# Checkov vs Falco

**Leader by Vioscale score:** Checkov

| Attribute | Checkov | Falco |
|---|---|---|
| **Vioscale score** | 64 (47% (low)) | 58.3 (38% (low)) |
| activity.commits_last_30d | 17 | 11 |
| adoption.dependent_repos | 138 | 0 |
| adoption.github_stars | 8,973 | 9,305 |
| adoption.package_downloads_weekly | 4,830,339 | - |
| deployment.options | `{"cloud":true,"self_hosted":true}` | `{"cloud":true,"on_prem":true,"self_hosted":true}` |
| description.long | Checkov scans infrastructure-as-code configurations across Terraform, Kubernetes, CloudFormation, Dockerfile, and other IaC formats to detect security vulnerabilities and compliance violations before deployment. | Cloud-native runtime security tool that monitors hosts, containers, Kubernetes, and cloud environments for abnormal behavior and security threats using eBPF and kernel events. |
| features.capabilities | `{"cspm":true,"kspm":true,"iac_scanning":true,"cloud_coverage":"AWS, Google Cloud, Azure","open_core_scanner":true,"agentless_scanning":true}` | `{"cwpp":true,"kspm":true,"cloud_coverage":"Multi-cloud: hosts, containers, Kubernetes, and cloud environments","open_core_scanner":true,"agentless_scanning":false,"runtime_protection":true,"compliance_frameworks":"Rule-based detection for regulatory compliance violations"}` |
| integrations.count | 13 | 50 |
| integrations.list | `[{"name":"AWS"},{"name":"Google Cloud"},{"name":"Azure"},{"name":"Docker"},{"name":"Terraform"},{"name":"Kubernetes"},{"name":"CloudFormation"},{"name":"Dockerfile"},{"name":"Git"},{"name":"GitHub"},{"name":"Helm"},{"name":"Kustomize"},{"name":"Serverless"}]` | `[{"name":"Kubernetes"},{"name":"AWS EKS"},{"name":"Docker"},{"name":"GitHub"},{"name":"AWS CloudTrail"},{"name":"Okta"},{"name":"Nomad"},{"name":"Fluent Bit"},{"name":"Elasticsearch"},{"name":"S3"},{"name":"Slack"}]` |
| language.primary | Python | C++ |
| license.spdx | Apache-2.0 | Apache-2.0 |
| platform.support | `{"cli":true}` | `{"cli":true,"linux":true}` |
| pricing | `{"type":"open_source","freeTier":true,"sourceUrl":"https://www.checkov.io","retrievedAt":"2026-08-14T12:10:26.082Z"}` | `{"type":"open_source","freeTier":true,"sourceUrl":"https://falco.org/","retrievedAt":"2026-08-13T17:01:04.261Z"}` |
| pricing.free_tier | yes | yes |
| pricing.model | open_source | commercial |
| pricing.price_level | free | free |
| pricing.transparent | - | yes |
| release.cadence_days | 4 | 4 |
| release.history | `[{"url":"https://github.com/bridgecrewio/checkov/releases/tag/3.3.13","date":"2026-08-20T23:05:18Z","type":"stable","version":"3.3.13"},{"url":"https://github.com/bridgecrewio/checkov/releases/tag/3.3.12","date":"2026-08-19T23:04:10Z","type":"stable","version":"3.3.12"},{"url":"https://github.com/bridgecrewio/checkov/releases/tag/3.3.9","date":"2026-08-02T23:17:39Z","type":"stable","version":"3.3.9"},{"url":"https://github.com/bridgecrewio/checkov/releases/tag/3.3.8","date":"2026-07-09T23:25:22Z","type":"stable","version":"3.3.8"},{"url":"https://github.com/bridgecrewio/checkov/releases/tag/3.3.7","date":"2026-07-07T23:18:29Z","type":"stable","version":"3.3.7"},{"url":"https