Introduction
GitHub Advanced Security (GHAS) is GitHub’s add-on security suite that brings code scanning (SAST), secret detection, and supply chain insights into your repositories. It’s commonly used by teams on GitHub Enterprise to catch vulnerabilities in code, prevent leaked secrets, and enforce dependency security. However, many organizations are now exploring alternatives due to its complex setup, noisy results, and steep pricing.
GHAS can overwhelm developers with alerts and false positives and it’s only available as a paid add-on for Enterprise accounts. In practice, what should be a helpful safety net can turn into a source of friction and fatigue. Here’s what some users have to say:
“GitHub Enterprise sales and pricing is very opaque... It is a very frustrating process to deal with. So we stopped our expansion plan on GHAS. There are just so many strong alternatives on the market.” – G2 Reviewer
“The pricing of GitHub Advanced Security is a joke. We’re already paying for Enterprise and now you want us to pay $50 per developer per month? Are you out of your mind?” – Reddit user
“After leaving one of the legacy players, we did a full sprint and found GHAS to be underwhelming on a few fronts...” – Reddit user (r/cybersecurity)
For many teams, the pain points include alert fatigue (too many low-value findings), limited coverage (only code and GitHub repos, no cloud or containers), enterprise-only pricing, and a lack of developer-first experience. If these sound familiar, it might be time to look at alternatives that better fit your needs.
Skip Ahead – Top GHAS Alternatives:
If you’re ready to jump into the tools, here are five strong alternatives to GHAS we’ll cover below:
- Aikido Security – Developer-first, all-in-one AppSec platform
- Bearer – Privacy-aware SAST with compliance focus
- Checkmarx One – Enterprise-grade unified AppSec
- SonarQube/SonarCloud – Code quality platform with built-in SAST
- SpectralOps – Lightweight, fast CLI-based scanning
To explore top security tools beyond GitHub-native options, read our Top AppSec Tools in 2025 for a curated guide to application security solutions.
What Is GitHub Advanced Security?
GitHub Advanced Security is a suite of features built into GitHub Enterprise for application security. It includes:
- Code Scanning (SAST): Scans code using CodeQL to detect common vulnerabilities like XSS or SQL injection.
- Secret Scanning & Push Protection: Finds and blocks exposed API keys or credentials in git history or real-time pushes.
- Dependency Security: Helps secure your open-source dependencies using Dependabot.
- GitHub Workflow Integration: Results show up in PRs and the Security tab.
Why Look for Alternatives?
Even with GitHub’s backing, GHAS has its limits:
- High False Positives: Developers often struggle with triaging low-value findings.
- Limited Coverage Scope: GHAS doesn’t cover IaC, containers, or cloud security – key areas now addressed by tools like cloud posture management and container scanning.
- Enterprise Pricing & Access: It’s only available on GitHub Enterprise, and pricing is opaque.
- Developer Experience Issues: Configuration is cumbersome compared to dev-first platforms like Aikido’s CI/CD security.
- Policy and Integration Gaps: Lacks advanced customization or integrations many teams now expect.
Key Criteria for Choosing an Alternative
When looking beyond GHAS, here’s what to prioritize:
- Coverage: Tools like Aikido offer scanning across code, open source, IaC, secrets, and cloud configs.
- Developer Experience: Look for AI autofix, PR comments, or IDE feedback that developers actually use.
- Low Noise: Prioritize tools with reachability analysis or curated rule sets.
- Speed: No one wants scans that take forever – fast, incremental scanning is critical.
- Transparency: Avoid black-box tools. Open policies, custom rules, and visibility into results build trust.
Top Alternatives to GitHub Advanced Security in 2025
Now, let’s explore the top five alternatives to GHAS and how they stack up:
- Aikido Security – Developer-first, all-in-one AppSec platform
- Bearer – Privacy-aware SAST with compliance focus
- Checkmarx One – Enterprise-grade unified AppSec
- SonarQube / SonarCloud – Code quality platform with built-in SAST
- SpectralOps – Lightweight, fast CLI-based scanning
Each of these tools addresses GHAS’s shortcomings in different ways. Below we break down their core features and ideal use cases.
Aikido Security
Overview: Aikido is a modern, developer-first application security platform that provides an all-in-one alternative to GHAS. It combines static code analysis (SAST), open-source dependency scanning (SCA), secret detection, IaC scanning, cloud security, container image scanning, and more—all in one place.
Unlike GHAS, which is tied to GitHub, Aikido supports multiple code hosts and integrates into CI/CD pipelines, IDEs, and issue trackers.
Key Features:
- Comprehensive Scanners: Coverage includes SAST, SCA, secrets, IaC, containers, and cloud configs—no patchwork needed.
