Side by side

Clang Static Analyzer vs Infer

Both stand on c and c++ static analysis tools. Which one you can start free with, which one lets you read the code, and what each costs once you pay.

Clang Static Analyzer

Free plan LinuxMacWindows

Clang Static Analyzer offers free, self-hosted analysis for three languages, with command-line and potential IDE integration. Its limited detection scope, runtime, and possible false positives matter when interpreting results.

Visit Clang Static Analyzer

Infer

Free plan LinuxMacSelf-hosted+1

Infer offers broad static analysis for several languages, with checks that can follow bugs across files. Its compilation-capture workflow and lack of Windows support are important constraints to consider.

Visit Infer

The facts

	Clang Static Analyzer	Infer
Free plan	Yes	Yes
Open source	Not published	Not published
Runs on	Linux, Mac, Windows	Linux, Mac, Self-hosted, Web
Lowest paid plan	Free or on request	Free or on request
Plans published	1	1
Maker	Not published	Not published
Website	clang-analyzer.llvm.org	fbinfer.com
On c and c++ static analysis tools	#3 of 25	#8 of 25

Clang Static Analyzer: what it does well

Free and open source
Supports C, C++, and Objective-C
Includes scan-build for command-line analysis
Can run alongside clang-tidy
Clang-based IDEs may integrate it natively

What to know first

Analysis can take longer than compilation
Some algorithms have exponential worst-case time
May report false positives
Detects only bugs it was engineered to find

Infer: what it does well

Checks Java, C, C++, Objective-C, and Erlang.
Can find issues spanning multiple functions or files.
Integrates with several documented build systems.
Free plan costs nothing.
Offers binary, source, Docker, and browser options.

What to know first

Files not compiled are not analyzed.
Windows is not supported.
Java support may require GPL-licensed components.

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