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Cybersecurity · head to head

Trivy vs Chainguard

Trivy logo

Trivy

Cybersecurity

Open-source vulnerability and misconfiguration scanner

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Chainguard logo

Chainguard

Cybersecurity

Secure-by-default open source software with hardened container images and libraries

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; Chainguard containers Catalog at 19,000 USD/year expensive for teams under 10 people
  • They diverge on capability: Trivy covers Multi-target scanning, Chainguard covers Hardened container images.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Trivy and Chainguard actually diverge.

Attributes where Trivy and Chainguard differ
AttributeTrivyChainguard
Pricing modelOpen source, no licence feeLicensing by artifact type and team size
PlatformsLinux, macOS, Windows, Docker, KubernetesCloud, Container, VM

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 Chainguard

  • Hardened container images
  • CVE remediation SLA
  • SLSA L2/L3 builds
  • Sigstore signatures
  • SBOM generation
  • Language libraries
  • VM images
  • Artifact scanning

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 Chainguard
  • Scanning Terraform and Kubernetes manifests for misconfiguration before applynot Chainguard
  • Catching committed secrets as part of an existing CI stepnot Chainguard

Chainguard

  • Deploying hardened container images with minimal attack surfacenot Trivy
  • Meeting supply chain security requirements for regulated industriesnot Trivy
  • Reducing CVE exposure with contractual remediation guaranteesnot Trivy
  • Building secure language packages with automatic backportsnot Trivy
  • Verifying artifact provenance with Sigstore signaturesnot 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

Chainguard

  • Containers Catalog at 19,000 USD/year expensive for teams under 10 people
  • Per-image pricing for containers requires custom quotes with no transparency
  • Free tier limited to 5 container images for testing
  • Libraries pricing by ecosystem and developer count lacks transparent per-developer cost
  • VM image catalog pricing opacity makes cost estimation difficult

Pricing, plan by plan

Trivy

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

Chainguard

Free
  • Free TierFree
    • Five container images to test and deploy
  • Containers Per-Image$undefined/custom
    • Licensed by quantity and type
    • Base images, application images, AI/ML images, FIPS variants
    • Custom pricing per image
  • Containers Catalog$19000/year
    • For 10-person engineering teams
    • 2,000+ container images
    • Contractual CVE remediation SLAs
  • Libraries Licensing$undefined/custom
    • Licensed by ecosystem (Python, Java, JavaScript)
    • Licensed by developer count
    • Unlimited pulls with no metering

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 Chainguard if

  • You need hardened container images.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Cloud, Container, VM.
  • You also want cve remediation sla.
Chainguard review

Questions people ask

Is Trivy or Chainguard better?
Neither clearly leads. Trivy starts at Free and Chainguard at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Trivy or Chainguard?
Trivy starts at Free and Chainguard at Free.
Does Trivy or Chainguard run on more platforms?
Trivy runs on Linux, macOS, Windows, Docker, Kubernetes. Chainguard runs on Cloud, Container, VM.
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 Chainguard is typically brought in for.
What can Trivy do that Chainguard cannot?
Trivy covers Multi-target scanning, Vulnerability detection, Misconfiguration checks, Secret detection. Chainguard covers Hardened container images, CVE remediation SLA, SLSA L2/L3 builds, Sigstore signatures.

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.

Chainguard: How much is the Chainguard Containers Catalog?

The Containers Catalog is 19,000 USD per year for 10-person engineering teams, providing access to 2,000+ hardened container images.

Source
Trivy: What can Trivy scan?

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

Chainguard: What SLAs does Chainguard offer?

Chainguard provides contractual CVE remediation SLAs: 7 days for critical vulnerabilities, 14 days for high/medium/low severity, all with priority support.

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.

Chainguard: Can I try Chainguard before purchasing?

Yes. The free tier includes five container images for testing and deployment, allowing hands-on evaluation.

Source
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