Snyk vs Semgrep: Which AppSec Queue Fits Your Week?
Choose Snyk when a developer platform across SCA, SAST, and containers with Fix PRs is the product. Choose Semgrep when a code engine with custom rules, Policies, and an OSS CLI is the product.
Walk the AppSec week in three stages. First, invent dependency, container, and IaC risk and open a Fix-shaped remediation before the backlog ages. Second, fail the PR on first-party code under rules and Policies your team owns, not only vendor defaults. Third, keep a CLI or OSS path that still runs when the SaaS license is offline. Those stages rarely share one owner.
Between these two, Snyk productizes a developer security platform: Open Source SCA, Code SAST with Agent Fix, Container and IaC, plus Fix PRs that close upgrades in the SCM. Semgrep productizes a code engine and AppSec program: YAML rules, Policies modes, private registry rules, and an OSS CLI teams commit next to the repo. Semgrep Supply Chain is modular SCA. Snyk Code is real SAST. The centers still differ. Sibling splits live under Snyk vs Mend, Aikido vs Semgrep, Semgrep vs SonarQube, and Semgrep vs Checkmarx; broader AppSec context sits under application security and Compare.
| Job | Developer security platform: SCA + Code SAST + Container/IaC with Fix PRs | Code engine / AppSec program: custom rules, Policies, OSS CLI (+ modular Code / Supply Chain / Secrets) |
|---|---|---|
| How a bad day closes | Open Source, Code, or Container finding becomes a Fix PR or Agent Fix in IDE/PR; PR Checks fail when configured | Rule or Policy match becomes a PR annotation or CI non-zero; Assistant triage; Guardian at agent write-time when licensed |
| Deploy | SaaS-first; Broker and Enterprise options | CLI/CI local or managed; Teams cloud; Enterprise on-prem SCM / custom CI |
| Operator morning unit | Project backlog across Open Source / Code / Container, Fix PR queue, Ignite custom rules if licensed | Policies board, custom or private rules, nosemgrep / ignore, PR annotations |
| License/pricing | Free $0; Team $25/mo; Ignite $1,260/yr; Enterprise quote per contributing developer (checked 11 Sep 2026) | Free to 10 contributors; Teams from $30/contrib/mo modular; Enterprise custom (checked 11 Sep 2026) |
| Who operates it | Developers plus AppSec on a multi-product platform license | AppSec / platform eng who write and own rules and Policies |
This compare is not Snyk vs Mend. That pair decides SCA governance and Renovate-style fix ownership. Here the hire is platform breadth with Fix PRs versus a rules-and-Policies code engine.
We reviewed first-party docs, public product pages, and live community threads. We did not sit in paid production tenants, so this is not a hands-on benchmark.
Snyk
Semgrep
That lockfile-depth SCA hit is the platform job Snyk sells beside Code and Container. Between these two, inventing dependency risk and opening Fix-shaped remediation still sits with Snyk. Semgrep Supply Chain can scan deps modularly; do not buy Semgrep here only as a drop-in for multi-product Fix PRs.
Editions and pricing
Snyk publishes a contributing-developer ladder on Free, Team, Ignite, and Enterprise. Free is $0 with SCA, SAST, IaC, and Container access under test caps. Team starts at $25 per contributing developer per month. Ignite is $1,260 per contributing developer per year with full platform capabilities and custom security rules. Enterprise is quote-led. Products can be purchased individually within a plan; Container bundles with Open Source (checked 11 Sep 2026).
Semgrep publishes Free Edition (up to 10 contributors and 10 private repos for Code + Supply Chain at $0), Teams from $30 per contributor per month with modular Code ($30), Supply Chain ($30), and Secrets ($15), and Enterprise custom for on-prem SCM and unlimited contributors (checked 11 Sep 2026).
| Public list lines | Free $0; Team $25/mo; Ignite $1,260/yr; Enterprise quote (per contributing developer) | Free to 10 contributors; Teams from $30/contrib/mo modular; Enterprise custom |
|---|---|---|
| What the quote usually meters | Contributing developers, products in plan, test limits, Broker / support | Contributors, Code / Supply Chain / Secrets modules, on-prem SCM, support |
| Self-serve start | Free and Team self-serve on the plans page | Free Edition and Teams self-serve; Enterprise sales-led |
If procurement needs one published ladder before a call, both vendors fill a spreadsheet today. The meters differ: Snyk sells platform products under one contributing-developer count; Semgrep sells modular Code / Supply Chain / Secrets under a contributor count.
