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Inventory · head to head

Snipe-IT vs Steampipe

Snipe-IT logo

Snipe-IT

Inventory

Free open source IT asset management

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Steampipe logo

Steampipe

Developer Tools

Query cloud APIs, SaaS tools and code with SQL, with no extract or load step

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Snipe-IT hosted Basic caps API calls at 120 per minute and Small Business at 240 per minute; unlimited API calls require Dedicated hosting from $2,499.99 per year; Steampipe aGPL-3.0 across all four engines is a procurement blocker at organisations that ban the licence outright, and the network clause reaches any internal portal or service that puts a web interface in front of it.
  • They diverge on capability: Snipe-IT covers Asset tracking, Steampipe covers SQL over live APIs.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Snipe-IT and Steampipe actually diverge.

Attributes where Snipe-IT and Steampipe differ
AttributeSnipe-ITSteampipe
Pricing modelfreemiumOpen source, with paid hosting through Turbot Pipes
PlatformsWeb, Cloud/Self-hostedmacOS, Linux, Windows, Docker, Web
CategoryInventoryDeveloper Tools
Founded2013Unknown

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 Snipe-IT

  • Asset tracking
  • License management
  • Audit logs
  • Check-in/out
  • LDAP
  • SAML
  • API
  • Slack

Only in Steampipe

  • SQL over live APIs
  • Wide plugin set
  • Embedded Postgres
  • Compliance benchmarks
  • Joins across providers
  • Hosted option

What people use each for

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

Snipe-IT

  • Tracking IT hardware assets and their assignment to staffnot Steampipe
  • Managing software licences, accessories and consumablesnot Steampipe
  • Running a self hosted open source asset registernot Steampipe

Steampipe

  • Security teams answering posture questions against live cloud accounts rather than a nightly exportnot Snipe-IT
  • Compliance evidence gathering where the answer must reflect the account at the moment it is askednot Snipe-IT
  • Inventory and drift questions spanning several cloud providers in one querynot Snipe-IT
  • Engineers who would rather write SQL than learn each provider command line toolnot Snipe-IT

Where each one falls short

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

Snipe-IT

  • Hosted Basic caps API calls at 120 per minute and Small Business at 240 per minute; unlimited API calls require Dedicated hosting from $2,499.99 per year
  • Email support requires the Small Business hosting plan; Basic hosting gets community support only
  • Automated upgrades and server maintenance require the Small Business plan or higher
  • Enhanced LDAP, IP restrictions, a private server and VPN connectivity require Dedicated hosting
  • The self hosted edition is free but support is sold separately
  • Medium and large dedicated hosting is priced by quote

Steampipe

  • AGPL-3.0 across all four engines is a procurement blocker at organisations that ban the licence outright, and the network clause reaches any internal portal or service that puts a web interface in front of it.
  • Dashboards, benchmarks and mods were removed from Steampipe entirely at version 1.0 in October 2024 and now live in a separate product, so pre-2024 documentation and tutorials describe commands that no longer exist.
  • Live querying is bound by cloud provider API rate limits and keeps no persistent store by default, which is why a separate DuckDB-backed product exists for log volumes and why large accounts return slowly.
  • The company is fifteen people and bootstrapped, maintaining four command line tools plus a hosted service plus two further products, and the newer tools have thin community traction relative to that surface area.
  • Hosted tiers include only three users regardless of tier, with additional Enterprise users charged separately, so a team of thirty costs an order of magnitude more than the headline figure before compute and storage are counted.

Pricing, plan by plan

Snipe-IT

Free
  • Self-HostedFree
    • Unlimited users
    • Unlimited assets
    • Complete asset management functionality
  • Basic Hosting$399.99/year
    • Unlimited users
    • Unlimited assets
    • SSL certificate
  • Small Business Hosting$999.99/year
    • Unlimited users
    • Unlimited assets
    • SSL certificate
  • Dedicated Hosting Small$2499.99/year
    • Unlimited users
    • Unlimited assets
    • Dedicated infrastructure

Steampipe

Free
  • Steampipe CLIFree
    • AGPL-3.0
    • All plugins
    • No user or query limits
  • Pipes DeveloperFree
    • One user
    • 400 compute minutes
    • 3GB storage
  • Pipes Team$49/month
    • Three users
    • 2,000 compute minutes
    • 20GB storage
  • Pipes Enterprise$249/month
    • Three users
    • 10,000 compute minutes
    • 100GB storage

Which should you pick?

Choose Snipe-IT if

  • You need asset tracking.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Cloud/Self-hosted.
  • You also want license management.
Snipe-IT review

Choose Steampipe if

  • You need sql over live apis.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on macOS, Linux, Windows, Docker, Web.
  • You also want wide plugin set.
Steampipe review

Questions people ask

Is Snipe-IT or Steampipe better?
Neither clearly leads. Snipe-IT starts at Free and Steampipe at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Snipe-IT or Steampipe?
Snipe-IT starts at Free and Steampipe at Free.
Does Snipe-IT or Steampipe run on more platforms?
Snipe-IT runs on Web, Cloud/Self-hosted. Steampipe runs on macOS, Linux, Windows, Docker, Web.
Can I use Snipe-IT for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Snipe-IT best used for?
Snipe-IT is most often used for tracking it hardware assets and their assignment to staff, managing software licences, accessories and consumables, running a self hosted open source asset register. Of those, tracking it hardware assets and their assignment to staff and managing software licences, accessories and consumables are not what Steampipe is typically brought in for.
What can Snipe-IT do that Steampipe cannot?
Snipe-IT covers Asset tracking, License management, Audit logs, Check-in/out. Steampipe covers SQL over live APIs, Wide plugin set, Embedded Postgres, Compliance benchmarks.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Snipe-IT: How much does Snipe-IT cost?

Snipe-IT is free for self-hosted deployment. Hosted plans start at $399.99/year for Basic Hosting ($39.99/month) and range up to $7,500/year for large Dedicated Hosting. Annual plans offer 16% savings versus monthly billing.

Source
Steampipe: When did Steampipe become AGPL?

May 2021, about four months after the project went public. It is a settled licence rather than a recent change, and predates the Business Source Licence wave it is often confused with.

Snipe-IT: What is included in Snipe-IT hosting plans?

All Snipe-IT hosted plans include unlimited users and unlimited assets. Basic and Small Business plans add SSL certificates, automatic backups, email support, and priority feature requests. Dedicated plans provide dedicated infrastructure.

Source
Steampipe: Where did the dashboards and benchmarks go?

Into Powerpipe. They were deprecated in March 2024 and removed from Steampipe at version 1.0 in October 2024, so the check, dashboard, mod and variable commands are gone.

Snipe-IT: Does Snipe-IT offer monthly billing?

Yes, monthly billing is available for hosted plans at 16% premium over annual rates. Basic Hosting is $39.99/month, Small Business is $99.99/month, and Dedicated plans range from $249.99 to $625/month.

Source
Steampipe: Is it fast on a large cloud estate?

Not always. Queries call provider APIs at request time, so rate limits rather than query planning set the pace, and there is no persistent store by default.

Steampipe: Does the AGPL affect internal use?

Running it internally for your own analysis is fine. Putting a web interface in front of it that other people use is where the network clause becomes a question for your legal team.

Steampipe: Is a bootstrapped vendor a risk?

It cuts both ways. There is no investor pressure toward a licence change or an exit, and there are also fifteen people supporting a large product surface.

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