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Cybersecurity · head to head

Snyk vs VMware Carbon Black

Snyk logo

Snyk

Cybersecurity

Developer-first security platform

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
V

VMware Carbon Black

Cybersecurity

Cloud-delivered endpoint protection and EDR, now owned by Broadcom and positioned alongside Symantec.

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Snyk has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • 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; VMware Carbon Black broadcom's enterprise model concentrates direct sales and support on its largest accounts and moves everyone else to resellers, so a mid-size customer can lose named support contacts and face a substantially repriced renewal with limited notice.
  • They diverge on capability: Snyk covers Open source security, VMware Carbon Black covers Endpoint Standard.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Snyk and VMware Carbon Black actually diverge.

Attributes where Snyk and VMware Carbon Black differ
AttributeSnykVMware Carbon Black
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelfreemiumsubscription
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, CLI, IDE integrationsDesktop, Api
Founded20152002

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

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)
  • IaC security
  • License compliance
  • Fix PRs
  • Priority scoring
  • Developer IDE integration
  • GitHub

Only in VMware Carbon Black

  • Endpoint Standard
  • Enterprise EDR
  • Audit and Remediation
  • Single sensor
  • Live Response
  • Workload protection
  • Watchlists and feeds
  • Policy groups

Both cover

  • Container security

What people use each for

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

Snyk

  • Vulnerability scanningnot VMware Carbon Black
  • Application securitynot VMware Carbon Black
  • Infrastructure as Code securitynot VMware Carbon Black
  • Container securitynot VMware Carbon Black

VMware Carbon Black

  • A SOC that wants unfiltered endpoint telemetry to hunt over rather than only vendor-generated alertsnot Snyk
  • A vSphere estate that wants workload protection deployed through the hypervisor instead of installing an agent in every guestnot Snyk
  • Replacing signature antivirus after an incident where the incumbent product had no record of what the attacker didnot Snyk
  • An organisation already inside a Broadcom or Symantec enterprise agreement that can consolidate endpoint onto an existing contractnot 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

VMware Carbon Black

  • Broadcom's enterprise model concentrates direct sales and support on its largest accounts and moves everyone else to resellers, so a mid-size customer can lose named support contacts and face a substantially repriced renewal with limited notice.
  • Continuous EDR recording is retained for a defined window and longer retention is a paid tier, so the investigation you most need is often the one whose telemetry has already aged out, and that is discovered during the incident rather than before it.
  • The product assumes an operator: watchlists, policy tuning and alert triage are ongoing work, and organisations without a dedicated analyst or an MDR contract typically leave policies in monitor mode and pay for telemetry that is never reviewed.
  • The sensor operates in the same kernel and file-filter territory as other endpoint agents, so running it alongside an incumbent antivirus, DLP or backup agent commonly produces performance complaints and requires maintained exclusion lists on both sides.
  • Linux sensor support is tied to specific distribution and kernel versions, so a routine operating system upgrade can leave hosts without a supported sensor until a matching build ships, and anything outside the supported list gets no coverage at all.

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

VMware Carbon Black

On request
  • CB Endpoint StandardFree
    • NGAV
    • Behavioral EDR
    • Device control
  • CB Endpoint AdvancedFree
    • All Standard features
    • Threat hunting
    • Audit and remediation
  • CB Endpoint EnterpriseFree
    • All Advanced features
    • Advanced threat hunting
    • Live response

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 VMware Carbon Black if

  • You need endpoint standard.
  • You work on Desktop, Api.
  • You also want enterprise edr.
VMware Carbon Black review

Questions people ask

Is Snyk or VMware Carbon Black better?
Neither clearly leads. Snyk starts at Free and VMware Carbon Black at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Snyk or VMware Carbon Black?
Snyk has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Snyk and On request for VMware Carbon Black.
Does Snyk or VMware Carbon Black run on more platforms?
Snyk runs on Web, CLI, IDE integrations. VMware Carbon Black runs on Desktop, Api.
Can I use Snyk for free?
Yes. Snyk has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. VMware Carbon Black starts at On request.
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 VMware Carbon Black is typically brought in for.
What can Snyk do that VMware Carbon Black cannot?
Snyk covers Open source security, Code security (SAST), IaC security, License compliance. VMware Carbon Black covers Endpoint Standard, Enterprise EDR, Audit and Remediation, Single sensor. Both handle Container security.

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
VMware Carbon Black: Who owns Carbon Black now?

Broadcom. It acquired VMware in November 2023, and Carbon Black now sits in Broadcom's enterprise security business alongside Symantec. VMware branding is being phased out.

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
VMware Carbon Black: Why do the docs use names I do not recognise?

The product has been renamed repeatedly. CB Defense is now Endpoint Standard, CB ThreatHunter is Enterprise EDR and CB LiveOps is Audit and Remediation. Older community answers and runbooks still use the previous names.

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
VMware Carbon Black: Does it replace my existing antivirus?

Yes on supported Windows, macOS and Linux versions, and running it alongside another antivirus is not recommended because the two agents contend for the same hooks. Check your compliance requirements, as some auditors still ask for a named antivirus product.

VMware Carbon Black: Do I need a full-time analyst to run it?

To get value from Enterprise EDR, effectively yes. The prevention tier can run with part-time attention, but the hunting and recording capability is only worth its cost if somebody is querying it, which is why many customers buy it through an MDR provider.

VMware Carbon Black: How is it licensed?

Per endpoint, per year, with the capability tier determining the rate and workload and container protection priced separately. Extended EDR data retention is an additional line item.

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