://github.com/bridgecrewio/checkov/releases/tag/3.3.6","date":"2026-06-30T23:25:46Z","type":"stable","version":"3.3.6"},{"url":"https://github.com/bridgecrewio/checkov/releases/tag/3.3.5","date":"2026-06-29T23:20:20Z","type":"stable","version":"3.3.5"},{"url":"https://github.com/bridgecrewio/checkov/releases/tag/3.3.2","date":"2026-06-23T23:22:28Z","type":"stable","version":"3.3.2"},{"url":"https://github.com/bridgecrewio/checkov/releases/tag/3.3.1","date":"2026-06-11T23:29:06Z","type":"stable","version":"3.3.1"},{"url":"https://github.com/bridgecrewio/checkov/releases/tag/3.3.0","date":"2026-06-10T23:29:21Z","type":"stable","version":"3.3.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/bridgecrewio/checkov/releases/tag/3.2.534","date":"2026-06-09T23:26:45Z","type":"stable","version":"3.2.534"},{"url":"https://github.com/bridgecrewio/checkov/releases/tag/3.2.533","date":"2026-06-04T23:23:55Z","type":"stable","version":"3.2.533"},{"url":"https://github.com/bridgecrewio/checkov/releases/tag/3.2.532","date":"2026-06-02T23:31:08Z","type":"stable","version":"3.2.532"},{"url":"https://github.com/bridgecrewio/checkov/releases/tag/3.2.531","date":"2026-06-01T23:29:11Z","type":"stable","version":"3.2.531"},{"url":"https://github.com/bridgecrewio/checkov/releases/tag/3.2.530","date":"2026-05-28T23:27:06Z","type":"stable","version":"3.2.530"},{"url":"https://github.com/bridgecrewio/checkov/releases/tag/3.2.529","date":"2026-05-14T23:16:35Z","type":"stable","version":"3.2.529"},{"url":"https://github.com/bridgecrewio/checkov/releases/tag/3.2.528","date":"2026-05-10T23:15:44Z","type":"stable","version":"3.2.528"},{"url":"https://github.com/bridgecrewio/checkov/releases/tag/3.2.527","date":"2026-05-07T23:16:54Z","type":"stable","version":"3.2.527"},{"url":"https://github.com/bridgecrewio/checkov/releases/tag/3.2.526","date":"2026-04-30T23:16:33Z","type":"stable","version":"3.2.526"},{"url":"https://github.com/bridgecrewio/checkov/releases/tag/3.2.525","date":"2026-04-26T23:11:49Z","type":"stable","version":"3.2.525"}]` | `[{"url":"https://github.com/falcosecurity/falco/releases/tag/0.44.1","date":"2026-06-11T07:53:06Z","type":"stable","version":"0.44.1"},{"url":"https://github.com/falcosecurity/falco/releases/tag/0.44.1-rc1","date":"2026-06-10T09:02:58Z","type":"prerelease","version":"0.44.1-rc1"},{"url":"https://github.com/falcosecurity/falco/releases/tag/0.44.0","date":"2026-05-26T14:29:36Z","type":"stable","version":"0.44.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/falcosecurity/falco/releases/tag/0.44.0-rc2","date":"2026-05-25T18:36:24Z","type":"prerelease","version":"0.44.0-rc2"},{"url":"https://github.com/falcosecurity/falco/releases/tag/0.44.0-rc1","date":"2026-05-21T11:06:27Z","type":"prerelease","version":"0.44.0-rc1"},{"url":"https://github.com/falcosecurity/falco/releases/tag/0.43.1","date":"2026-04-09T09:48:08Z","type":"stable","version":"0.43.1"},{"url":"https://github.com/falcosecurity/falco/releases/tag/0.43.0","date":"2026-01-28T13:49:28Z","type":"stable","version":"0.43.