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Instead of Chef InSpec

Chef InSpec alternatives

Chef InSpec expresses compliance, security, and policy requirements as code, then checks whether applications and infrastructure match the desired state. Reusable profiles group controls and can carry platform requirements and dependencies. Its resources cover AWS, Azure, AliCloud, and GCP, and tests can run locally or against cloud services and infrastructure. Results can be exported as JSON, HTML, or plain text, and profiles can run through Test Kitchen. Chef InSpec supports API, Linux, macOS, self-hosted, and Windows environments, with a free tier for non-production personal and non-commercial use and paid access from $59 per year.

1. 1

   AWS CloudFormation

   Free plan APIiPhoneLinux+3

   Managing AWS and third-party infrastructure as code — CloudFormation provisions and manages infrastructure from templates, while Chef InSpec audits systems against compliance and policy requirements.

   Free plan Visit site
2. 2 C

   Conftest

   Free plan LinuxMacWindows

   Testing structured configuration in CI — Conftest tests structured configuration with Rego policies and CI outputs rather than auditing running infrastructure.

   Free plan Visit site
3. 3 K

   kube-score

   Free plan LinuxMacSelf-hosted+2

   Static Kubernetes object analysis — kube-score focuses on Kubernetes security and resilience checks, while Chef InSpec covers broader compliance and cloud infrastructure.

   Open source Visit site
4. 4 C

   cfn-lint

   Free plan LinuxMacSelf-hosted+1

   Validating AWS CloudFormation templates — cfn-lint checks CloudFormation templates against schemas and rules rather than auditing systems against compliance profiles.

   Open source Visit site
5. 5

   Cinc Auditor

   Free plan LinuxMacWindows

   Free InSpec-compatible compliance and audit workflows — Cinc Auditor is a free Chef InSpec distribution with compatible profiles and automation, unlike Chef InSpec's paid commercial tier.

   Free plan Visit site
6. 6

   KICS

   Free plan LinuxMacSelf-hosted+1

   Static security checks across Infrastructure as Code — KICS scans many Infrastructure as Code formats for security and compliance issues, while Chef InSpec tests actual system state.

   Free plan Visit site
7. 7 K

   kubeconform

   Free plan LinuxMacSelf-hosted+1

   Validating Kubernetes manifests against schemas — Kubeconform validates Kubernetes manifests against OpenAPI schemas, while Chef InSpec supports broader compliance testing of infrastructure.

   Free plan Visit site
8. 8

   Kubescape

   Free plan Open source APILinuxMac+2
   9.0 Free plan Visit site
9. 9

   Mondoo CSPM

   Free plan Open source APIExtensionLinux+3
   8.8 Free plan Visit site
10. 10

    Puppet

    Free plan Open source APILinuxMac+3
    8.7 Free plan Visit site
11. 11

    CIS-CAT Pro Assessor

    Free plan APILinuxMac+2
    7.6 From $2,400/yr Visit site
12. 12 L

    Lynis

    Free plan LinuxMacSelf-hosted
    7.2 Free plan · paid from $1.50/mo Visit site
13. 13 O

    OpenSCAP

    Free plan LinuxMacSelf-hosted+1
    7.2 Free plan Visit site
14. 14

    Prowler Cloud

    Free plan APILinuxSelf-hosted+1
    7.2 From $79/mo (annual) Visit site
15. 15 S

    Steampipe

    Free plan APILinuxMac+2
    6.7 Free plan Visit site
16. 16

    DigitalOcean Cloud Security Posture Management

    Free plan Web
    6.4 Free plan · paid from $5/mo Visit site
17. 17

    AWS Security Hub CSPM

    Free trial APIWeb
    6.3 30-day trial Visit site
18. 18 H

    HCL BigFix

    Free trial APILinuxMac+2
    6.3 Pricing on request · 30-day trial Visit site
19. 19 G

    Google Cloud Secret Manager

    Free plan Web
    6.2 Free plan · paid from $0.03 · 90-day trial Visit site
20. 20 M

    Microsoft Defender for Business

    by Microsoft Defender for Business

    Free trial AndroidAPIiPhone+2
    6.2 From $3/user/mo (annual) · 30-day trial Visit site
21. 21 G

    Google Security Command Center

    Free plan Web
    5.9 Free plan · paid from $15,000/yr · 30-day trial Visit site
22. 22

    Prisma Cloud SCA

    Free trial APIWeb
    5.5 Pricing on request Visit site
23. 23 C

    CrowdStrike Falcon Cloud Security

    Paid LinuxMacWeb+1
    5.4 Pricing on request · 15-day trial Visit site
24. 24

    Symantec IT Management Suite

    Paid APILinuxMac+3
    5.4 Pricing on request Visit site
25. 25

    Sysdig Secure

    Paid APILinuxMac+3
    5.4 Pricing on request Visit site
26. 26 T

    Tripwire Enterprise

    Paid APILinuxSelf-hosted+2
    5.3 Pricing on request Visit site
27. 27

    Aqua Security

    Paid LinuxWeb
    5.2 Pricing on request Visit site
28. 28

    FortiCNAPP

    Paid LinuxWebWindows
    5.2 Pricing on request Visit site
29. 29 C

    Check Point WAF (formerly CloudGuard WAF)

    by Check Point Software Technologies Ltd.

    Paid WebAPI
    5.1 7-day trial Visit site
30. 30

    Wiz Container and Kubernetes Security

    Paid Web
    4.9 Pricing on request Visit site
31. 31 M

    Microsoft Sentinel

    Paid Web
    4.5 31-day trial Visit site

The right substitute depends on whether you need broad audits, infrastructure provisioning, file-focused checks, or a free tool that preserves InSpec compatibility. CloudFormation manages AWS and third-party resources, while several alternatives focus on Kubernetes or structured configuration. Those narrower tools can bring targeted checks and CI outputs, but do not offer the same stated scope of compliance profiles and cloud resources. Before switching, compare the configuration formats and targets each tool handles, its outputs and integrations, and whether you need to keep running existing InSpec profiles.

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