Developer Tools · head to head
Helm vs Recorded Future

Recorded Future
Cybersecurity
Intelligence-driven cybersecurity
- From
- $25000/year
- Free plan
- No
The short version
- Only Helm has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
- Each has a real cost: Helm licensed under Apache License 2.0 per the project's GitHub repository (helm/helm LICENSE); as open source software it has no paid tier or vendor price to compare; Recorded Future no pricing published; all three tiers (Core, Professional, Elite) require sales contact for quotes
- Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Helm and Recorded Future actually diverge.
| Attribute | Helm | Recorded Future |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | Free | $25000/year |
| Pricing model | open-source | subscription |
| Free tier | Yes | No |
| Platforms | Web | Web, Api, Cloud |
| Category | Developer Tools | Cybersecurity |
| Founded | Unknown | 2009 |
Identical on both: 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 Helm
Nothing recorded that Recorded Future does not also cover.
Only in Recorded Future
- Real-time threat intelligence
- Vulnerability intelligence
- Internet-wide data analysis
- Insikt group intelligence
- Brand intelligence
- API-first platform
- Alert and notification system
- Custom reporting
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Helm
- Kubernetes package manager and deployment toolnot Recorded Future
Recorded Future
- Threat intelligence and monitoringnot Helm
- Dark web monitoring and brand protectionnot Helm
- Third-party risk managementnot Helm
- Security operations and incident responsenot Helm
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Helm
- Licensed under Apache License 2.0 per the project's GitHub repository (helm/helm LICENSE); as open source software it has no paid tier or vendor price to compare
- Contributors must sign commits under the Developer Certificate of Origin to have them accepted, per helm.sh, a process requirement not all Kubernetes tools impose
Recorded Future
- No pricing published; all three tiers (Core, Professional, Elite) require sales contact for quotes
- Pricing depends on organization size, usage levels, and services in addition to tier selection
- API usage limits vary by package but limits not specified on pricing page
Pricing, plan by plan
Helm
FreeNo published plan breakdown. See the Helm review.
Recorded Future
$25000/year- Threat Intelligence$25000/year
- Threat feeds
- IP reputation
- Domain analysis
- Vulnerability Intelligence$35000/year
- CVE monitoring
- Patch intelligence
- Vulnerability trending
- Complete Intelligence$50000/year
- All features
- Analyst access
- Dedicated feed
Which should you pick?
Choose Recorded Future if
- You need real-time threat intelligence.
- You work on Web, Api, Cloud.
- You also want vulnerability intelligence.
Questions people ask
- Is Helm or Recorded Future better?
- Neither clearly leads. Helm starts at Free and Recorded Future at $25000/year, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Helm or Recorded Future?
- Helm has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Helm and $25000/year for Recorded Future.
- Does Helm or Recorded Future run on more platforms?
- Helm runs on Web. Recorded Future runs on Web, Api, Cloud.
- Can I use Helm for free?
- Yes. Helm has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Recorded Future starts at $25000/year.
- What is Helm best used for?
- Helm is most often used for kubernetes package manager and deployment tool. Of those, kubernetes package manager and deployment tool is not what Recorded Future is typically brought in for.
- What can Helm do that Recorded Future cannot?
- Recorded Future covers Real-time threat intelligence, Vulnerability intelligence, Internet-wide data analysis, Insikt group intelligence.
Answered from the vendors’ own pages
Helm: How much does Helm cost?
Helm is free and open-source. It is a graduated project in the Cloud Native Computing Foundation (CNCF) with no commercial pricing model.
SourceRecorded Future: What are the main pricing tiers offered by Recorded Future?
Recorded Future offers three tiers: Core (foundational intelligence), Professional (marked most-popular with automation and autonomous threat hunts), and Elite (comprehensive coverage including third-party risk assessment). Specific pricing requires contacting sales.
SourceRecorded Future: What is included in Recorded Future's Core pricing tier?
Core tier includes cyber operations monitoring with threat and malware insights, digital risk protection covering dark web monitoring and credential detection, and the new digital risk hub. Exact cost depends on organization size and usage.
SourceRecorded Future: What features does Recorded Future Professional tier add?
Professional tier adds autonomous threat hunts, continuous threat monitoring, automated threat preventions, external intelligence ingestion, and external asset discovery. Pricing is custom-quoted based on organization size and services.
SourceRecorded Future: How does Recorded Future handle user limits and API access?
Recorded Future does not limit the number of platform users or integrations across any tier. API usage limits vary by package tier but exact limits are not specified on the public pricing page.
SourceRelated pages
More on Recorded Future
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