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/falcosecurity/falco/releases/tag/0.43.0-rc3","date":"2026-01-23T15:59:21Z","type":"stable","version":"0.43.0-rc3"},{"url":"https://github.com/falcosecurity/falco/releases/tag/0.43.0-rc2","date":"2026-01-22T12:28:19Z","type":"stable","version":"0.43.0-rc2"},{"url":"https://github.com/falcosecurity/falco/releases/tag/0.43.0-rc1","date":"2026-01-14T14:41:43Z","type":"prerelease","version":"0.43.0-rc1"},{"url":"https://github.com/falcosecurity/falco/releases/tag/0.42.1","date":"2025-11-06T10:19:14Z","type":"stable","version":"0.42.1"},{"url":"https://github.com/falcosecurity/falco/releases/tag/0.42.0","date":"2025-10-22T10:42:42Z","type":"stable","version":"0.42.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/falcosecurity/falco/releases/tag/0.42.0-rc4","date":"2025-10-22T09:16:14Z","type":"prerelease","version":"0.42.0-rc4"},{"url":"https://github.com/falcosecurity/falco/releases/tag/0.42.0-rc3","date":"2025-10-20T13:27:38Z","type":"prerelease","version":"0.42.0-rc3"},{"url":"https://github.com/falcosecurity/falco/releases/tag/0.42.0-rc2","date":"2025-10-17T14:37:23Z","type":"prerelease","version":"0.42.0-rc2"},{"url":"https://github.com/falcosecurity/falco/releases/tag/0.42.0-rc1","date":"2025-10-14T12:43:34Z","type":"prerelease","version":"0.42.0-rc1"},{"url":"https://github.com/falcosecurity/falco/releases/tag/0.41.3","date":"2025-07-01T09:54:42Z","type":"stable","version":"0.41.3"},{"url":"https://github.com/falcosecurity/falco/releases/tag/0.41.2","date":"2025-06-17T10:42:37Z","type":"stable","version":"0.41.2"},{"url":"https://github.com/falcosecurity/falco/releases/tag/0.41.1","date":"2025-06-05T07:40:03Z","type":"stable","version":"0.41.1"},{"url":"https://github.com/falcosecurity/falco/releases/tag/0.41.1-rc1","date":"2025-06-04T08:40:47Z","type":"prerelease","version":"0.41.1-rc1"}]` |
| security.scorecard | 7 | 7.3 |
| security.vulnerabilities | `{"count":0,"source":"https://advisories.ecosyste.ms/api/v1/advisories?ecosystem=pypi&package_name=checkov&per_page=100","last_12m":0,"max_severity":null}` | `{"count":0,"source":"https://advisories.ecosyste.ms/api/v1/advisories?ecosystem=helm&package_name=cloudnativeapp%2Ffalco&per_page=100","last_12m":0,"max_severity":null}` |

## Capabilities (Cloud Security Software)

| Capability | Checkov | Falco |
|---|:--:|:--:|
| **Posture** |  |  |
| CSPM (posture / misconfig) | ✓ | - |
| KSPM (Kubernetes posture) | ✓ | ✓ |
| **Workload** |  |  |
| CWPP (workload protection) | - | ✓ |
| **Entitlements** |  |  |
| CIEM (entitlements) | - | - |
| **Data** |  |  |
| DSPM (data posture) | - | - |
| **Pipeline** |  |  |
| IaC / pipeline scanning | ✓ | - |
| **Architecture** |  |  |
| Agentless scanning | ✓ | ✗ |
| **Runtime** |  |  |
| Runtime protection | - | ✓ |
| **Coverage** |  |  |
| Cloud coverage | AWS, Google Cloud, Azure | Multi-cloud: hosts, containers, Kubernetes, and cloud environments |
| **Compliance** |  |  |
| Compliance frameworks assessed | - | Rule-based detection for regulatory compliance violations |
| **Licensing** |  |  |
| Open-core scanner available | ✓ | ✓ |

*Source: Vioscale. Generated 2026-09-01T16:58:53.082Z. "-" = undocumented, not absent.*