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Head-to-head · SBOM Generation Tools

Amazon Inspector vs Syft

  • Updated Nov 2026
  • Both researched from official sources
  • 6 checks side by side
Higher score Amazon Inspector #2 in SBOM Generation Tools 8.6/10 15-day trial Free trial✓ 0 of 6 features Try Amazon Inspector
Syft #5 in SBOM Generation Tools 7.9/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 5 of 6 features Visit Syft

Amazon Inspector leads on 0 checks, Syft on 1, and 5 are even. Who comes out ahead on the 6 yes/no, price and count checks where we have data for both products. The editor score weighs everything else too.

Our verdict

  • Highest scoreAmazon Inspector · 8.6/10
  • Free planonly Syft
  • Free trialonly Amazon Inspector
  • Most featuresSyft · 5 of 6

Amazon Inspector scores higher on our rubric for sbom generation tools: 8.6 against 7.9 out of 10; our editors rank them #2 and #5.

Syft offers free plan; Amazon Inspector doesn't.

Amazon Inspector is the better fit for AWS teams needing managed SBOM exports. Syft is the better fit for broad SBOM generation across images and filesystems.

  • Amazon Inspector fits best

    AWS teams needing managed SBOM exports

  • Syft fits best

    Broad SBOM generation across images and filesystems

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Side by side

Feature Amazon Inspector 8.6/10 Visit ↗ Syft 7.9/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score 8.6 7.9
Ranking #2 in SBOM Generation Tools #5 in SBOM Generation Tools
Best for AWS teams needing managed SBOM exports Broad SBOM generation across images and filesystems
Pricing model Paid Free
Starting price 15-day trial Free plan
Free plan — ✓ (best)
Free trial 15 days —
Deployment Cloud Self-hosted
Platforms Web Linux, macOS, Windows
Support Docs Community, Docs
Integrations 4 integrations 4 integrations
Built for Mid-market, Enterprise Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise
Features Amazon Inspector 0/6 · Syft 5/6
SPDX output Not checked yet ✓ (best)
CycloneDX output Not checked yet ✓ (best)
Source code input Not checked yet ✓ (best)
Container image input Not checked yet ✓ (best)
Binary input Not checked yet ✓ (best)
Build-pipeline support Not checked yet Not checked yet
Our review
Pros
  • Scans EC2, ECR, Lambda, code repositories, and CI/CD container images
  • Combines continuous scanning with findings, risk scoring, and remediation guidance
  • Connects with AWS Organizations, Security Hub, and EventBridge
  • Creates CycloneDX and SPDX output and converts between supported formats
  • Scans images from Docker, Podman, Containerd, OCI archives, and registries
  • Generates signed SBOM attestations using the in-toto specification
Cons
  • Usage-based pricing varies by workload and AWS Region
  • SBOM export formats and breadth are not specified
  • CIS Benchmark assessments are excluded from the AWS trial
  • Command-line and Go library workflows may not suit teams seeking a graphical interface
  • Self-hosted deployment places operation with the adopting team
  • Support is through community channels and documentation
Our verdict

Amazon Inspector is a cloud vulnerability management service for teams running workloads in AWS and selected Azure environments. It automatically discovers eligible workloads and scans EC2 instances, ECR container images, Lambda functions,…

Read the review →

Syft is an open-source command-line tool and Go library from Anchore for generating software bills of materials. It suits teams that need to inventory software across container images, filesystems, directories, individual files, and…

Read the review →
  1. Amazon InspectorSBOM Generation Tools 8.615-day trial
  2. SyftSBOM Generation Tools 7.9Free plan

Strengths and trade-offs

  • Amazon Inspector — where it wins

    • Scans EC2, ECR, Lambda, code repositories, and CI/CD container images
    • Combines continuous scanning with findings, risk scoring, and remediation guidance
    • Connects with AWS Organizations, Security Hub, and EventBridge

    Where it doesn't

    • Usage-based pricing varies by workload and AWS Region
    • SBOM export formats and breadth are not specified
    • CIS Benchmark assessments are excluded from the AWS trial

  • Syft — where it wins

    • Creates CycloneDX and SPDX output and converts between supported formats
    • Scans images from Docker, Podman, Containerd, OCI archives, and registries
    • Generates signed SBOM attestations using the in-toto specification

    Where it doesn't

    • Command-line and Go library workflows may not suit teams seeking a graphical interface
    • Self-hosted deployment places operation with the adopting team
    • Support is through community channels and documentation

Amazon Inspector vs Syft: questions

Which is better for SBOM generation tools, Amazon Inspector or Syft?

Amazon Inspector scores higher on our rubric for sbom generation tools: 8.6 against 7.9 out of 10; our editors rank them #2 and #5.

How do Amazon Inspector and Syft compare?

Of the 6 checks we put side by side, Amazon Inspector leads on none, Syft on 1, and 5 are level. Free plan only on Syft.

Do Amazon Inspector and Syft have a free plan?

Amazon Inspector: No. Syft: Yes.

More comparisons

All SBOM generation tools comparisons → · Full ranking →

Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Nov 2026

Last updated · How we research and update