Is Semgrep or Workday better?

Neither clearly leads. Semgrep starts at Free and Workday at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.

Which is cheaper, Semgrep or Workday?

Semgrep has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Semgrep and On request for Workday.

Does Semgrep or Workday run on more platforms?

Semgrep runs on web, api, linux, mac, windows. Workday runs on Cloud/Web.

Can I use Semgrep for free?

Yes. Semgrep has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Workday starts at On request.

What is Semgrep best used for?

Semgrep is most often used for scanning code for security vulnerabilities in ci/cd, detecting vulnerable open-source dependencies, finding hardcoded secrets before code ships, enforcing custom code standards with rule sets. Of those, scanning code for security vulnerabilities in ci/cd and detecting vulnerable open-source dependencies are not what Workday is typically brought in for.

What can Semgrep do that Workday cannot?

Semgrep covers Static code scanning, Supply chain scanning, Secrets detection, Cross-file analysis. Workday covers Human capital management, Financial management, Planning, Analytics.

Software · head to head

Semgrep vs Workday

Semgrep

Software

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

From: Free
Rated: -

Full review Website

Workday

Software

Enterprise cloud applications for finance and HR

From: On request
Rated: -

Full review Website

The short version

Only Semgrep has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
Each has a real cost: Semgrep free tier caps out at 10 contributors and 10 repositories.; Workday high implementation costs equal to or exceeding annual software fees
They diverge on capability: Semgrep covers Static code scanning, Workday covers Human capital management.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Semgrep and Workday actually diverge.

Attributes where Semgrep and Workday differ
Attribute	Semgrep	Workday
Starting price	Free	On request
Pricing model	freemium	quote
Free tier	Yes	No
Platforms	web, api, linux, mac, windows	Cloud/Web
Founded	Unknown	2005

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).

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 Semgrep

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

Only in Workday

Human capital management
Financial management
Planning
Analytics
Payroll
Time tracking
Talent management
Procurement

What people use each for

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

Semgrep

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

Workday

HR managementnot Semgrep
Financial planningnot Semgrep
Workforce planningnot Semgrep
Compliancenot Semgrep
Analyticsnot Semgrep

Where each one falls short

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

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.

Workday

High implementation costs equal to or exceeding annual software fees
Long deployment timelines (12-18 months standard) before ROI
Steep per-employee pricing at enterprise scale ($408-504 PEPM)
Limited pre-built templates and customization; often requires extensive configuration
Requires significant IT and change management resources during implementation

Pricing, plan by plan

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

Workday

On request

Small Business$undefined/month
- Core HR
- Payroll
- Time tracking
Medium Enterprise$undefined/month
- Full HCM suite
- Financial management
- Advanced analytics
Large Enterprise$undefined/month
- Complete platform
- Custom configurations
- Dedicated support

Which should you pick?

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

Choose Workday if

You need human capital management.
You work on Cloud/Web.
You also want financial management.

Workday review

Questions people ask

Is Semgrep or Workday better?: Neither clearly leads. Semgrep starts at Free and Workday at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Semgrep or Workday?: Semgrep has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Semgrep and On request for Workday.
Does Semgrep or Workday run on more platforms?: Semgrep runs on web, api, linux, mac, windows. Workday runs on Cloud/Web.
Can I use Semgrep for free?: Yes. Semgrep has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Workday starts at On request.
What is Semgrep best used for?: Semgrep is most often used for scanning code for security vulnerabilities in ci/cd, detecting vulnerable open-source dependencies, finding hardcoded secrets before code ships, enforcing custom code standards with rule sets. Of those, scanning code for security vulnerabilities in ci/cd and detecting vulnerable open-source dependencies are not what Workday is typically brought in for.
What can Semgrep do that Workday cannot?: Semgrep covers Static code scanning, Supply chain scanning, Secrets detection, Cross-file analysis. Workday covers Human capital management, Financial management, Planning, Analytics.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

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

Workday: What is Workday GO and what market is it designed for?

Workday GO is a product designed for small and midsize organizations, bringing together HR and finance solutions with transparent pricing and fast activation in 30 to 60 days. It includes HCM, benefits, payroll, talent, and more at a lower price point than standard Workday.

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

Workday: What is Workday Skills Cloud and how does it fit into HCM?

Workday Skills Cloud is an intelligent skills foundation built into Workday HCM. It is described as the world's most open intelligent skills foundation and fuels data-driven talent strategies across recruiting, learning, and workforce planning.

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

Workday: Does Workday include payroll and benefits management?

Yes. Workday HCM includes benefits administration and payroll capabilities as part of its core suite. Global payroll processing is available across multiple countries and tax jurisdictions.

Source

Semgrep: Is there special pricing for startups?

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

Source

Workday: What is the typical pricing model for Workday HCM?

Workday HCM uses per-employee (PEPM) annual subscription pricing. Companies at scale typically pay $34-42 PEPM. Enterprise organizations with 5,000+ employees typically pay $408-504 per employee annually. Pricing decreases with larger commitments and longer contract terms.

Source

Workday: How long does Workday implementation typically take?

Standard implementations are lengthy, often taking 12-18 months. Workday GO promises faster activation in 30-60 days. Implementation costs typically equal 100-150% of the first year's software subscription fees.

Source

Semgrep vs Workday

Semgrep

Workday

The short version

Where they differ

What each one covers

Only in Semgrep

Only in Workday

What people use each for

Semgrep

Workday

Where each one falls short

Semgrep

Workday

Pricing, plan by plan

Semgrep

Workday

Which should you pick?

Choose Semgrep if

Choose Workday if

Questions people ask

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Related pages

More on Semgrep

More on Workday

Keep looking

Other head to heads