What fails CI
| Gate shape | PR Checks and CLI exit codes across Open Source, Code, Container, and IaC when wired | Policies and Code configs; CLI exits non-0 on matching rules |
|---|---|---|
| Who tunes the fail | Org policies and product settings in the Snyk platform; Ignite adds custom security rules | AppSec / platform eng who add Registry, Pro, or private YAML rules to Policies (Monitor / Comment / Block) |
| Remediation in the same loop | Fix PRs for supported ecosystems; Agent Fix for Snyk Code in IDE and PR (Early Access / agentic upgrade) | PR annotations and Assistant triage/fix guidance; Guardian for AI-written code when licensed |
| Buy the loop | Fail and fix across SCA/SAST/container breadth in one vendor license | Fail on rules and Policies your team owns, including OSS CLI runs |
That non-zero CLI exit on a committed YAML rule is the Semgrep CI story. Between these two, owning the fail condition as rules-as-code still sits with Semgrep. Snyk PR Checks are real; do not treat them as a substitute for a Policies board and private rule registry.
What each tool produces
| Primary artifacts | Findings across Open Source, Code, Container, and IaC; Fix PRs; Agent Fix suggestions | Rule matches, Policy outcomes, PR comments; private/custom rules; OSS CLI results |
|---|---|---|
| Engine ownership | Managed platform engines; Ignite custom security rules for teams that need them | YAML rules you author or fork; Editor + private Registry; OSS engine you can run offline |
| Breadth vs depth | One license spanning deps, first-party code, images, and IaC | Deep code-program controls; Supply Chain and Secrets are modular add-ons |
| Buy the loop | Platform remediation breadth with Fix PRs / Agent Fix | AppSec program ownership of detections and Policies |
That cloud-free YAML-in-repo path is why teams hire Semgrep as an engine, not only as a SaaS dashboard. Between these two, committing the detection language next to the code still sits with Semgrep. Snyk Ignite custom rules exist; they do not turn Snyk into an OSS rules-as-code program.
Where they overlap
Both ship first-party SAST findings and can fail CI. Both sell modular or sibling SCA. Both show up on AppSec shortlists when the RFP only says “developer security.” A Snyk Code scan does not by itself give you Semgrep Policies and private YAML ownership, and a Semgrep Code policy does not by itself invent Container Fix advice and multi-product Fix PRs, so overlap is real and still incomplete.
When to use both
Use both when you deliberately want Snyk for SCA / Container / Fix PR breadth and Semgrep for custom rules and Policies on first-party code. That is two seats and two morning queues.
Skip Semgrep here if primary pain is one developer platform across Open Source, Code, and Container with Fix PRs, and you will not staff a rules program. Skip Snyk here if primary pain is owning YAML rules, Policies, and an OSS CLI, and platform container/SCA breadth is already covered elsewhere.
Decide which workflow stage owns the budget. Developer platform SCA + SAST + containers with Fix PRs: Snyk. Code engine with custom rules, Policies, and OSS CLI: Semgrep. Only then open the quotes.
FAQs
Are Snyk and Semgrep the same AppSec tool?
No. Both can fail PRs on code findings. Snyk leads on developer-platform breadth across SCA, SAST, and containers with Fix PRs. Semgrep leads on a code engine with custom rules, Policies, and an OSS CLI.
Does Semgrep do SCA?
Yes, modularly via Semgrep Supply Chain on Free/Teams/Enterprise. Between these two, multi-product Fix PRs and Container breadth still sit with Snyk.
Does Snyk do custom rules?
Ignite documents custom security rules and risk-based prioritization. Between these two, YAML-in-repo rules-as-code and Policies ownership still sit with Semgrep.
How is this different from Snyk vs Mend?
Snyk vs Mend decides SCA governance and Renovate-style fix ownership, with Mend preferred on that page. This page decides developer-platform breadth with Fix PRs versus a Semgrep code engine and AppSec program.
How is this different from Aikido vs Semgrep?
Aikido vs Semgrep splits a unified code-to-cloud platform from Semgrep rules-as-code. This page splits Snyk’s SCA/SAST/container Fix-PR platform from the same Semgrep engine SKU.
Do I need both?
Only if you want platform Fix-PR breadth and a separate rules/Policies program. Most teams pick the weekly stage that hurts more.
Is there a public list price?
Yes for both. Snyk Free $0, Team $25/mo, Ignite $1,260/yr, Enterprise quote (11 Sep 2026). Semgrep Free to 10 contributors, Teams from $30/contrib/mo modular, Enterprise custom (11 Sep 2026).
Is this a scored bake-off?
No. Order is editorial. We did not run a private lab bake-off.
