Aikido
Start for Free
No CC required
PlatformComparison
Aikido vs Chainguard

Aikido shows you which images are risky and fixes them.

Chainguard ships zero-CVE images and clean libraries, then tells you to scan with someone else's tools. Aikido does code, cloud, runtime, and hardened base images in one platform.

Start a free scan
No CC required
Book a Demo
Free scan · Read-only access · Results in minutes
Trusted by 50k+ orgs
|
Loved by 100k+ devs
|
4.7/5

Three areas where Chainguard falls short but Aikido doesn’t.

NEW BASE NEEDED

Chainguard makes you swap your whole base

Chainguard replaces your images with its own catalog. Aikido hardens the Debian, Ubuntu, and Alpine images you already run.

NO BACKPORTS

Chainguard keeps you chasing new versions

Staying clean on Chainguard means rolling forward to new digests. Aikido backports the fix to the version you've pinned.

JUST A CATALOG

Chainguard stops at the image

Chainguard hands you hardened images and ends there. Aikido's hardened images sit inside SAST, SCA, cloud, and runtime.

Aikido vs Chainguard

Transparent pricing, no hidden charges
Aikido
Chainguard
Base image and distro
Works with your existing stack (Debian, Ubuntu, Alpine and more)
Requires full migration to Chainguard catalog and distro
Version handling
Backports fixes to the version you are pinned to
Default tracks latest; older versions via paid LTS
Re-platform required
No
Yes, migrate to their catalog
Upgrade cadence
You decide; fixes applied in place
Stay current, or move to a paid LTS lane
Image variant coverage
Effectively unlimited variants
Curated catalog (free tier latest-only)
Dependency language coverage
Aikido Patches: Python, Java, JavaScript, Go, .NET, and more
Chainguard Libraries:  Python, Java, JavaScript only
Dependency fix model
Backports the fix to the version you already depend on, via proxy repos (JFrog, Artifactory)
Rebuilt-from-source replacement packages you pull in
Finds what is broken in your stack
Yes, detects across code, dependencies, containers, and cloud
No, ships clean artifacts but does not scan your environment
Provenance and compliance
SBOM (CycloneDX), VEX, attestation per artifact
SBOM and provenance, SLSA L3, FIPS 140-3
Scanner and workflow fit
Recognized as remediated by Trivy, Wiz, and others;change one FROM line
Parallel secure registry to standardize on
AI Autofix
Yes, across SCA, containers, and IaC
Regenerate from source, not in-place fix
Static Code Analysis (SAST)
SCA
DAST & AI Pentesting
Secrets scanning
IaC scanning
CSPM
Runtime protection
Try Aikido for free

"Aikido’s pentest delivered human level, comprehensive findings at lightning speed and passed a rigorous compliance review with no issues."

Dan SherwoodManaging Director at Khaos Control Solutions

GEA switched from Sonarqube to Aikido

In just 45 minutes, we onboarded 150+ developers with Aikido.

Marc LehrHead of Customer Engagement & Digital Platform

Read the story
GEA switched from Sonarqube to Aikido
INTRO TO CONTAINER AUTOFIX

Get safe & tested upgrade paths,  in ready-to-merge pull requests.

Get your whole stack covered,  not just the images.

Code, cloud, runtime, and hardened base images in one platform. Start for free, scan in 30 seconds.

Start free scan
Start free scan
Book a demo
Faq

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Aikido replace Chainguard, or run alongside it?

Both work. Aikido ships its own near-zero-CVE hardened base images, so many teams use Aikido alone for code-to-runtime coverage plus hardened images. Teams already invested in Chainguard can keep it for artifacts and use Aikido for the scanning, cloud, pentesting, and runtime layers Chainguard doesn't cover.

Does Chainguard scan my code?

No. Chainguard provides hardened container images and malware-free libraries, then relies on third-party scanners like Snyk, Trivy, Grype, Wiz, and Qualys to do the scanning. Aikido includes SAST, SCA, secrets, IaC, container, and malware scanning in one platform.

How does Aikido pricing compare to Chainguard?

Aikido is free to start, with no credit card, and self-serve pricing per contributing developer. Chainguard's free tier covers five images with no CVE remediation SLA; production access is sales-gated, with catalog pricing that starts at $19K for a team of 10.

Can I get hardened, near-zero-CVE base images from Aikido?

Yes. Aikido's Hardened Images give you near-zero-CVE base images with extended lifecycle support as drop-in replacements. Change one FROM line and get one-click AutoFix PRs with backported patches, without breaking OS upgrades.