Softwr

Cybersecurity · head to head

Trivy vs Arnica

Trivy logo

Trivy

Cybersecurity

Open-source vulnerability and misconfiguration scanner

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Arnica logo

Arnica

Cybersecurity

AI-native application security platform detecting and fixing vulnerabilities across the SDLC

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Trivy reports what public advisory databases know, so coverage varies by ecosystem and unfixed CVEs create noise; Arnica per-identity pricing ($25-$50/person/year) requires tracking active developers
  • They diverge on capability: Trivy covers Multi-target scanning, Arnica covers AI SAST.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Trivy and Arnica actually diverge.

Attributes where Trivy and Arnica differ
AttributeTrivyArnica
Pricing modelOpen source, no licence feePer-identity subscription with annual discount
PlatformsLinux, macOS, Windows, Docker, KubernetesWeb, GitHub, IDE

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), 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 Trivy

  • Multi-target scanning
  • Vulnerability detection
  • Misconfiguration checks
  • Secret detection

Only in Arnica

  • AI SAST
  • Software Composition Analysis
  • Secrets detection
  • IaC scanning
  • Container scanning
  • SBOM generation
  • Agentic rules
  • Pipelineless integration

What people use each for

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

Trivy

  • Failing a pull request when a container image introduces a known CVEnot Arnica
  • Scanning Terraform and Kubernetes manifests for misconfiguration before applynot Arnica
  • Catching committed secrets as part of an existing CI stepnot Arnica

Arnica

  • Detecting AI-generated vulnerabilities in Copilot and Cursor suggestionsnot Trivy
  • Finding hardcoded secrets before they reach productionnot Trivy
  • Mapping container vulnerabilities back to source codenot Trivy
  • Generating SBOM for supply chain compliance requirementsnot Trivy
  • Scanning infrastructure-as-code for misconfiguration risksnot Trivy

Where each one falls short

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

Trivy

  • Reports what public advisory databases know, so coverage varies by ecosystem and unfixed CVEs create noise
  • No built-in triage or exception workflow, so suppressing accepted risk is managed in config files
  • Findings are point-in-time from CI, with no continuous runtime monitoring unless you add the commercial platform

Arnica

  • Per-identity pricing ($25-$50/person/year) requires tracking active developers
  • Overage identity tracking via 90-day PR activity can be unpredictable
  • Free plan limited to weekly updates, requiring upgrade for real-time scanning
  • Advanced add-ons (Image Scanning, AI SAST, Agentic Rules Enforcer) pricing not published
  • On-premises deployment limited to Enterprise tier

Pricing, plan by plan

Trivy

Free
  • TrivyFree
    • Full scanner
    • Unlimited scans
    • Community support

Arnica

Free
  • FreeFree
    • No credit card required
    • 14-day trial available
    • Weekly risk identification updates
  • Core Business$360/year
    • Monthly billing option at $30/identity/month
    • Annual billing at $25/identity/month (17% discount)
    • Real-time risk scanning and notifications
  • Core Enterprise$720/year
    • Monthly billing option at $60/identity/month
    • Annual billing at $50/identity/month (17% discount)
    • All Core Business features

Which should you pick?

Choose Trivy if

  • You need multi-target scanning.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, macOS, Windows, Docker, Kubernetes.
  • You also want vulnerability detection.
Trivy review

Choose Arnica if

  • You need ai sast.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, GitHub, IDE.
  • You also want software composition analysis.
Arnica review

Questions people ask

Is Trivy or Arnica better?
Neither clearly leads. Trivy starts at Free and Arnica at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Trivy or Arnica?
Trivy starts at Free and Arnica at Free.
Does Trivy or Arnica run on more platforms?
Trivy runs on Linux, macOS, Windows, Docker, Kubernetes. Arnica runs on Web, GitHub, IDE.
Can I use Trivy for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Trivy best used for?
Trivy is most often used for failing a pull request when a container image introduces a known cve, scanning terraform and kubernetes manifests for misconfiguration before apply, catching committed secrets as part of an existing ci step. Of those, failing a pull request when a container image introduces a known cve and scanning terraform and kubernetes manifests for misconfiguration before apply are not what Arnica is typically brought in for.
What can Trivy do that Arnica cannot?
Trivy covers Multi-target scanning, Vulnerability detection, Misconfiguration checks, Secret detection. Arnica covers AI SAST, Software Composition Analysis, Secrets detection, IaC scanning.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Trivy: Is Trivy free?

Yes, open source from Aqua Security with no licence fee. Aqua sells a commercial platform around it.

Arnica: How are identities defined in Arnica pricing?

Identities are any users and other contributing entities that contributed code and/or had PR activity during the last 90 days. This ensures billing matches active developers.

Source
Trivy: What can Trivy scan?

Container images, filesystems, Git repositories, Kubernetes clusters and infrastructure-as-code, for vulnerabilities, misconfigurations, secrets and licences.

Arnica: What is the annual discount?

Annual prepayment offers approximately 17% savings versus monthly billing. Core Business annual is $300/identity versus $360 for monthly.

Source
Trivy: Does Trivy need a server?

No. It is a single binary, which is a large part of why it became a default in CI.

Arnica: Can I cancel or downgrade Arnica anytime?

Yes. Subscriptions can be cancelled or downgraded at any time. Overage identities receive automatic protection with true-up invoicing.

Source
Share

Related pages

More on Trivy

More on Arnica

Keep looking

Other head to heads