Side by side
cfn-nag vs Kubescape
Both stand on iac security scanners. Which one you can start free with, which one lets you read the code, and what each costs once you pay.
Choose cfn-nag if your team needs a free, customizable scanner focused on CloudFormation security patterns, including use in GitHub Actions or AWS CodePipeline. Look elsewhere if you need Terraform or Kubernetes analysis, or if you need static analysis to infer deployment parameters without supplying them.
Visit cfn-nag
Choose Kubescape if you want a free, self-hosted Kubernetes security platform with configuration, image, compliance, and runtime coverage. Consider the ARMO Platform if you need its documented scan-upload and custom-artifact provider, with pricing dependent on resource usage.
Visit KubescapeThe facts
| cfn-nag | Kubescape | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Open source | Not published | Yes |
| Runs on | Linux, Mac, Self-hosted | API, Linux, Mac, Self-hosted, Windows |
| Lowest paid plan | Free or on request | ARMO Platform Startup: $30 a month |
| Plans published | 1 | 5 |
| Maker | Not published | Not published |
| Website | github.com | kubescape.io |
| On iac security scanners | #3 of 16 | #1 of 16 |
cfn-nag: what it does well
- Free MIT-licensed software.
- Scans JSON, .template, YAML, and YML files.
- Supports custom rules, profiles, deny lists, and resource-level suppressions.
- Can run without network connectivity; S3 rule retrieval is optional.
- Documents GitHub Actions and AWS CodePipeline use.
What to know first
- Gem installation requires Ruby 2.5 or later.
- Static analysis needs supplied parameter values to account for deployment inputs.
- By default, Fn::If analysis does not inspect false outcomes.
- Does not analyze Terraform or Kubernetes.
Kubescape: what it does well
- Free, self-hosted CLI and operator under Apache License 2.0.
- Scans manifests, Helm charts, and live clusters for misconfigurations.
- Operator scans deployed images and monitors runtime activity.
- Supports CIS, NSA-CISA, MITRE ATT&CK, and SOC 2 frameworks.
- CLI supports offline and air-gapped operation.
What to know first
- Self-hosted deployment requires teams to run the CLI and operator.
- ARMO Platform pricing depends on vCPUs and other cloud resources.
- In-cluster scan results are ephemeral and regularly updated.
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