Semgrep vs Orca Security
A detailed comparison to help you choose between Semgrep and Orca Security.
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Verdict: Orca Security wins
Orca Security scores 4.2/5, edging out Semgrep at 4.1/5. Cloud security teams at mid-market to enterprise scale that want comprehensive multi-cloud visibility and risk ranking without deploying agents on production workloads.
Semgrep Static analysis engine for finding bugs, security issues, and anti-patterns | Orca Security Agentless AI cloud security | |
|---|---|---|
| Rating | 4.1 (1 review) | 4.2 (1 review) |
| Pricing Model | freemium | paid |
| Starting Price | Free tier available | From $500/mo |
| Best For | Engineering teams that want security scanning inside the pull-request workflow, starting from a genuinely free open-source engine and scaling into paid cross-file analysis. | Cloud security teams at mid-market to enterprise scale that want comprehensive multi-cloud visibility and risk ranking without deploying agents on production workloads. |
| Free Tier | ||
| API Access | ||
| Team Features | ||
| Open Source | ||
| Tags | free tieropen sourceapi access | ssoteam features |
| Visit Semgrep → | Visit Orca Security → |
Semgrep
Pros
- + Real free tier: the LGPL-2.1 engine and community rulesets run fully in CI — my pip install (v1.136.0) was scanning in minutes
- + Rule syntax reads like source code, so teams can write custom checks without learning a DSL; autofix suggestions (e.g. shell=True → False) are concrete
- + Broad language coverage (30+) with an honest per-language capability matrix instead of a blanket claim
- + Pro rules add cross-file dataflow, reachability, license and malicious-package detection beyond the single-file engine
- + Developer workflow is complete: PR comments, VS Code/JetBrains plugins, Slack/email, monorepo support, one-click CI
Cons
- - Community Edition is single-file analysis only — cross-file vulnerability chains require paid Pro rules
- - Rule-pack choice dominates recall: my four planted bugs — default `p/python` pack found 1, `p/security-audit` found 3 of 4
- - Per-contributor pricing stacks: Code ($30) plus Secrets ($15) is $45/contributor/month before Supply Chain, at list prices
- - Scans fetch rules from the Semgrep registry over the network; air-gapped CI needs vendored rules or a private setup
- - SAST, SCA and Secrets are three separate SKUs and the AI features are credit-metered (20/dev/month on Teams)
Orca Security
Pros
- + True agentless Side-Scanning: full cloud inventory from read-only snapshot access in my trial without installing anything on production workloads
- + Unified Data Model chains exposure, vulnerability, identity and data context so the risk queue is ranked by blast radius rather than raw CVSS
- + Published AWS Marketplace pack pricing ($7,000/$12,000/$17,000/$30,000 per month) gives buyers a real negotiating anchor and counts toward AWS spend commitments
- + Consistent satisfaction signals: 4.6/5 on Gartner Peer Insights and G2, 4.8/5 on Capterra per Orca's reviews page
Cons
- - No low-cost entry point — the marketplace floor is $7,000 per month and direct sales is quote-only, excluding startups and small teams
- - Snapshot-based scanning is periodic; real-time runtime detection is shallower than agent-bearing competitors
- - Risk prioritisation can be opaque when a finding is deprioritised, which matters in audit-driven environments
- - Cloud-only coverage — substantial on-prem estates need a separate tool
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is better, Semgrep or Orca Security?▼
Orca Security scores higher at 4.2/5 vs 4.1/5 for Semgrep, making it the better-rated option in our comparison.
What is the difference between Semgrep and Orca Security?▼
Semgrep: Semgrep scans source code for security bugs, secrets and vulnerable dependencies using customisable rules, with AI assistance to filter findings. Orca Security: Agentless cloud security platform that uses AI to detect risks, vulnerabilities, and misconfigurations without installing agents.
Is Semgrep or Orca Security more affordable?▼
Semgrep starts at €0/mo, Orca Security starts at €500/mo. Check the comparison table above for current pricing.
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