Best Fairwinds Polaris Alternatives in 2026
15 infrastructure as code security software our editors would look at instead of Fairwinds Polaris, in our ranking order.
Fairwinds Polaris: A focused Kubernetes validator with audits, admission control, custom checks, and remediation. Where it falls short: focused on kubernetes rather than terraform or CloudFormation.
Advertiser disclosure: iTechGuides is reader-supported. We may earn a commission when you click some links. Scores and reviews are set by our editors and never change for payment; paid placements are marked Featured. How we rank.
-
KICS not yet scored
Best forBroad, free IaC security coverage
A broad, free IaC scanner for security, compliance, secrets, and misconfigurations.
- Secrets detection
- IDE integration
- Kubernetes analysis
—not yet scoredVisit KICS -
Checkov not yet scored
Best forOpen-source multi-framework scanning
A free, multi-framework IaC scanner with custom policies, graph analysis, and CI/CD support.
- Secrets detection
- IDE integration
- Kubernetes analysis
—not yet scoredVisit Checkov -
Best forManaged IaC security for established teams
A broad IaC security layer for teams that need scanning, governance, and drift management.
- IDE integration
- Kubernetes analysis
- CloudFormation analysis
8.4/10★★★★☆Visit Snyk IaC -
Best forLow-cost, feature-rich IaC security
Feature-rich IaC security with a free plan and $9 monthly entry tier.
- IDE integration
- Kubernetes analysis
- CloudFormation analysis
8.4/10★★★★☆Visit Safeguard -
Best forFull-stack cloud and IaC security
Aikido brings IaC, code, cloud and runtime security into one platform.
4.0/10★★☆☆☆Visit Aikido -
DryRun Security IaC Security not yet scored
Best forTeams needing AI-assisted IaC workflows
AI-assisted IaC analysis with policy controls, secrets detection, and developer workflow integrations.
- Secrets detection
- IDE integration
- Kubernetes analysis
—not yet scoredVisit DryRun -
Best forTerraform-focused engineering teams
A Terraform-focused scanner with attack-path analysis, GitHub workflows, and tiered scan limits.
- Secrets detection
- IDE integration
- CloudFormation analysis
7.9/10★★★★☆Visit audytx -
Best forEnterprise multi-cloud IaC programs
Broad multi-cloud IaC coverage with policy controls, workflow checks, and compliance reporting.
- IDE integration
- Kubernetes analysis
- CloudFormation analysis
7.4/10★★★★☆Visit TigerGate -
Best forPolicy-driven Terraform and CloudFormation fixes
A policy-driven IaC security platform with free scans and pull-request remediation.
- IDE integration
- CloudFormation analysis
- Terraform analysis
6.9/10★★★☆☆Visit Gomboc -
c7n-left not yet scored
Best forOpen-source Terraform policy enforcement
A focused Terraform policy checker for teams that want Cloud Custodian controls in pull requests.
- Terraform analysis
- Custom policies
- Pull request scanning
—not yet scoredVisit c7n-left -
Conftest not yet scored
Best forTeams writing Rego IaC policies
A free, flexible Rego CLI for Terraform and Kubernetes policy checks.
- Kubernetes analysis
- Terraform analysis
- Custom policies
—not yet scoredVisit Conftest -
AWS CloudFormation not yet scored
Best forAWS-native CloudFormation governance
A mature, AWS-only foundation for governed CloudFormation deployments.
—not yet scoredVisit site -
Best forTeams wanting managed managed PR-based IaC controls
A managed PR-based IaC security tool with strong AWS-focused analysis.
- CloudFormation analysis
- Terraform analysis
- Pull request scanning
7.7/10★★★★☆Visit KloudSec -
Trivy not yet scored
Best forSelf-hosted security scanning beyond IaC
A free, self-hosted scanner that extends beyond IaC into broader software security.
—not yet scoredVisit Trivy -
Kubescape not yet scored
Best forKubernetes security and runtime posture
A free, self-hosted Kubernetes security platform spanning code, clusters, images, and runtime.
—not yet scoredVisit Kubescape
Fairwinds Polaris Alternatives: Common Questions
What is the best alternative to Fairwinds Polaris?
Snyk IaC: #3 in our Infrastructure as Code Security Software ranking, with an editor score of 8.4 out of 10. A broad IaC security layer for teams that need scanning, governance, and drift management.
Is there a free alternative to Fairwinds Polaris?
Yes. KICS, Checkov, Snyk IaC, Safeguard IaC Security and Aikido Security have a free plan or a free tier (13 of the 15 alternatives on this page).
Fairwinds Polaris vs Each Alternative
| # | Tool | Free plan | Paid from | Terraform analysis | Kubernetes analysis | CloudFormation analysis | Custom policies | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15 | Fairwinds Polaris | Yes | None | — | Yes | — | Yes | 6.1 |
| not scored | KICS | Yes | None | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | — |
| not scored | Checkov | Yes | None | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | — |
| 3 | Snyk IaC | Yes | — | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | 8.4 |
| 4 | Safeguard IaC Security | Yes | — | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | 8.4 |
| 5 | Aikido Security | Yes | — | — | — | — | — | 4.0 |
| not scored | DryRun Security IaC Security | — | — | Yes | Yes | — | Yes | — |
| 7 | audytx | Yes | — | Yes | No | Yes | — | 7.9 |
| 8 | TigerGate IaC Security | No | — | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | 7.4 |
| 9 | Gomboc AI Code Security Platform | Yes | — | Yes | — | Yes | Yes | 6.9 |
| not scored | c7n-left | Yes | None | Yes | — | — | Yes | — |
| not scored | Conftest | Yes | None | Yes | Yes | — | Yes | — |
| not scored | AWS CloudFormation | Yes | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 13 | KloudSec IaC Security | Yes | — | Yes | — | Yes | — | 7.7 |
| not scored | Trivy | Yes | None | — | — | — | — | — |
| not scored | Kubescape | Yes | None | — | — | — | — | — |
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Sep 2026