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Aqua Security Platform alternatives for Kubernetes vulnerability scanning

Aqua alternatives are usually sought by teams who use Trivy happily but cannot justify an enterprise platform contract to get history, fleet visibility and ranking — the gap between the free tool and the quote-only product.

Facts last checked . Prices and features change — verify with the vendor before deciding.

What Aqua Security Platform does well

Before the list: Aqua Security Platform is a good tool for the right team. Aqua Security is the enterprise container-security platform from the maintainers of Trivy, covering image scanning, Kubernetes security posture, runtime protection and supply-chain controls, sold to enterprises through sales.

  • Built by the maintainers of Trivy, the most widely used open-source scanner.
  • A full platform: image assurance policies, admission control, runtime protection, KSPM and a KBOM concept for the cluster itself.
  • Long enterprise track record and a large customer base.
  • Trivy and Trivy Operator remain free if you want only the scanner.

Aqua Security Platform pricing

Aqua does not publish platform pricing; entry contracts are reported in the low tens of thousands of dollars per year, rising with scope. Trivy and Trivy Operator are free. StackRadar sits between the two: a hosted product with published per-cluster pricing from $0.

Aqua Security Platform alternatives

1. StackRadar (that's us)

StackRadar keeps a CycloneDX SBOM for every image running in your Kubernetes clusters and re-checks it against OSV.dev advisories as they land — no rescan. Findings are ranked by the Radar Score, which combines CVSS, EPSS and the CISA KEV catalogue in a published formula, and every finding carries its workload, Helm release and ArgoCD application. One dashboard covers every cluster, with 30 days to two years of history by plan. The scanner installs as one Helm chart, its source is published, releases are signed, and data stays in the EU. Free for one cluster; Pro $59 per month; Business $199 per month.

Where Aqua Security Platform is stronger: you need runtime protection, admission control and enforcement, not just visibility. See StackRadar vs Aqua Security Platform for the full comparison.

2. Trivy Operator

Trivy Operator is the free, Apache-2.0 Kubernetes operator from Aqua Security that scans running workloads with Trivy and writes the results into the cluster as custom resources.

Best for: You run one or two clusters and mainly want to know what is vulnerable right now. Pricing: Free (Apache-2.0); you run and operate it. Compare with StackRadar · Trivy Operator website

3. Sysdig Secure

Sysdig Secure is an enterprise cloud-native application protection platform built on Falco, with an eBPF agent per node, runtime threat detection, and vulnerability management that pairs SBOMs with runtime “in use” data.

Best for: You need runtime threat detection and response, not just vulnerability tracking. Pricing: Quote-only; reported ~$40–120 per host per month. Compare with StackRadar · Sysdig Secure website

4. Kubescape / ARMO Platform

Kubescape is a CNCF-incubating open-source Kubernetes security scanner; ARMO Platform is the commercial SaaS built on it, adding vulnerability management, eBPF runtime relevancy and, more recently, cloud detection and response.

Best for: You want misconfiguration, compliance and RBAC scanning in the same tool as vulnerabilities. Pricing: Quote-only (was ~$59/node/mo; free ≤10 nodes). Compare with StackRadar · Kubescape website

Should you switch?

Choose Aqua Security Platform if

  • You need runtime protection, admission control and enforcement, not just visibility.
  • You are buying a platform for a security organisation with a procurement process.
  • You already standardised on Trivy and want the vendor’s commercial layer on top.

Choose StackRadar if

  • You want the hosted layer Trivy Operator is missing — history, fleet view, exploitability ranking — at a published price.
  • You want a read-only scanner whose source you can audit rather than an enforcement agent.
  • You want EU-only data residency.

Frequently asked questions

How much does Aqua Security cost?

Aqua does not publish prices. Reported entry points are in the low tens of thousands of dollars per year for the cloud-security tier and higher for the full platform. Trivy and Trivy Operator are free.

Is StackRadar built on Trivy?

No. StackRadar generates SBOMs with Syft (from Anchore) and matches them against OSV.dev, and its scanner source is published so you can check exactly what runs in your cluster.

More alternatives pages