Chainguard Images Pricing 2026: Plans, Costs & Free Options
Last Updated: May 2026
Hardened minimal container images with zero known CVEs for secure software supply chains This page breaks down Chainguard Images's Freemium pricing model, what it includes, and how it compares to free alternatives in the Container & Kubernetes Security category.
Pricing Overview
Pricing Model
Freemium
This means the tool is free to use and typically open-source — you self-host it, customize it, and pay nothing for the software itself.
Is Chainguard Images Free?
Yes, Chainguard Images is completely free and open-source. You can download, use, and modify it without paying any license fees.
Is Chainguard Images Worth It?
Chainguard Images is rated 4.5/5 in our Container & Kubernetes Security directory and is completely free, which makes it an easy recommendation for any team that can self-host and manage their own deployment. You get full functionality without licensing costs, though you trade vendor support for community forums and documentation. For Container & Kubernetes Security workflows, Chainguard Images delivers strong value, especially for individuals, students, and budget-conscious teams. The main consideration is operational overhead — you own the install, updates, and tuning. If your team has the technical capacity, Chainguard Images is well worth adopting.
Cheaper Alternatives
If Chainguard Images's pricing is out of budget, these Container & Kubernetes Security tools offer free or freemium options:
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Trivy
Free/OSS
Open-source vulnerability scanner for containers images filesystems and Kubernetes clusters.
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Falco Runtime
Free/OSS
Open-source cloud-native runtime security with real-time threat detection for containers and Kubernetes.
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Snyk Container Security
Freemium
AI-powered container vulnerability scanning for images and Kubernetes workloads.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does Chainguard Images cost?
Chainguard Images uses a Freemium pricing model. This means the tool is free to use and typically open-source — you self-host it, customize it, and pay nothing for the software itself. For exact current pricing, visit the Chainguard Images website directly — vendors update tiers and quotas regularly.
Is there a free version of Chainguard Images?
Yes, Chainguard Images is completely free and open-source. You can download, use, and modify it without paying any license fees.
What are cheaper alternatives to Chainguard Images?
In the Container & Kubernetes Security category, the most popular free or freemium alternatives are Trivy, Falco Runtime, Snyk Container Security. Each offers a comparable feature set at lower or zero cost — see our /alternatives page for full breakdowns.