Semgrep vs Snyk
A detailed comparison to help you choose between Semgrep and Snyk.
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Verdict: Snyk wins
Snyk scores 4.5/5, edging out Semgrep at 4.1/5. Development teams that want vulnerability scanning and automated fixes inside the IDE and pull request, from a solo free tier up to a credit-metered enterprise program.
Semgrep Static analysis engine for finding bugs, security issues, and anti-patterns | Snyk AI-powered developer security platform | |
|---|---|---|
| Rating | 4.1 (1 review) | 4.5 (1 review) |
| Pricing Model | freemium | freemium |
| Starting Price | Free tier available | Free tier available |
| 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. | Development teams that want vulnerability scanning and automated fixes inside the IDE and pull request, from a solo free tier up to a credit-metered enterprise program. |
| Free Tier | ||
| API Access | ||
| Team Features | ||
| Open Source | ||
| Tags | free tieropen sourceapi access | free tierapi accessteam features |
| Visit Semgrep → | Visit Snyk → |
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)
Snyk
Pros
- + Onboarding to prioritized findings took minutes in my testing — GitHub import on a mid-sized monorepo surfaced ranked dependency CVEs and line-level code findings
- + Automated dependency-bump fix PRs compiled and passed tests in the majority of my test cases; failures were genuine version conflicts
- + Exploit-maturity ranking plus triage controls cut my actionable finding list by an order of magnitude from the raw first scan
- + IDE integration puts fix suggestions and the vulnerable call path in the editor while you write, including on AI-generated code
- + Pricing is unusually transparent: public free/Team tiers and a full Enterprise credit rate card (1 credit = $1) on snyk.io/plans
Cons
- - Raw first-scan volume is overwhelming — the alert-volume criticism is accurate until a team spends time on priority tuning
- - Team plan requires a minimum of 5 contributing developers; a two-person team is stuck on free or a negotiated deal
- - DAST/API and Web testing is a newer, shallower surface than established scanners, priced at 3.0 credits per target per day
- - Enterprise credit meters (per active contributor per day, 4,000 credits per offensive-security assessment) need active ownership or costs drift
- - Coverage thins on obscure language ecosystems and niche package managers versus the mainstream stacks
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is better, Semgrep or Snyk?▼
Snyk scores higher at 4.5/5 vs 4.1/5 for Semgrep, making it the better-rated option in our comparison.
What is the difference between Semgrep and Snyk?▼
Semgrep: Semgrep scans source code for security bugs, secrets and vulnerable dependencies using customisable rules, with AI assistance to filter findings. Snyk: Snyk finds and fixes security problems in code, dependencies, containers and infrastructure as code, inside the developer's existing workflow.
Is Semgrep or Snyk more affordable?▼
Semgrep starts at €0/mo, Snyk starts at €0/mo. Check the comparison table above for current pricing.
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