Chainloop

Overview

Chainloop brings delivery evidence and build context into one place for teams responsible for software supply-chain security and compliance. It suits technically capable teams that can manage a self-hosted tool, especially when they need to connect pipeline evidence to release decisions. The main trade-off is clear: Community Edition is free and open source, but has no UI or curated policy library.

Key features

Chainloop can centralize SBOMs, QA reports, vulnerability scans and legal reviews, then connect artifacts and metadata in a graph. That context can support control gates, quality checks and compliance dashboards, making the product more useful for teams that need to trace evidence across a delivery process than for those seeking a standalone SBOM repository.

Its CLI and integrations capture evidence from CI/CD pipelines along with context such as Git commit details and pipeline configuration. Metadata can be digitally signed using SLSA, in-toto, Sigstore or customer PKI, including AWS KMS and Keyfactor. Documented integrations include Dependency-Track, Slack, Microsoft Teams, Linear, OpenAI and Anthropic; some are limited to paid plans.

Coverage includes source and repository security, dependency analysis, SBOM management, build provenance, artifact signing, provenance attestations and release policy gates. The paid platform adds curated policies and frameworks including SLSA, SSDF, CRA, DORA and NIS2, which is a meaningful advantage for organizations that want an established compliance starting point rather than assembling controls themselves.

Deployment can be cloud-based or self-managed, including on-premises and airgapped setups. On-premises deployments identify AWS, Azure, Google and OpenShift. The Trust Center lists SOC 2 Type 2 and ISO 27001, with ISO 27001 marked in progress; that distinction matters to buyers evaluating assurance.

Pricing

Community Edition is the practical choice for starters, evaluators and small technically expert teams that can operate the software without a UI or curated policies. Organizations needing those capabilities, broader governance or dedicated support should consider the enterprise platform, whose pricing is custom. No seat, quota, trial or renewal terms are specified here.

Platforms

Chainloop supports API, Linux, macOS, self-hosted and web environments. Its CLI has Linux and macOS binaries for Intel and ARM64 architectures. Windows is not among the stated platforms, so teams needing a Windows CLI should check fit before adopting it.

Who it's for

Community Edition is aimed at technically capable starters, evaluators and small teams looking to build a software evidence workflow on their own infrastructure. The enterprise platform is for organizations seeking full SDLC security and compliance, particularly those that need curated frameworks, dedicated support or airgapped deployment. It is less suited to teams that require a polished UI while staying on the free edition.

Pros and cons

• Pro: Evidence ranging from SBOMs to legal reviews can be tied to build context, helping teams understand what supports a control or release decision.
• Pro: The free, open-source self-hosted edition gives technically expert teams a no-cost way to start.
• Pro: Enterprise deployment options include on-premises and airgapped environments, alongside cloud and BYOC.
• Con: Community Edition has no UI or curated policy library, limiting its appeal to teams that need ready-made governance workflows.
• Con: Some integrations are paid-only, and enterprise pricing is custom, so costs and integration access need to be established before commitment.

Alternatives

For a broader category comparison, see Software Supply Chain Security Software.

• DevGuard is another freemium option with a free plan and free trial, spanning API, Linux, macOS, self-hosted, web and Windows.
• SafeDep Platform also has a free plan and trial; its Vet, PMG, xBom and Gryph tools are free open source under Apache-2.0 and can be used without a SafeDep account.
• ActiveState Platform offers a free organization plan for public projects only, with a paid enterprise organization plan.
• Kosli is a paid alternative on custom annual contracts based on recorded data and retention, with volume discounts and contract-capped usage costs.
• OX Security is a paid alternative; its OX Code plan covers SAST, SCA, secrets and PII, SBOM, IaC, CI/CD, container scanning, IDE and CLI.
• Sigstore is free for developers and software providers, making it an option for readers seeking a free tool.
• Kusari is freemium, and its company co-created GUAC and remains an active maintainer supporting its adoption.
• Determinate Systems is another freemium option with a free plan.

Verdict

Choose Chainloop if your team needs to connect CI/CD evidence and provenance to security and compliance decisions, and has the technical capacity to run Community Edition or the budget for enterprise governance. Its evidence graph, signing options and airgapped deployment make it a focused fit for supply-chain assurance. Look elsewhere if a free, ready-to-use UI or clearly priced enterprise plan is essential.