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Cybersecurity · head to head

Chainguard vs StackBlitz

Chainguard logo

Chainguard

Cybersecurity

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

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
StackBlitz logo

StackBlitz

Developer Tools

Browser-based IDE and AI app builder running full Node.js stacks via WebContainers

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; StackBlitz specific Teams and Enterprise pricing figures are not published; visitors must request a quote or infer from the pricing calculator.
  • They diverge on capability: Chainguard covers Hardened container images, StackBlitz covers WebContainers.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 29 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Chainguard and StackBlitz actually diverge.

Attributes where Chainguard and StackBlitz differ
AttributeChainguardStackBlitz
Pricing modelLicensing by artifact type and team sizefreemium
PlatformsCloud, Container, VMweb
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 StackBlitz

  • WebContainers
  • Bolt.new AI app builder
  • Instant boot times
  • GitHub project import
  • Team collaboration
  • Offline functionality

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

StackBlitz

  • Editing a GitHub repository instantly in the browser without cloning itnot Chainguard
  • Generating a working web app from a text prompt with Bolt.newnot Chainguard
  • Sharing private projects across a team without individual GitHub seats for viewersnot Chainguard
  • Running lightweight Node.js projects with no local setupnot 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

StackBlitz

  • Specific Teams and Enterprise pricing figures are not published; visitors must request a quote or infer from the pricing calculator.
  • Browser-based execution via WebContainers has limits on which native/binary dependencies can run compared to a real server-backed environment.
  • Heavy or resource-intensive workloads may be constrained by the end user's own browser and machine resources.

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

StackBlitz

Free
  • PersonalFree
    • Unlimited public projects, collections, and GitHub repositories
    • View and edit without a GitHub account
  • Teams$undefined/mo
    • Private collections and repositories for paid members
    • Free and paid member roles
    • Automatic permission mirroring for org-owned repositories

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.

Choose StackBlitz if

  • You need webcontainers.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on web.
  • You also want bolt.new ai app builder.

Questions people ask

Is Chainguard or StackBlitz better?
Neither clearly leads. Chainguard starts at Free and StackBlitz at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Chainguard or StackBlitz?
Chainguard starts at Free and StackBlitz at Free.
Does Chainguard or StackBlitz run on more platforms?
Chainguard runs on Cloud, Container, VM. StackBlitz 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 StackBlitz is typically brought in for.
What can Chainguard do that StackBlitz cannot?
Chainguard covers Hardened container images, CVE remediation SLA, SLSA L2/L3 builds, Sigstore signatures. StackBlitz covers WebContainers, Bolt.new AI app builder, Instant boot times, GitHub project import.

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

Yes, the free Personal plan includes unlimited public StackBlitz projects, collections, and GitHub repositories, and lets anyone view and edit projects without needing a GitHub account.

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
StackBlitz: What does the Teams plan add?

Teams lets GitHub organizations add free or paid members; paid members get access to private collections and repositories, with permissions mirrored from GitHub-owned repos.

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
StackBlitz: Is there an Enterprise option?

Yes, custom Enterprise plans are available and require contacting StackBlitz directly.

Source
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