- Developer-Centric Workflow: Instant feedback in PRs and IDEs, plus AI-powered autofix and actionable remediation workflows.
- Low Noise, High Signal: Uses reachability analysis and curated rules to surface what matters. Cut the false positives by up to 95%.
Why Choose It: Pick Aikido if you want a GHAS alternative that’s truly developer-first and goes far beyond code. Ideal for fast-moving teams looking to consolidate tools and secure everything from code to cloud—with no friction, and no enterprise lock-in.
Bearer
Overview: Bearer is a static analysis tool focused on data security and privacy. Unlike GHAS, Bearer identifies not just code vulnerabilities but also where sensitive data (like PII, PHI, and PCI) flows through your app. Built with privacy regulations like GDPR and HIPAA in mind, Bearer is an excellent choice for security + compliance scanning from day one.
Their CLI tool is open source, fast, and built for developer workflows.
Key Features:
- Sensitive Data Tracing: Detects personal data (emails, user IDs, health records) and tracks where it’s stored or transmitted.
- OWASP + Privacy Rules: Combines traditional OWASP Top 10 style security checks with privacy-specific logic.
- Developer & Compliance Friendly: Offers CI integration, GitHub/GitLab PR feedback, and privacy reports that map directly to compliance frameworks.
Why Choose It: Use Bearer when your team handles sensitive data and wants early visibility into privacy risk, not just security flaws. Its open-source CLI makes it ideal for lean teams that want to build in compliance without overhead.
Checkmarx One
Overview: Checkmarx One is an enterprise-grade application security platform from a veteran in SAST. It unifies static code scanning, software composition analysis, container security, and infrastructure-as-code (IaC) scanning—all from a single interface. Unlike GHAS, it works across multiple repos and cloud providers, with rich security policy controls.
Key Features:
- Unified AppSec Platform: Combines SAST, SCA, container/IaC scanning, and orchestration in one place.
- Enterprise Policy Engine: Fine-grained risk scoring, custom rules, and integrations for compliance (e.g. SOC 2).
- IDE & CI Integrations: Full support for VS Code, IntelliJ, Jenkins, GitHub Actions, and more.
Why Choose It: If you're at scale or in a regulated space, Checkmarx is a top-tier option. You get enterprise-ready enforcement and coverage that GHAS lacks—including custom rule logic and broader scan targets. Just be ready to invest time and budget—it’s not a lightweight solution.
SonarQube / SonarCloud
Overview: SonarQube and SonarCloud are trusted tools for code quality and security inspection. While traditionally focused on bugs and maintainability, their SAST coverage has grown and now includes OWASP Top 10 rules. GHAS users often switch to Sonar for a cleaner, more integrated code review experience.
Key Features:
- Code Quality + Security: Static code analysis across 30+ languages, including taint analysis for vulnerabilities.
- PR & CI Integration: Works with GitHub Actions, Bitbucket Pipelines, and Azure DevOps. Quality gates help enforce standards at every PR.
- Developer-First UX: Combines with SonarLint for in-IDE issue flagging, backed by clear fix guidance and quality dashboards.
Why Choose It: Sonar is perfect for teams focused on code health and secure coding practices. It’s affordable, friendly, and integrates well into PR reviews—plus, it catches a lot without overwhelming your team. It doesn’t cover cloud or IaC like Aikido’s scanners, but as a code-focused tool, it punches above its weight.
SpectralOps
Overview: SpectralOps is a fast, developer-friendly CLI scanner known for its high-accuracy secret detection and config linting. Now part of Check Point, it’s still available as a standalone tool and popular for lightweight security that fits directly into CI/CD workflows. Think of it as GHAS’s secret scanning—only faster and repo-agnostic.
Key Features:
- Credential & Token Detection: Detects hardcoded secrets across 200+ types—think AWS keys, API tokens, SSH keys.
- IaC & Config Linting: Flags misconfigured permissions, exposed cloud settings, and common mistakes in Terraform, CloudFormation, and more.
- Fast, Offline CLI: Single-binary, local scan that runs anywhere—no code ever leaves your environment.
Why Choose It: Spectral is your go-to if you need a quick win on secrets and IaC scanning. Devs love it because it’s drop-in fast and doesn’t require cloud onboarding. Pair it with a more comprehensive tool like Aikido if you want deep SAST and full cloud coverage, but on its own, Spectral is a lean and effective supplement.
Comparison Table
Conclusion
GitHub Advanced Security gets the basics right—but for many teams, it’s noisy, limited, and locked behind enterprise pricing. The good news? You’ve got better options.
Whether you need broader coverage, cleaner dev experience, or just want to ship secure code without the fluff, tools like Aikido Security, SonarCloud, or Spectral can get you there.
Want less noise and more real protection? Start your free trial or book a demo with Aikido today.
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