Socket review
A focused SCA platform for detecting malicious packages and dependency risk.
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
Socket is a cloud software composition analysis platform for development and security teams managing open-source dependencies. It analyzes package manifests and dependencies for risks including malware, typosquatting, install scripts, network access, telemetry, native code, and vulnerable components. Its coverage includes JavaScript/TypeScript, Python, Go, Java, Ruby, .NET, Scala, Kotlin, Rust, PHP, Swift, C/C++, Julia, Dart, Elixir/Erlang, and GitHub Actions. Pull-request scanning, dependency reports, CLI access, API access, SBOM support, vulnerability prioritization, and reachability analysis make it suited to teams that want package risk checks within development workflows.
The Free plan supports unlimited developers and repositories, with 1,000 scans per month, a 500 API quota per hour, and pull-request dependency risk detection. Team costs $25 per developer per month with monthly billing, requires at least 5 developers, and adds 5,000 scans per month, precomputed reachability analysis, and priority scoring. Business costs $50 per developer per month, requires at least 20 developers, and adds SBOM import and export, SSO/SAML, webhook automation, GitHub Actions scanning, and AI model scanning. Enterprise uses custom pricing and adds full application function-level reachability, SCIM provisioning, audit logs, IP restrictions, and additional repository integrations.
Socket fits teams that need malicious-package detection alongside broader dependency analysis. Its ecosystem includes GitHub, GitLab, Bitbucket, Azure DevOps, AWS CodePipeline, Azure Pipelines, CircleCI, Jenkins, Slack, Microsoft Teams, Jira, ServiceNow, Vanta, Drata, and Splunk. SBOM generation, import, and export support help connect dependency findings with inventory and governance workflows, while API access and webhooks support automation. Teams should consider the Free plan for smaller-scale evaluation or basic pull-request scanning. Organizations needing higher scan volumes, reachability, identity controls, or broader repository support should compare the paid tiers and Enterprise plan against their developer count and integration requirements.
Socket pros and cons
- Where it wins
- Detects malware, typosquats, install scripts, telemetry, and native-code risks
- Combines pull-request scanning, SBOMs, reachability, CLI, and API access
- Supports many ecosystems plus GitHub, CI/CD, and service integrations
- Where it doesn't
- Free plan is limited to 1,000 scans and 500 API quota per hour
- Team requires at least 5 developers; Business requires at least 20
- Enterprise pricing and advanced controls require a custom plan
Socket fact sheet, pricing and score →
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