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Head-to-head · AI Agent Security Software

Lakera Guard vs Cato AI Security for Applications

  • Updated Oct 2026
  • Both researched from official sources
  • 6 checks side by side
Higher score Lakera Guard #4 in AI Agent Security Software 8.9/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 5 of 5 features Visit Lakera Guard
Cato AI Security for Applications #6 in AI Agent Security Software 8.8/10 Pricing on request ✓ 4 of 5 features Visit Cato

Lakera Guard leads on 2 checks, Cato AI Security for Applications on 0, and 4 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 scoreLakera Guard · 8.9/10
  • Free planonly Lakera Guard
  • Most featuresLakera Guard · 5 of 5

Lakera Guard scores higher on our rubric for ai agent security software: 8.9 against 8.8 out of 10; our editors rank them #4 and #6.

Lakera Guard offers free plan; Cato AI Security for Applications doesn't publish it. Lakera Guard offers audit logs; Cato AI Security for Applications doesn't publish it. On integration mode, Cato AI Security for Applications gives you Both where Lakera Guard offers Gateway.

Lakera Guard is the better fit for teams needing runtime guardrails and a free plan. Cato AI Security for Applications is the better fit for teams enforcing runtime policies across AI apps.

  • Lakera Guard fits best

    Teams needing runtime guardrails and a free plan

  • Cato AI Security for Applications fits best

    Teams enforcing runtime policies across AI apps

Advertiser disclosure: iTechGuides is reader-supported. We may earn a commission when you click some links. How we rank.

Side by side

Feature Lakera Guard 8.9/10 Visit ↗ Cato AI Security for Applications 8.8/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score 8.9 8.8
Ranking #4 in AI Agent Security Software #6 in AI Agent Security Software
Best for Teams needing runtime guardrails and a free plan Teams enforcing runtime policies across AI apps
Pricing model Free plan + paid Paid
Starting price Not published Not published
Free plan ✓ (best) Not published
Free trial — —
Deployment Cloud, Self-hosted Cloud, Self-hosted
Platforms Web Web
Integrations 7 integrations 2 integrations
Built for Mid-market, Enterprise Mid-market, Enterprise
Features Lakera Guard 5/5 · Cato AI Security for Applications 4/5
Prompt-attack defense ✓ ✓
Sensitive-data controls ✓ ✓
Runtime monitoring ✓ ✓
Output safety filters ✓ ✓
Audit logs ✓ (best) Not published
Specs
Deployment Hybrid Hybrid
Integration mode Gateway Both
Our review
Pros
  • Screens prompts, context, tool activity and outputs through an API
  • Detects prompt attacks, sensitive-data leakage and unsafe content
  • Cloud or self-hosted deployment with custom policies and investigations
  • Inventories AI applications and agents across environments
  • Inspects prompts, responses, and actions at runtime
  • Blocks or redacts unsafe and noncompliant activity inline
Cons
  • Requires integration into an AI application's runtime flow
  • Advanced policy configuration may take security-team effort
  • Paid plan amounts are not published
  • Pricing requires contacting sales
  • Focused on internally developed AI applications and agents
  • Verified integrations are limited to AWS Bedrock and Azure ML
Our verdict

Lakera Guard is a runtime security layer for generative-AI applications and agents, suited to teams that need to inspect interactions before they reach a model or user. It screens prompts, reference content, tool calls, tool responses and…

Read the review →

Cato AI Security for Applications is designed for organizations building and managing their own AI applications and agents across cloud, on-premises, and private-cloud environments. It combines discovery, runtime inspection, and…

Read the review →
  1. Lakera GuardAI Agent Security Software 8.9Free plan
  2. Cato AI Security for ApplicationsAI Agent Security Software 8.8Pricing on request

Strengths and trade-offs

  • Lakera Guard — where it wins

    • Screens prompts, context, tool activity and outputs through an API
    • Detects prompt attacks, sensitive-data leakage and unsafe content
    • Cloud or self-hosted deployment with custom policies and investigations

    Where it doesn't

    • Requires integration into an AI application's runtime flow
    • Advanced policy configuration may take security-team effort
    • Paid plan amounts are not published

  • Cato AI Security for Applications — where it wins

    • Inventories AI applications and agents across environments
    • Inspects prompts, responses, and actions at runtime
    • Blocks or redacts unsafe and noncompliant activity inline

    Where it doesn't

    • Pricing requires contacting sales
    • Focused on internally developed AI applications and agents
    • Verified integrations are limited to AWS Bedrock and Azure ML
  • Lakera Guard8.9/10 · Free plan

    A runtime security layer for screening AI prompts, agent actions and outputs.

    Visit Lakera GuardFull verdict →
  • Cato AI Security for Applications8.8/10 · Pricing on request

    Centralized runtime controls for teams securing internally developed AI apps and agents.

    Visit CatoFull verdict →

More comparisons

All AI agent security software comparisons → · Full ranking →

Guides on AI agent security software

Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026

Last updated · How we research and update