Side by side

PMD vs Scrutinizer CI

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

PMD

Free plan LinuxMacSelf-hosted+1

PMD combines broad language coverage, custom rules, and bundled duplicate detection without a listed price. Check language-specific rule coverage and version support before adopting it.

Visit PMD

Scrutinizer CI combines build and deployment workflows with code analysis, quality tracking, and browser-based code navigation. Confirm that cloud-only deployment and its listed language support suit your setup, and review the container and Code Intelligence charges.

Visit Scrutinizer CI

The facts

	PMD	Scrutinizer CI
Free plan	Yes	Yes
Open source	Not published	Not published
Runs on	Linux, Mac, Self-hosted, Windows	API, Extension, Web
Lowest paid plan	Free or on request	Basic: €49 a month
Plans published	1	3
Maker	Not published	Not published
Website	pmd.github.io	scrutinizer-ci.com
On static analysis tools	#14 of 38	#18 of 38

PMD: what it does well

Free, with more than 400 built-in rules.
Custom rules can be written in Java or XPath.
Bundled CPD detects duplicated code.
Runs through several build tools and CI integrations.

What to know first

Requires Java 8 or above.
Scala support has no Scala rules.
Only the latest major version is actively developed.
Some listed IDE plugins are not actively maintained.

Scrutinizer CI: what it does well

Includes thousands of built-in code checks
Infers setup commands from project structure
Supports custom Docker images and layer caching
Offers code coverage and weekly progress reports
14-day trial requires no credit card

What to know first

Cloud-only deployment
Basic costs €49 a month
Additional containers cost €50/month
Code Intelligence is optional at €14.90 per seat

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