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Cybersecurity · head to head

Snyk vs Steampipe

Snyk logo

Snyk

Cybersecurity

Developer-first security platform

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Full reviewWebsite
Steampipe logo

Steampipe

Developer Tools

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

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Snyk free plan has strict test limits across all modules: Open Source (200), Code (100), Infrastructure as Code (300), Container (100) tests per month; 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: Snyk covers Open source security, 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 Snyk and Steampipe actually diverge.

Attributes where Snyk and Steampipe differ
AttributeSnykSteampipe
Pricing modelfreemiumOpen source, with paid hosting through Turbot Pipes
PlatformsWeb, CLI, IDE integrationsmacOS, Linux, Windows, Docker, Web
CategoryCybersecurityDeveloper Tools
Founded2015Unknown

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 Snyk

  • Open source security
  • Code security (SAST)
  • Container security
  • IaC security
  • License compliance
  • Fix PRs
  • Priority scoring
  • Developer IDE integration

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.

Snyk

  • Vulnerability scanningnot Steampipe
  • Application securitynot Steampipe
  • Infrastructure as Code securitynot Steampipe
  • Container securitynot Steampipe

Steampipe

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

Where each one falls short

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

Snyk

  • Free plan has strict test limits across all modules: Open Source (200), Code (100), Infrastructure as Code (300), Container (100) tests per month
  • Free and Team plans count only contributing developers making commits within 90 days; public contributions do not count
  • Enterprise plan requires custom pricing and sales contact

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

Snyk

Free
  • FreeFree
    • SCA scanning
    • SAST scanning
    • IaC and Container scanning
  • Team$25/month
    • 1000 Code tests
    • 100 projects
    • Jira integration
  • Ignite$105/month
    • Unlimited tests
    • Unlimited projects
    • Custom security rules
  • Enterprise$null/custom
    • Zero-day prevention
    • Unified AppSec control
    • Full SDLC automation

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 Snyk if

  • You need open source security.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, CLI, IDE integrations.
  • You also want code security (sast).
Snyk 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 Snyk or Steampipe better?
Neither clearly leads. Snyk 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, Snyk or Steampipe?
Snyk starts at Free and Steampipe at Free.
Does Snyk or Steampipe run on more platforms?
Snyk runs on Web, CLI, IDE integrations. Steampipe runs on macOS, Linux, Windows, Docker, Web.
Can I use Snyk for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Snyk best used for?
Snyk is most often used for vulnerability scanning, application security, infrastructure as code security, container security. Of those, vulnerability scanning and application security are not what Steampipe is typically brought in for.
What can Snyk do that Steampipe cannot?
Snyk covers Open source security, Code security (SAST), Container security, IaC security. Steampipe covers SQL over live APIs, Wide plugin set, Embedded Postgres, Compliance benchmarks.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Snyk: How much does Snyk cost?

Snyk offers a free plan with limited tests, Team plan at $25/month per contributing developer, Ignite at $1260/year, and custom Enterprise pricing. Contributing developers are those who made commits to private repos within the last 90 days.

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.

Snyk: What does Snyk's Team plan include?

The Team plan at $25/month includes 1000 Code tests, up to 100 projects, Jira integration, next business day support, and all features from the free plan including SCA, SAST, IaC and Container scanning.

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.

Snyk: Is there a free version of Snyk?

Yes, Snyk offers a free plan with full platform access including SCA, SAST, IaC and Container scanning. The free tier includes 200 Open Source tests, 100 Code tests, 300 IaC tests, 100 Container tests, and up to 5 projects.

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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