ARGUS vs Semgrep: Which Fits Your Team in 2026?

Short answer: Semgrep is the open-source developer favorite for static analysis, and if you want to write and own custom rules across many languages, it is excellent and free to start. ARGUS is an AI-native platform that covers code, dependencies, secrets, and infrastructure as code in one place, ranks findings by reachability, and opens the fix as a pull request. If your priority is custom rule authoring and an open-source engine, pick Semgrep. If you are a small team shipping AI-written code that wants one tool to find and fix across the whole supply chain without a security engineer, ARGUS fits better. Here is the fair comparison.

Why teams compare ARGUS and Semgrep

Semgrep is where many teams start their code security, because its engine is open source and its rules are yours to write. Teams begin comparing it to ARGUS when they want more than static analysis: dependency and secret and IaC coverage in one platform, findings ranked by exploitability, and fixes opened for them rather than a list to work through. Both scan code well. The differences are coverage, how findings get fixed, pricing shape, and who each is built for.

ARGUS vs Semgrep at a glance

Semgrep pricing per semgrep.dev/pricing: Free for up to 10 contributors and 10 repos (Code and Supply Chain); Teams from $30 per contributor per month for Code, $30 for Supply Chain, $15 for Secrets; Enterprise custom. ARGUS: usage-based, starts free.

Where ARGUS wins

One platform across the whole supply chain. ARGUS covers code, dependencies, secrets, and infrastructure as code from one control plane. Semgrep is strongest on code and dependencies, prices Secrets separately, and does not focus on IaC, so matching ARGUS's coverage with Semgrep means adding products or tools.

It fixes, and ranks by reachability. ARGUS ranks every finding by real reachability across all types, then its fix agent opens the remediation as a pull request that a human merges. Semgrep surfaces high-quality findings and offers AI remediation credits, but the model is closer to detect-and-guide than open-the-fix-for-you across the supply chain.

Pricing that does not stack per product. Semgrep's paid tiers price each product per contributor: Code at $30, Supply Chain at $30, and Secrets at $15 per contributor per month (semgrep.dev/pricing). A team that wants all three multiplies that across contributors. ARGUS is usage-based and starts at zero, with the same pricing for one developer or a hundred.

Built for the AI-coding workflow. ARGUS is MCP-native, so the AI coding agents your team uses can query it and vet their own output before it lands, and every pull request gets a commit status you gate on.

Where Semgrep wins

We are not going to understate Semgrep. It leads in real ways.

• Open source and custom rules. Semgrep's engine is open source, and writing your own rules is its signature strength. If you want to encode your team's exact security and code standards and own them, Semgrep is hard to beat.

• Language coverage and speed. 35+ languages, cross-function taint analysis, and fast CI runs make it a favorite with engineers.

• A generous free tier. Free for up to 10 contributors with Code and Supply Chain included is a strong, low-friction starting point.

• Developer trust. Semgrep earned its following in the developer community, and that adoption and rule ecosystem are real assets.

Pricing compared

Semgrep is free for up to 10 contributors and 10 repositories with Code and Supply Chain. Paid Teams pricing is per product per contributor: Code $30, Supply Chain $30, Secrets $15 per contributor per month, with Enterprise on custom pricing (semgrep.dev/pricing). Costs are predictable but grow with both contributors and the number of products you turn on.

ARGUS is usage-based and starts free, with the same pricing whether you are one developer or a hundred, so cost tracks how much you scan and fix rather than headcount times products. Model both against your team and the products you actually need before deciding.

When Semgrep is the better choice

Pick Semgrep if:

- You want an open-source engine and the ability to write and own custom rules.

- Deep multi-language static analysis is your priority and you have the appetite to tune it.

- A free tier for a small team, focused on code and dependencies, covers your need today.

Pick ARGUS if:

- You want one platform across code, dependencies, secrets, and IaC, with findings ranked by reachability.

- You want fixes opened as pull requests, not a list to work through, and a merge gate you define.

- You are shipping AI-written code without a security engineer and want usage-based pricing that starts at zero.

Our take

Semgrep and ARGUS start from different places. Semgrep is the open-source, rule-first tool that engineering teams love for static analysis, and its custom-rule strength is a real edge. ARGUS is the AI-native platform for teams that want one tool to find and fix across the whole supply chain, rank by what is reachable, and plug into the AI agents writing their code, without hiring a security engineer to run it. If custom rules and open source are your center of gravity, stay with Semgrep. If coverage, fixes, and small-team operability are, ARGUS is worth a trial on your own repositories.

Start ARGUS for free or book a demo.

Frequently asked questions

Is ARGUS a replacement for Semgrep?

For teams that want code, dependency, secrets, and IaC coverage in one platform with reachability ranking and fixes opened as PRs, yes. If your priority is an open-source engine and writing your own custom rules, Semgrep leads there, so match the tool to what you value most.

Is Semgrep free?

Semgrep has a free tier for up to 10 contributors and 10 repositories, including Code and Supply Chain (semgrep.dev/pricing). Paid Teams pricing is per product per contributor. ARGUS is also free to start, on a usage-based model.

Which is better for AI-generated code?

ARGUS is built around that workflow: it is MCP-native, ranks findings by reachability, and opens fixes as pull requests. Semgrep scans AI-written code well too, especially if you author custom rules for the patterns your assistants tend to produce.

Does Semgrep cover infrastructure as code?

Semgrep focuses on code, dependencies, and secrets rather than IaC. ARGUS includes IaC scanning alongside those, which matters if you want one tool across the supply chain.

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