Find and enforce code rules with AST-based code-assistant scanning
Semgrep is an AST-driven code scanning and rule-enforcement tool for developers and security teams that finds patterns, secrets, and policy violations across 30+ languages. Ideal for engineering teams who need customizable, repeatable static checks in CI and pull requests, Semgrep offers a free open-source CLI and a cloud SaaS with tiered paid plans (team, business, enterprise). It emphasizes community-shared rules and precise pattern matching rather than regex heuristics, making it accessible for security engineers and devs at startups through enterprises.
Semgrep is an open-source and commercial code-analysis tool that scans source code using AST-aware, pattern-based rules to detect bugs, security issues, and policy violations. The tool's primary capability is structural code matching - writing rules that match syntax and semantics across languages - which distinguishes it from regex or token-only scanners. Semgrep serves developers, security engineers, and CI/CD teams by enabling PR-time scans, custom rule libraries, and a shared rule registry. The Semgrep code-assistant model includes a free CLI for local scans and a cloud offering with free and paid tiers, making it accessible for single developers up to large enterprises.
Semgrep is a source code analysis tool that began as an open-source project and grew into a commercial offering focused on developer-first static analysis. Originating from the team around r2c and the Semgrep project, it positions itself between code search and heavyweight static analyzers by offering pattern-driven, AST-aware scanning that runs locally or as a cloud service. Its core value proposition is precise, low-noise detection: rules look at code structure rather than plain text, which reduces false positives for common security and correctness checks.
Semgrep supports many mainstream languages and integrates directly into developer workflows so issues are found earlier. Key features include the semgrep CLI and the Semgrep App/Cloud for centralized management. The semgrep CLI runs local and CI scans, supports --config flags and rules written in Semgrep's pattern language, and can auto-ignore/inline exceptions.
The Semgrep Rules Registry hosts thousands of community and curated rules (community rule counts are sizeable and continuously growing), letting teams adopt vetted checks for OWASP, SANS, and other frameworks. The cloud product adds PR scanning with GitHub/GitLab/Bitbucket integration, issue tracking, and alerting; the rules editor in the web UI enables authoring and testing rules against repository snapshots; and policies allow grouping rules for compliance and gating merges. Pricing splits between the free open-source CLI and the Semgrep Cloud SaaS.
The free/open-source option gives unlimited local scans and rule authoring, with public repo scanning available in the Cloud free tier. Paid Cloud tiers (approximate current pricing) start with Team plans billed per user/month and unlock private repository scanning, retention, and SLA-level support; Business plans raise analysis concurrency and retention; Enterprise provides SSO, on-prem or VPC deployment, and dedicated support for a custom price. Open-source projects and small teams can often start on the free tier, while organizations needing private repo enforcement move to Team or higher.
Semgrep is used by security engineers and developers to shift left on vulnerability detection and policy enforcement. Example roles: a Security Engineer using Semgrep to catch misconfigurations and secrets before merge, and a Senior Backend Engineer using it to enforce input validation patterns across microservices. It fits workflows such as PR scanning, CI gate checks, and codebase-wide audits.
Compared with heavyweight commercial SAST like Checkmarx or purely vulnerability-focused tools like Snyk, Semgrep excels at quick rule authoring and precise pattern checks, though enterprises may still pair it with other scanners for binary analysis.
Three capabilities that set Semgrep apart from its nearest competitors.
Which tier and workflow actually fits depends on how you work. Here's the specific recommendation by role.
Semgrep is useful when one person needs faster output without adding a complex workflow.
Semgrep should be tested for collaboration, quality control, permissions and repeatable results.
Semgrep is worth buying only if the pilot shows measurable time savings or quality gains.
Current tiers and what you get at each price point. Verified against the vendor's pricing page.
| Plan | Price | What you get | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free | Free | Unlimited local scans; Cloud public repo scans; basic CI integrations | Open-source projects and individual developers |
| Team | $20/user/month (approx.) | Private repo scans, PR checks, basic retention and support | Small engineering teams enforcing PR policies |
| Business | $40/user/month (approx.) | Higher concurrency, longer retention, SSO basics, priority support | Mid-size orgs with compliance needs |
| Enterprise | Custom | VPC/on-prem deployment, dedicated SLAs, unlimited rules & support | Large enterprises needing SSO and dedicated deployment |
Scenario: A small team uses Semgrep on one repeated workflow for a month.
Semgrep: Free | Freemium | Paid | Enterprise ·
Manual equivalent: Manual review and execution time varies by team ·
You save: Potential savings depend on adoption and review time
Caveat: ROI depends on adoption, usage limits, plan cost, output quality and whether the workflow repeats often.
The numbers that matter — context limits, quotas, and what the tool actually supports.
What you actually get — a representative prompt and response.
Choose Semgrep over Snyk if you need precise, AST-pattern rule authoring and a community rules registry for custom policy enforcement.
Real pain points users report — and how to work around each.