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Steampipe

C
C tier on Security Configuration Management SoftwareScore 6.6 · #11 of 25
Android app
Not listed
Free plan
No
Runs on
api, Linux, Mac, self-hosted, Windows
steampipe.io
The Steampipe homepage
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Summary

Steampipe lets users query live data from APIs and services using SQL, without first loading it through an ETL pipeline. Its CLI presents connected resources as relational data and includes its own PostgreSQL database. Plugins provide the interface for each cloud service, file, or other resource, so users need the relevant plugin for the data they want to query. Steampipe can join live cloud configuration data with internal or external datasets, with compliance, security, operations, and cost listed as use cases. Other formats include PostgreSQL Foreign Data Wrappers, SQLite extensions that turn queries into API calls, and standalone export tools that extract information without a database. Turbot Pipes is a hosted option with database instances, shared dashboards, and snapshots. Steampipe is described as open source and free, with installers for macOS, Linux, and Windows. The plugin hub lists plugins for areas including public cloud, SaaS, security, and software development.

Who it is for

Steampipe suits technical users who want to query API or cloud configuration data with SQL. It may be useful for compliance, security, operations, and cost-related work.

What is good

  • Free and open source CLI offering.
  • Queries live data using SQL.
  • Can join cloud configuration data with other datasets.
  • Available as PostgreSQL FDWs, SQLite extensions, and export CLIs.

What to know first

  • A plugin is required for each queried resource interface.
  • The CLI requires users to work with SQL.
  • Hosted database instances are provided through Turbot Pipes.

Verdict

Steampipe offers several ways to query or export data from APIs and services, with plugins defining supported resources. Users who want its CLI approach should account for the plugin needed for each resource.

Compared on security configuration management software

Free plan
Yessteampipe.io
Deployment model
agentlesssteampipe.io
CIS benchmarks
Yessteampipe.io
Cloud infrastructure
Yessteampipe.io
Policy as code
Yessteampipe.io

Facts

What it does
Steampipe provides zero-ETL tools for fetching data directly from APIs and services.steampipe.io · 2 Oct 2026
SQL queries
The Steampipe CLI exposes APIs and services as a relational database for SQL queries over dynamic data.steampipe.io · 2 Oct 2026
Use cases
The site lists compliance, security, operations, and cost as Steampipe use cases.steampipe.io · 2 Oct 2026
Data joins
Steampipe can join live cloud configuration data with internal or external datasets.steampipe.io · 2 Oct 2026
Plugins
Plugins implement interfaces to cloud services, files, and other resources, and the Hub lists 158 plugins.hub.steampipe.io · 2 Oct 2026
PostgreSQL
Steampipe is available as PostgreSQL Foreign Data Wrappers that can be installed in supported PostgreSQL versions.steampipe.io · 2 Oct 2026
SQLite
Steampipe SQLite Extensions provide virtual tables that translate queries into API calls.steampipe.io · 2 Oct 2026
Export
Steampipe Export CLIs are standalone binaries for extracting information from cloud services and APIs without a database.steampipe.io · 2 Oct 2026
Hosted option
Turbot Pipes provides hosted Steampipe database instances, shared dashboards, and snapshots.steampipe.io · 2 Oct 2026
Open source
The Steampipe site describes the product as open source and requiring no database for its CLI offering.hub.steampipe.io · 2 Oct 2026
Support
The site links to a Slack community of more than 3,200 practitioners.steampipe.io · 2 Oct 2026
Security reports
Turbot says SOC 2 reports are available on request under NDA and that its annual SOC examinations take place each April.turbot.com · 2 Oct 2026
Maker
Turbot says it was founded in 2014 and is 100% bootstrapped.turbot.com · 2 Oct 2026
Query engine
The Steampipe CLI exposes APIs and services as a relational database and includes its own PostgreSQL database.steampipe.io · 3 Oct 2026
Other distributions
Steampipe is also available as PostgreSQL FDWs, SQLite extensions, and standalone export CLIs.steampipe.io · 3 Oct 2026
Plugin library
The Steampipe Hub lists 157 plugins across categories including public cloud, SaaS, security, and software development.hub.steampipe.io · 3 Oct 2026
Live data
Steampipe queries live cloud configuration data and can join it with internal or external data sets.steampipe.io · 3 Oct 2026
Setup requirement
Steampipe requires a plugin to implement the interface for each cloud service, file, or other resource being queried.steampipe.io · 3 Oct 2026
Credentials
The AWS tutorial says Steampipe uses default AWS credentials from the user's credential file or environment variables out of the box.steampipe.io · 3 Oct 2026
Supported platforms
The downloads page provides installers for macOS, Linux, and Windows.steampipe.io · 3 Oct 2026
Security maintenance
The changelog lists dependency upgrades to remediate security vulnerabilities in Steampipe CLI releases.steampipe.io · 3 Oct 2026
Company
Turbot says it was founded in 2014 and is bootstrapped.turbot.com · 3 Oct 2026

Company

Founded
2021steampipe.io · 28 Sept 2026

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