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Head-to-head · Infrastructure Policy as Code Tools

Cloud Custodian vs Firefly

  • Updated Oct 2026
  • Both researched from official sources
  • 6 checks side by side
Higher score Cloud Custodian #4 in Infrastructure Policy as Code Tools 9.0/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 5 of 5 features Try Cloud Custodian
Firefly #7 in Infrastructure Policy as Code Tools 8.7/10 14-day trial Free trial✓ 0 of 5 features Visit Firefly

Cloud Custodian leads on 1 check, Firefly on 0, 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 scoreCloud Custodian · 9.0/10
  • Free planonly Cloud Custodian
  • Free trialonly Firefly
  • Most featuresCloud Custodian · 5 of 5

Cloud Custodian scores higher on our rubric for infrastructure policy as code tools: 9.0 against 8.7 out of 10; our editors rank them #4 and #7.

Cloud Custodian offers free plan; Firefly doesn't.

Cloud Custodian is the better fit for multi-cloud remediation teams. Firefly is the better fit for enterprise multi-cloud IaC governance.

  • Cloud Custodian fits best

    Multi-cloud remediation teams

  • Firefly fits best

    Enterprise multi-cloud IaC governance

Advertiser disclosure: iTechGuides is reader-supported. Vendors can pay for top positions in our rankings and for a place on other products' pages, and we may earn a commission when you click some links. Bought places stand at the number bought; this page and our disclosure say so. Paying vendors may get a fuller, more detailed review from our editors, and that review can change their score. How we rank.

Side by side

Feature Cloud Custodian 9.0/10 Visit ↗ Firefly 8.7/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score 9.0 8.7
Ranking #4 in Infrastructure Policy as Code Tools #7 in Infrastructure Policy as Code Tools
Best for Multi-cloud remediation teams Enterprise multi-cloud IaC governance
Pricing model Free Paid
Starting price Free plan $2,499/mo
Free plan ✓ (best) —
Free trial — 14 days
Deployment Cloud, Self-hosted Cloud, Self-hosted
Platforms Windows, macOS, Linux Web
Support Community, Docs Email, Live chat, Docs
Integrations 4 integrations 20 integrations
Built for Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise Mid-market, Enterprise
Features Cloud Custodian 5/5 · Firefly 0/5
Policy testing ✓ (best) Not checked yet
Admission control ✓ (best) Not checked yet
Runtime enforcement ✓ (best) Not checked yet
CI/CD integration ✓ (best) Not checked yet
Policy reporting ✓ (best) Not checked yet
Specs
Policy language YAML Not checked yet
IaC formats Terraform Not checked yet
Our review
Pros
  • Supports AWS, Azure, Google Cloud, and Oracle Cloud Infrastructure
  • Combines YAML policies, dry runs, enforcement, remediation, and reporting
  • Evaluates Terraform infrastructure as code in CI with c7n-left
  • Orchestrates Terraform, OpenTofu, and Terragrunt workflows
  • Detects drift and supports automated remediation
  • Covers five clouds with policy-as-code and Git workflows
Cons
  • Requires teams to manage and operate the open-source deployment
  • CI admission-style enforcement is not a standalone deployment admission controller
  • Policy reporting is limited to CSV and text-based outputs
  • Essential starts at $2,499 per month with annual billing
  • There is no free plan
  • Enterprise pricing is custom
Our verdict

Cloud Custodian is an open-source rules engine for managing public-cloud resources and accounts. It is designed for teams that need one policy workflow across AWS, Microsoft Azure, Google Cloud Platform, and Oracle Cloud Infrastructure.…

Read the review →

Firefly is a cloud infrastructure management platform for enterprise CloudOps, platform engineering, security, and governance teams. It combines infrastructure-as-code orchestration, cloud inventory, policy-as-code, state management, drift…

Read the review →
  1. Cloud CustodianInfrastructure Policy as Code Tools 9.0Free plan
  2. FireflyInfrastructure Policy as Code Tools 8.714-day trial

Strengths and trade-offs

  • Cloud Custodian — where it wins

    • Supports AWS, Azure, Google Cloud, and Oracle Cloud Infrastructure
    • Combines YAML policies, dry runs, enforcement, remediation, and reporting
    • Evaluates Terraform infrastructure as code in CI with c7n-left

    Where it doesn't

    • Requires teams to manage and operate the open-source deployment
    • CI admission-style enforcement is not a standalone deployment admission controller
    • Policy reporting is limited to CSV and text-based outputs

  • Firefly — where it wins

    • Orchestrates Terraform, OpenTofu, and Terragrunt workflows
    • Detects drift and supports automated remediation
    • Covers five clouds with policy-as-code and Git workflows

    Where it doesn't

    • Essential starts at $2,499 per month with annual billing
    • There is no free plan
    • Enterprise pricing is custom

More comparisons

All infrastructure policy as code tools comparisons → · Full ranking →

Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026

Last updated · How we research and update