Softwr

Networking · head to head

Consul vs Semgrep

Consul logo

Consul

Networking

Service discovery, networking, and security

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Semgrep logo

Semgrep

Cybersecurity

Open-source static analysis tool for finding security bugs and enforcing code standards.

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Consul namespaces, admin partitions and other multi tenancy controls are Consul Enterprise only; Semgrep free tier caps out at 10 contributors and 10 repositories.
  • They diverge on capability: Consul covers Service discovery, Semgrep covers Static code scanning.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Consul and Semgrep actually diverge.

Attributes where Consul and Semgrep differ
AttributeConsulSemgrep
Pricing modelopen-sourcefreemium
PlatformsLinux, Windows, Mac, Cloudweb, api, linux, mac, windows
CategoryNetworkingCybersecurity
Founded2014Unknown

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 Consul

  • Service discovery
  • Health checking
  • Key/value store
  • Multi-datacenter
  • DNS interface
  • Service mesh
  • Load balancing
  • Configuration management

Only in Semgrep

  • Static code scanning
  • Supply chain scanning
  • Secrets detection
  • Cross-file analysis
  • AI-powered triage and remediation
  • CI/CD integration

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Consul

  • Service discovery and health checking across dynamic infrastructurenot Semgrep
  • Running a service mesh with mutual TLS between servicesnot Semgrep
  • Distributed key value configuration storage for applicationsnot Semgrep

Semgrep

  • Scanning code for security vulnerabilities in CI/CDnot Consul
  • Detecting vulnerable open-source dependenciesnot Consul
  • Finding hardcoded secrets before code shipsnot Consul
  • Enforcing custom code standards with rule setsnot Consul
  • Prioritizing findings with AI-assisted triagenot Consul

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Consul

  • Namespaces, admin partitions and other multi tenancy controls are Consul Enterprise only
  • Audit logging, OIDC authentication and FIPS 140-2 builds require Consul Enterprise, so compliance driven deployments cannot use the free edition
  • Automated backups, redundancy zones, read replicas and automated server upgrades are Enterprise only
  • Long Term Support releases are Enterprise only, so community users must upgrade to stay supported
  • Service mesh and advanced traffic management sit in the Premium Enterprise tier above Standard Enterprise
  • HashiCorp does not publish a Consul rate on its pricing page, which lists per resource prices for Terraform instead

Semgrep

  • Free tier caps out at 10 contributors and 10 repositories.
  • Secrets scanning is priced as a separate module ($15/contributor) from Code and Supply Chain.
  • Self-managed repositories and custom CI/CD require the Enterprise tier.
  • AI credits are limited per tier and additional usage requires upgrading.

Pricing, plan by plan

Consul

Free
  • Open SourceFree
    • Service discovery
    • Health checking
    • KV store

Semgrep

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Up to 10 contributors
    • Code and Supply Chain scanning
    • 60 AI credits total
  • Teams$30/month
    • Code, Supply Chain, or Secrets scanning per contributor
    • Pro rules
    • AI-powered triage and remediation
  • Enterprise$undefined/month
    • On-prem support
    • Custom CI/CD
    • 50 AI credits per developer/month

Which should you pick?

Choose Consul if

  • You need service discovery.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, Windows, Mac, Cloud.
  • You also want health checking.
Consul review

Choose Semgrep if

  • You need static code scanning.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on web, api, linux, mac, windows.
  • You also want supply chain scanning.
Semgrep review

Questions people ask

Is Consul or Semgrep better?
Neither clearly leads. Consul starts at Free and Semgrep at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Consul or Semgrep?
Consul starts at Free and Semgrep at Free.
Does Consul or Semgrep run on more platforms?
Consul runs on Linux, Windows, Mac, Cloud. Semgrep runs on web, api, linux, mac, windows.
Can I use Consul for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Consul best used for?
Consul is most often used for service discovery and health checking across dynamic infrastructure, running a service mesh with mutual tls between services, distributed key value configuration storage for applications. Of those, service discovery and health checking across dynamic infrastructure and running a service mesh with mutual tls between services are not what Semgrep is typically brought in for.
What can Consul do that Semgrep cannot?
Consul covers Service discovery, Health checking, Key/value store, Multi-datacenter. Semgrep covers Static code scanning, Supply chain scanning, Secrets detection, Cross-file analysis.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Consul: How much does Consul cost?

Consul does not publish specific pricing. The open source Community edition is free. HashiCorp also offers a Consul Enterprise edition, but pricing details are not disclosed publicly and must be obtained by contacting HashiCorp sales.

Source
Semgrep: What does Semgrep cost?

The Free edition covers up to 10 contributors; Teams starts at $30/contributor/month for Code scanning (Supply Chain also $30, Secrets $15); Enterprise is custom-priced.

Source
Consul: Is Consul open source?

Consul includes a free, open source Community edition. HashiCorp also offers a proprietary Enterprise edition for organizations requiring advanced features, but no public pricing is available for the Enterprise version.

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

Yes, the Free edition supports up to 10 contributors and 10 repositories with Code and Supply Chain scanning plus 60 AI credits total.

Source
Semgrep: How is usage metered?

Pricing is per contributor, defined as someone who made at least one commit to a scanned private repository in the past 90 days.

Source
Semgrep: Is there special pricing for startups?

Yes, Semgrep offers special startup pricing upon request for early-stage companies.

Source
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