Bandit

At a glance

• Editor score
  Not yet scored
• Pricing
  Free plan
• Best for
  Python teams needing lightweight SAST
• Free plan
  Yes
• Paid from
  None
• Facts checked
  21 Sep 2026

• Where it wins

  • Free, open-source AST-based scanning for Python source code
  • Baselines, exclusions, test selection, and custom plugin support
  • Works with CI, pre-commit, editors, and multiple report formats

• Where it doesn't

  • Focused on Python rather than broader language coverage
  • Pull-request scanning is not part of the listed feature set
  • Autofix is not part of the listed feature set

Our verdict on Bandit

Bandit is an open-source static-analysis security tool for Python code from PyCQA. It parses Python files into an abstract syntax tree and applies security-focused test plugins to identify patterns such as unsafe subprocess usage, weak cryptography, hardcoded passwords, insecure deserialization, and framework misconfiguration. It is suited to Python teams that want a lightweight command-line scanner they can run locally, in pre-commit, or in CI/CD workflows. Linux and macOS are listed platforms, and a Visual Studio Code extension is maintained by the Bandit authors.

Its strongest fit is configurable scanning within an existing Python workflow. Teams can select tests, define exclusions, adjust plugin settings, and compare results with a baseline to suppress known findings. Bandit also supports reports in JSON, SARIF, HTML, CSV, XML, and YAML, giving teams options for code-scanning workflows and downstream reporting. Integrations include GitHub Actions, pre-commit, Visual Studio Code, Jenkins, Ruff, and Flake8. Custom security checks can be added through entry points, which gives Python-focused teams a path to extend the default plugin set.

Bandit is narrower than a broad application-security platform. Its verified scope is Python source patterns, so teams working across multiple programming languages may need another tool alongside it. The listed capabilities emphasize local analysis, CI/CD integration, baseline management, and reporting rather than pull-request scanning or autofix. Choose Bandit when Python coverage, open-source access, configurable checks, and straightforward workflow integration are the priorities. Consider an alternative when the main requirement is broader language coverage or built-in pull-request remediation workflows.

Bandit pricing

Bandit fact sheet

Bandit integrations

Bandit lists 9 integrations on its own site.

• Visual Studio Code
• Sublime Text
• Vim/Neovim
• Emacs
• GitHub Actions
• Hudson/Jenkins
• Ruff
• Flake8
• pre-commit

Alternatives to Bandit

• Semgrep CodeBroad SAST coverage with pull-request, CI/CD, IDE, custom-rule, and AI-assisted workflows.9.0
• Snyk CodeAffordable source-code SAST with pull-request, IDE, CI/CD, and automated-fix workflows.9.0
• GitHub CodeQLDeep SAST for GitHub workflows, with free public-repository scanning.9.0

See all Bandit alternatives →

Also listed in

• Static Application Security Testing Software

Featured on iTechGuides

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Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Sep 2026

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