Brakeman
Brakeman: A Rails-focused SAST tool with configurable checks, CI automation, and editor findings. Ranked #25 of 26 in SAST Tools by our editors (6.7/10); pricing: Paid; best for ruby on Rails teams.
At a glance
- Editor score6.7 / 10
- PricingPaid
- Best forRuby on Rails teams
- Facts checked21 Sep 2026

Where it wins
- Rails-specific checks run with zero configuration.
- Supports SARIF, JUnit, HTML, JSON, and other report formats.
- Integrates with CI systems and Ruby LSP-supported editors.
Where it doesn't
- Commercial use requires a commercial, non-free license.
- Its verified focus is limited to Ruby on Rails.
- Command-line workflows may not suit teams seeking a broader platform.
Our verdict on Brakeman
Brakeman is a command-line static-analysis security scanner for Ruby on Rails application source code. It examines source without requiring the full application stack and identifies potential issues such as SQL injection, cross-site scripting, command injection, and unsafe deserialization. Rails teams can start with default settings, while security and development teams can tune checks, severity thresholds, confidence levels, and warning suppression to fit their review process.
Its strongest fit is an engineering workflow centered on Ruby and Rails. Brakeman can generate text, HTML, JSON, JUnit, Markdown, CSV, SARIF, and other report formats, which supports local review and automated pipelines. CI integrations include Jenkins, GitLab CI, Travis CI, Semaphore CI, and Electric Cloud. Ruby LSP integration adds inline findings in supported editors, while Guard::Brakeman and ALE for Vim extend the surrounding Ruby tooling. Selectable, excluded, and additional custom checks give teams control over how scanning is applied.
Commercial licensing is an important buying consideration. The current license permits use without charge for non-commercial purposes, while commercial use requires a commercial, non-free license. Teams evaluating Brakeman should therefore clarify licensing terms with Synopsys before adopting it in a commercial environment. Brakeman suits organizations that want focused Rails source analysis, configurable findings, and CI-oriented reporting. Teams securing applications across multiple languages or frameworks should choose a SAST product with broader verified coverage instead.
Your product? Our editors can test Brakeman in depth and publish a review, labelled as paid · from $149/mo →
Brakeman pricing
Brakeman fact sheet
| Free plan | Not verified |
|---|---|
| Paid from | Not verified |
| Analysis targets | source code |
| Languages supported | Not verified |
| Pull request scans | Not verified |
| IDE support | Yes |
| CI/CD integration | Yes |
| Custom security rules | Yes |
| Automated fixes | Not verified |
| Deployment | Self-hosted |
| Support | Docs, Community |
| Built for | Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise (editorial estimate) |
| Integrations | 9 integrations: Jenkins, GitHub Actions, Guard, Ruby LSP, Vim ALE, Travis CI … |
| Pricing | Paid |
| Website | brakemanscanner.org |
| Facts checked | 21 Sep 2026 |
Brakeman integrations
Brakeman lists 9 integrations on its own site.
- Jenkins
- GitHub Actions
- Guard
- Ruby LSP
- Vim ALE
- Travis CI
- Semaphore CI
- Electric Cloud
- GitLab CI
Alternatives to Brakeman
- Semgrep CodeBroad SAST coverage with pull-request, CI/CD, IDE, custom-rule, and AI-assisted workflows.9.4
- Snyk CodeAffordable source-code SAST with pull-request, IDE, CI/CD, and automated-fix workflows.9.2
- GitHub CodeQLDeep SAST for GitHub workflows, with free public-repository scanning.9.0
See all Brakeman alternatives →
Also Ranked In
Brakeman is ranked in 5 of our directories.
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Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
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