Recommended Free Tools
Checkov is the strongest general-purpose choice for Terraform because it scans Terraform and Terraform plans at build time and supports policy-as-code checks. For narrower workflows, audytx focuses on resolved Terraform plans in AWS pull requests, DryRun Security adds contextual analysis, Gomboc can fix findings, KloudSec can block critical pull-request findings, Conftest lets you write Rego tests, and DeepSource reviews Terraform changes inline.
Best Terraform IaC Security Scanners Compared
| Rank | Scanner | Best Fit | Terraform Workflow Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Checkov | Broad Terraform and cloud coverage | Terraform and Terraform plan scanning; build-time checks |
| 2 | audytx | AWS pull requests where resolved plans matter | Checks the resolved plan |
| 3 | DryRun Security IaC Security | PR guidance connected to application security analysis | Terraform scanning and PR checks |
| 4 | KloudSec IaC Security | Blocking critical Terraform findings before merge | Scans every pull request |
| 5 | Gomboc AI Code Security Platform | GitOps teams that want automated fixes | Terraform analysis and ORL-based remediation |
| 6 | Conftest | Custom policy tests for Terraform data | Terraform, HCL and HCL2 with Rego policies |
| 7 | DeepSource | Inline Terraform review on pull requests | Terraform and CloudFormation IaC review |
Ranked Terraform Scanner Picks
1. Checkov
Checkov is the best starting point when your Terraform estate sits beside other cloud templates. Its stated support includes Terraform, Terraform plan, CloudFormation, Kubernetes, ARM Templates, Serverless, Helm and AWS CDK. It scans cloud resources at build time for misconfigured attributes and uses a Python policy-as-code framework. Graph-based YAML policies can analyze relationships between cloud resources, which is useful when a risk depends on how Terraform resources connect.
- Choose it for: one scanner covering Terraform plans and several adjacent infrastructure formats.
- Watch for: the supplied information does not state pricing, hosted-versus-local deployment, or specific Terraform provider coverage.
2. audytx
audytx is designed for Terraform security scanning in AWS pull requests. Its distinguishing check evaluates the resolved plan, helping surface conditions that appear only after Terraform resolves the configuration. That makes it a focused option when pull-request review and the planned AWS result are more important than broad multi-format coverage.
- Choose it for: AWS repositories where reviewers need findings from the resolved Terraform plan.
- Plan for: the listing says everything free today stays free and that paid tiers arrive on September 1, 2026; current tier details are not stated.
3. DryRun Security IaC Security
DryRun Security scans Terraform, Kubernetes and other infrastructure as code with the same Contextual Security Analysis engine used for application code. It can run IaC checks in pull requests with guidance aimed at fixing issues while infrastructure is still being designed.
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#1 Best Overall
- Choose it for: teams that want Terraform review connected to an application-code security workflow.
- Check before adopting: the supplied facts do not specify supported Terraform providers, pricing, deployment model or plan-file behavior.
4. KloudSec IaC Security
KloudSec scans Terraform and CloudFormation on every pull request. Its check runs can block merges when findings are critical, which gives teams a clear control for preventing a misconfigured security group or open S3 bucket from reaching production.
- Choose it for: repositories that need an enforced merge gate for critical Terraform findings.
- Trial: a 14-day free trial is listed with no credit card required and five-minute setup.
5. Gomboc AI Code Security Platform
Gomboc analyzes Terraform, CloudFormation or Pulumi to understand the current state and architecture. Its ORL execution engine goes beyond detection by automatically fixing issues surfaced by security scanning tools. Native GitOps support puts fixes in the IDE, version control system and CI/CD pipelines.
Rank #2
- Choose it for: GitOps teams that want remediation actions alongside Terraform findings.
- Confirm first: the supplied facts do not state which scanners Gomboc connects to, how fixes are approved, pricing or Terraform provider coverage.
6. Conftest
Conftest is the policy-testing choice in this list. You can write tests for Terraform code and other structured data, using the Rego language from Open Policy Agent. Its stated format support includes HCL and HCL2, making it suitable when your team wants to define organization-specific rules rather than rely only on a vendor’s built-in checks.
- Choose it for: custom Terraform guardrails expressed as versioned Rego tests.
- Expect configuration work: the supplied facts do not provide built-in rule coverage, hosted service details, pricing or pull-request integrations.
7. DeepSource
DeepSource provides Infrastructure-as-Code Review for Terraform and CloudFormation. Its pull-request review is inline and is described as catching bugs, anti-patterns and security vulnerabilities on every pull request. That makes it a practical fit when Terraform review already happens inside code review.
- Choose it for: inline feedback on Terraform pull requests.
- Verify scope: the supplied facts do not state Terraform plan scanning, provider coverage, pricing or deployment options.
How To Choose For A Terraform Repository
- Decide what artifact must be checked. Choose a plan-aware option when resolved infrastructure matters; choose policy tests when your main need is custom rules against Terraform data.
- Set the merge policy. If critical findings must stop a merge, KloudSec explicitly documents that behavior. For other products, confirm enforcement details with the vendor.
- Match the review location. audytx, DryRun Security, KloudSec and DeepSource describe pull-request workflows; Gomboc also describes IDE, version-control and CI/CD GitOps workflows.
- Confirm your missing specifics. Check provider coverage, plan-file support, pricing, hosting, data handling and integrations because the supplied product facts do not establish them consistently.
Licensing And Data-Handling Note
The supplied product facts do not specify licensing terms, data retention, rights to submitted Terraform, or privacy controls. Review each vendor’s current terms before sending proprietary infrastructure code or selecting a paid plan.
Quick Recap
Rank #4
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