Cloud Custodian vs CGPulse

Cloud Custodian9.2Visit CGPulse8.7Visit

Higher score Cloud Custodian #2 in Cloud Governance Software 9.2/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 0 of 5 features Try Cloud Custodian

vs

CGPulse #6 in Cloud Governance Software 8.7/10 Free plan · 7-day trial Free planFree trial✓ 4 of 5 features Visit CGPulse

• Cloud Custodian fits best

  Teams wanting open-source multi-cloud governance

• CGPulse fits best

  Small teams managing AWS and Azure

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Side by side

Feature	Cloud Custodian 9.2/10 Visit ↗	CGPulse 8.7/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score	9.2	8.7
Ranking	#2 in Cloud Governance Software	#6 in Cloud Governance Software
Best for	Teams wanting open-source multi-cloud governance	Small teams managing AWS and Azure
Pricing model	Free	Free plan + paid
Starting price	Free plan	€99/mo
Free plan	✓	✓
Free trial	—	7 days
Deployment	Cloud, Self-hosted	Cloud
Platforms	Windows, macOS, Linux	Web
Support	Community, Docs	Email
Integrations	4 integrations	7 integrations
Built for	Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise	Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise
Features Cloud Custodian 0/5 · CGPulse 4/5
Policy as code	Not checked yet	✓ (best)
Compliance frameworks	Not checked yet	✓ (best)
Drift detection	Not checked yet	✓ (best)
Automated remediation	Not checked yet	✓ (best)
Approval workflows	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Specs
Cloud coverage	Not checked yet	Multi-cloud
Our review
Pros	Supports AWS, Azure, Google Cloud, and Oracle Cloud Infrastructure Combines validation, dry runs, enforcement, remediation, and reporting Evaluates Terraform infrastructure as code in CI workflows	Free plan includes 621 built-in rules and governance dashboards Scans AWS and Azure across 19 compliance frameworks Exports remediation to Terraform, Bicep, and CLI
Cons	Self-hosted deployment requires teams to manage the operating environment Policy authoring and testing require familiarity with YAML workflows Admission-style enforcement operates through CI rather than a standalone controller	Cloud coverage is focused on AWS and Azure Clean PDF reports and APIs require paid plans The tool assesses posture rather than certifying compliance
Our verdict	Cloud Custodian is an open-source rules engine for managing public-cloud resources and accounts. It is designed for teams that want to define governance, security, and cost-management policies in YAML across AWS, Microsoft Azure, Google… Read the review →	CGPulse is a cloud governance SaaS platform for teams managing AWS and Azure environments. It scans cloud resources for configuration issues, drift, policy violations, and compliance findings. Its audience includes cloud security,… Read the review →

Strengths and trade-offs

• Cloud Custodian — where it wins

  • Supports AWS, Azure, Google Cloud, and Oracle Cloud Infrastructure
  • Combines validation, dry runs, enforcement, remediation, and reporting
  • Evaluates Terraform infrastructure as code in CI workflows

  Where it doesn't

  • Self-hosted deployment requires teams to manage the operating environment
  • Policy authoring and testing require familiarity with YAML workflows
  • Admission-style enforcement operates through CI rather than a standalone controller

• CGPulse — where it wins

  • Free plan includes 621 built-in rules and governance dashboards
  • Scans AWS and Azure across 19 compliance frameworks
  • Exports remediation to Terraform, Bicep, and CLI

  Where it doesn't

  • Cloud coverage is focused on AWS and Azure
  • Clean PDF reports and APIs require paid plans
  • The tool assesses posture rather than certifying compliance

• Cloud Custodian9.2/10 · Free plan

  A flexible YAML-based engine for governing AWS, Azure, Google Cloud, and OCI.

  Try Cloud CustodianFull verdict →
• CGPulse8.7/10 · Free plan · 7-day trial

  Affordable AWS and Azure governance with policy, compliance, and remediation tools.

  Visit CGPulseFull verdict →