Softwr

APIs · head to head

GraphQL Apollo vs Trivy

GraphQL Apollo logo

GraphQL Apollo

APIs

Complete platform for building GraphQL APIs

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Trivy logo

Trivy

Cybersecurity

Open-source vulnerability and misconfiguration scanner

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: GraphQL Apollo standard and Enterprise plans require sales contact for custom pricing; Trivy reports what public advisory databases know, so coverage varies by ecosystem and unfixed CVEs create noise
  • They diverge on capability: GraphQL Apollo covers Apollo Server, Trivy covers Multi-target scanning.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which GraphQL Apollo and Trivy actually diverge.

Attributes where GraphQL Apollo and Trivy differ
AttributeGraphQL ApolloTrivy
Pricing modelfreemiumOpen source, no licence fee
PlatformsJavaScript, Node.js, Web, MobileLinux, macOS, Windows, Docker, Kubernetes
CategoryAPIsCybersecurity
Founded2016Unknown

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 GraphQL Apollo

  • Apollo Server
  • Apollo Client
  • GraphQL Federation
  • REST APIs
  • Microservices
  • Databases
  • JavaScript support
  • Node.js support

Only in Trivy

  • Multi-target scanning
  • Vulnerability detection
  • Misconfiguration checks
  • Secret detection

What people use each for

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

GraphQL Apollo

  • GraphQL API managementnot Trivy
  • Schema federationnot Trivy
  • API analytics and monitoringnot Trivy
  • Developer-focused infrastructurenot Trivy

Trivy

  • Failing a pull request when a container image introduces a known CVEnot GraphQL Apollo
  • Scanning Terraform and Kubernetes manifests for misconfiguration before applynot GraphQL Apollo
  • Catching committed secrets as part of an existing CI stepnot GraphQL Apollo

Where each one falls short

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

GraphQL Apollo

  • Standard and Enterprise plans require sales contact for custom pricing
  • Free plan limited to 3 developers and 1-day retention
  • Self-hosted router on free tier heavily rate-limited to 60 requests/minute

Trivy

  • Reports what public advisory databases know, so coverage varies by ecosystem and unfixed CVEs create noise
  • No built-in triage or exception workflow, so suppressing accepted risk is managed in config files
  • Findings are point-in-time from CI, with no continuous runtime monitoring unless you add the commercial platform

Pricing, plan by plan

GraphQL Apollo

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 3 developers
    • 1-day data retention
    • Community support only
  • Developer$5/per million requests
    • $50 usage credit for new signups
    • Up to 10 developers
    • 7-day data retention
  • Standard$null/custom
    • Up to 30 developers
    • 90-day data retention
    • Standard support with SLA (8x5)
  • Enterprise$null/custom
    • Unlimited developers
    • 18-month data retention
    • Business support 24x7x365 with SLA

Trivy

Free
  • TrivyFree
    • Full scanner
    • Unlimited scans
    • Community support

Which should you pick?

Choose GraphQL Apollo if

  • You need apollo server.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on JavaScript, Node.js, Web, Mobile.
  • You also want apollo client.
GraphQL Apollo review

Choose Trivy if

  • You need multi-target scanning.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, macOS, Windows, Docker, Kubernetes.
  • You also want vulnerability detection.
Trivy review

Questions people ask

Is GraphQL Apollo or Trivy better?
Neither clearly leads. GraphQL Apollo starts at Free and Trivy at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, GraphQL Apollo or Trivy?
GraphQL Apollo starts at Free and Trivy at Free.
Does GraphQL Apollo or Trivy run on more platforms?
GraphQL Apollo runs on JavaScript, Node.js, Web, Mobile. Trivy runs on Linux, macOS, Windows, Docker, Kubernetes.
Can I use GraphQL Apollo for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is GraphQL Apollo best used for?
GraphQL Apollo is most often used for graphql api management, schema federation, api analytics and monitoring, developer-focused infrastructure. Of those, graphql api management and schema federation are not what Trivy is typically brought in for.
What can GraphQL Apollo do that Trivy cannot?
GraphQL Apollo covers Apollo Server, Apollo Client, GraphQL Federation, REST APIs. Trivy covers Multi-target scanning, Vulnerability detection, Misconfiguration checks, Secret detection.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

GraphQL Apollo: How much does Apollo GraphQL cost?

Apollo GraphQL is free for up to 3 developers. Paid plans start at $5 per million GraphQL requests on the Developer plan, which includes $50 usage credit for new signups. Standard and Enterprise plans require custom pricing via sales contact.

Source
Trivy: Is Trivy free?

Yes, open source from Aqua Security with no licence fee. Aqua sells a commercial platform around it.

GraphQL Apollo: Is there a free version of Apollo GraphQL?

Yes, Apollo GraphQL offers a forever-free plan with no credit card required for up to 3 developers, including 1-day data retention, community support, and self-hosted GraphOS Router rate-limited to 60 requests per minute.

Source
Trivy: What can Trivy scan?

Container images, filesystems, Git repositories, Kubernetes clusters and infrastructure-as-code, for vulnerabilities, misconfigurations, secrets and licences.

GraphQL Apollo: What does Apollo's Enterprise plan include that Standard does not?

The Enterprise plan offers unlimited developers versus 30 on Standard, 18-month data retention versus 90 days, and 24x7x365 business support with SLA instead of 8x5 support. It also includes premium and professional services add-ons and custom MSA agreements. Both require custom pricing.

Source
Trivy: Does Trivy need a server?

No. It is a single binary, which is a large part of why it became a default in CI.

Share

Related pages

More on GraphQL Apollo

More on Trivy

Keep looking

Other head to heads