Checkov Pricing
Plans and cost breakdown for 2026
Open Source
Free and open source (Apache 2.0)
by Prisma Cloud (Palo Alto Networks) · Security
Is Checkov Worth It?
What You Get
- + Over a thousand policies shipped out of the box
- + Covers Terraform CloudFormation Kubernetes Helm and ARM
- + Custom policies in Python or YAML
- + Graph analysis catches cross-resource issues
- + Runs locally in pre-commit and in CI
What to Watch Out For
- - Default policy set produces many low-value findings
- - Graph analysis slows large repositories
- - Deeper features pull toward Prisma Cloud
- - Terraform coverage better than other frameworks
Security Pricing Comparison
| Tool | Pricing Model | Starting Price | Vendor |
|---|---|---|---|
| Checkov (this tool) | Open Source | Free and open source (Apache 2.0) | Prisma Cloud (Palo Alto Networks) |
| Aikido Security | Freemium | Free tier (2 users, 10 repos); Basic $300/month (10 users, 100 repos); Pro $600/month | Aikido Security |
| Allstar by OpenSSF | Free | Free and open source | Open Source Security Foundation (OpenSSF) |
| Apiiro | Paid | Contact for pricing | Apiiro |
| Aqua Security AI | Paid | Custom pricing | Aqua Security |
| Arnica | Freemium | Free tier available; paid plans from $300/year (Core Business), Core Enterprise from $600/year | Arnica |
| Bearer | Freemium | Free tier available | Bearer Inc. |
| Bytebase | Freemium | Free (self-hosted Community, up to 20 users); Pro from $20/user/month (cloud-only); self-hosted paid features require Enterprise | Bytebase |
| Chainguard | Freemium | Up to 5 free images per organisation; Catalog starts at $19,000 for a team of 10 | Chainguard Inc. |
| Checkmarx | Enterprise | Custom pricing (typically ~$8K–$50K+/year depending on developers, modules, and term) | Checkmarx |
| Cycode | Freemium | Usage-based pricing tied to active developer count and AI usage (free trial available; no permanent free tier) | Cycode |
Pricing FAQ
How much does Checkov cost?
Checkov uses a open source pricing model. Plans start at Free and open source (Apache 2.0).
Does Checkov have a free plan?
Yes, Checkov is completely free to use.
Is Checkov worth the price?
Checkov offers over a thousand policies shipped out of the box and covers terraform cloudformation kubernetes helm and arm. However, consider that default policy set produces many low-value findings. Compare with alternatives to find the best value for your needs.
What are cheaper alternatives to Checkov?
Check our alternatives page for Checkov to find more affordable options in the Security category.
Not sure about Checkov?
Explore alternatives or compare with other tools.