

Nixpacks

Free
  • NixpacksFree
    • MIT licensed, no usage limits
    • No commercial edition and no support contract
    • In maintenance mode, superseded by Railpack

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 Nixpacks if

  • You need automatic language detection.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, macOS, CLI, Docker.
  • You also want no dockerfile required.
Nixpacks review

Questions people ask

Is Chainguard or Nixpacks better?
Neither clearly leads. Chainguard starts at Free and Nixpacks at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Chainguard or Nixpacks?
Chainguard starts at Free and Nixpacks at Free.
Does Chainguard or Nixpacks run on more platforms?
Chainguard runs on Cloud, Container, VM. Nixpacks runs on Linux, macOS, CLI, Docker.
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 Nixpacks is typically brought in for.
What can Chainguard do that Nixpacks cannot?
Chainguard covers Hardened container images, CVE remediation SLA, SLSA L2/L3 builds, Sigstore signatures. Nixpacks covers Automatic language detection, No Dockerfile required, Nix toolchains, Configuration escape hatches.

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
Nixpacks: Should I start a new project on Nixpacks?

No. The documentation and README both say it is in maintenance mode and recommend Railpack. Choose Railpack, Cloud Native Buildpacks or a Dockerfile instead.

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
Nixpacks: Will my existing Nixpacks builds stop working?

Not immediately. Pinned nixpkgs archives keep resolving, so builds continue. What you lose is support for new runtime major versions and any fix for a provider bug.

Chainguard: Can I try Chainguard before purchasing?

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

Source
Nixpacks: What replaces it?

Railpack, also from Railway and also MIT licensed, rebuilt as a BuildKit custom frontend for finer grained caching and parallel steps.

Nixpacks: Is it still open source?

Yes, MIT, and the repository is not archived. Being open source does not help much when nobody is merging provider updates.

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