Cybersecurity · head to head
Falco vs WorkOS
Falco
Cybersecurity
CNCF-graduated runtime threat detection for Linux and Kubernetes using eBPF
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
WorkOS
Cybersecurity
Developer platform for enterprise-ready authentication and identity.
- From
- $125/one-time per connection
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Only Falco has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
- Each has a real cost: Falco falco detects and alerts but does not block; stopping an attack requires wiring up Falco Talon or your own response tooling, so out of the box a confirmed detection still means a human intervening after the fact.; WorkOS authKit free tier limited to 1 million monthly active users; additional millions cost $2,500/month
- Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Falco and WorkOS actually diverge.
Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Cybersecurity).
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 Falco
- eBPF kernel instrumentation
- System call rules engine
- Container and Kubernetes context
- Default rule set
- Falcosidekick
- Falco Talon
- Plugins framework
- DaemonSet deployment
Only in WorkOS
Nothing recorded that Falco does not also cover.
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Falco
- A platform team that needs to know when a shell is opened inside a production container, which image scanning cannot detect because it happens at runtimenot WorkOS
- A regulated business required to evidence host and container intrusion detection on Kubernetes nodes for an auditnot WorkOS
- A security team wanting a vendor-neutral detection layer whose rules they can read and modify rather than a black-box agentnot WorkOS
- A cluster where a compromised dependency might write to sensitive paths or open unexpected outbound connections, and only kernel-level visibility will catch itnot WorkOS
WorkOS
- SaaS applications needing rapid enterprise SSO deploymentnot Falco
- Companies selling to mid-market and enterprise customersnot Falco
- Applications requiring SCIM directory sync with corporate identity systemsnot Falco
- Product teams needing audit logs for compliance (SOC 2, ISO 27001)not Falco
- Platforms with multiple identity provider requirementsnot Falco
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Falco
- Falco detects and alerts but does not block; stopping an attack requires wiring up Falco Talon or your own response tooling, so out of the box a confirmed detection still means a human intervening after the fact.
- The default rule set is noisy in real clusters and generates a large volume of benign matches from normal operational activity; without weeks of tuning, alert fatigue sets in and the team stops reading the feed, which is the usual failure mode.
- There is no storage, console, search or case management in the project, so a working detection capability means also running Falcosidekick, an event store, a dashboard and alert routing, all of which you build, host and maintain.
- The modern eBPF driver requires kernel 5.8 or later; older hosts fall back to the legacy probe or the kernel module, which brings driver-building against kernel headers and the operational fragility that comes with it on every kernel upgrade.
- Per-node syscall instrumentation carries measurable CPU overhead on busy hosts, and the cost scales with syscall volume rather than with cluster size, so the noisiest and most performance-sensitive workloads are exactly the ones that feel it most.
WorkOS
- AuthKit free tier limited to 1 million monthly active users; additional millions cost $2,500/month
- Per-connection pricing for SSO and Directory Sync ($125–$50 each) scales poorly for enterprises with many identity providers
- Audit logs require separate subscription at $125/month per SIEM connection or $99/month per 1 million events
- Radar fraud protection billed separately at $100/month per 50,000 additional checks beyond 1,000 free checks
- Custom domain feature requires $99/month subscription
- Requires annual commitment for SLA and support guarantees; pay-as-you-go tier lacks uptime guarantee
Pricing, plan by plan
Falco
Free- Falco (open source)Free
- Apache 2.0 licence, CNCF graduated project
- eBPF and kernel module drivers
- Full rules engine and default rule set
WorkOS
$125/one-time per connection- Pay as You Go$undefined/variable
- Per-connection pricing from $125 to $50 with volume discounts
- Up to 60% discount at scale
- Quick deployment
- Annual Credits$undefined/variable
- Custom pricing with volume discounts
- 99.99% uptime SLA
- Guided migration
Which should you pick?
Choose Falco if
- You need ebpf kernel instrumentation.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Linux, Kubernetes, Self-hosted.
- You also want system call rules engine.
Questions people ask
- Is Falco or WorkOS better?
- Neither clearly leads. Falco starts at Free and WorkOS at $125/one-time per connection, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Falco or WorkOS?
- Falco has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Falco and $125/one-time per connection for WorkOS.
- Does Falco or WorkOS run on more platforms?
- Falco runs on Linux, Kubernetes, Self-hosted. WorkOS runs on Web, API.
- Can I use Falco for free?
- Yes. Falco has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. WorkOS starts at $125/one-time per connection.
- What is Falco best used for?
- Falco is most often used for a platform team that needs to know when a shell is opened inside a production container, which image scanning cannot detect because it happens at runtime, a regulated business required to evidence host and container intrusion detection on kubernetes nodes for an audit, a security team wanting a vendor-neutral detection layer whose rules they can read and modify rather than a black-box agent, a cluster where a compromised dependency might write to sensitive paths or open unexpected outbound connections, and only kernel-level visibility will catch it. Of those, a platform team that needs to know when a shell is opened inside a production container, which image scanning cannot detect because it happens at runtime and a regulated business required to evidence host and container intrusion detection on kubernetes nodes for an audit are not what WorkOS is typically brought in for.
- What can Falco do that WorkOS cannot?
- Falco covers eBPF kernel instrumentation, System call rules engine, Container and Kubernetes context, Default rule set.
Answered from the vendors’ own pages
Falco: Does Falco block attacks?
No. It detects and emits events. Response requires Falco Talon or your own automation on top.
WorkOS: How quickly can I implement WorkOS SSO?
Developers can implement single sign-on in minutes instead of months. Multiple customers report setting up SSO in less than a week, with WorkOS handling the complexity of SAML and OIDC protocols.
SourceFalco: Is Falco owned by Sysdig?
Sysdig created and open sourced it, but it graduated within the CNCF in February 2024, so governance sits with the foundation rather than the vendor.
WorkOS: What SDKs does WorkOS provide?
WorkOS offers SDKs for Node.js, Python, Ruby, Go, PHP, Java, and .NET.
SourceFalco: What does it cost?
The project is Apache 2.0 with no licence fee. The cost is the storage, routing, tuning and staff time needed to make its output useful.
WorkOS: Does WorkOS support SCIM provisioning?
Yes. WorkOS supports SCIM provisioning integration with systems like Okta and Entra ID for automated user management.
SourceFalco: What kernel version do I need?
Kernel 5.8 or later for the default modern eBPF driver. Older hosts need the legacy eBPF probe or the kernel module.
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