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It's a split decision.
Semgrep is an application security platform for scanning code, dependencies, and secrets, with AI-assisted triage and remediation. SonarQube is a code verification and governance platform available as Server or Cloud, with quality gates and auditable findings. Choose Semgrep when you want a focused AppSec workflow and its contributor-based plans fit your team. Choose SonarQube when code governance, quality gates, or self-hosting matter more. Both offer free entry points, but their limits use different measures.
01Side by side
| Semgrep | SonarQube | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Teams starts at $30 per contributor/month; add-ons priced separately | Team is $34/month; Enterprise is annual and quote-based |
| Free tier | Up to 10 contributors, 10 repositories, and 60 AI credits | Free plan for up to 50k private LOC |
| Self-hosting | Self-hosting option not described | Server and Cloud options |
| Integrations | VS Code, JetBrains, GitHub, GitLab, Bitbucket, Azure, Jira, and more | Claude Code, Cursor, Devin, Copilot, Antigravity, and Codex |
| Deployment model | Web platform | Server or Cloud |
| Limits and scaling | Teams supports up to 500 private repositories | Team starts at 100k private LOC; Enterprise starts at 5M LOC support |
| API and SDKs | APIs listed among integrations; SDK details aren't described | Integration names listed; API and SDK interfaces aren't described |
| CLI and docs | Docs, rule registry, and online rule playground | Homepage describes product workflows, not CLI or docs details |
Semgrep Choose Semgrep if
- Choose Semgrep if you need code, dependency, and secrets scanning in one AppSec platform.
- Choose Semgrep if contributor-based pricing and repository limits fit your rollout.
- Choose Semgrep if you want a rule registry and interactive rule playground.
SonarQube Choose SonarQube if
- Choose SonarQube if you need Server or Cloud deployment options.
- Choose SonarQube if quality gates and auditable code verification are central.
- Choose SonarQube if the free 50k-private-LOC tier suits your projects.
02Pricing at real usage
Semgrep Free Edition costs $0 and includes up to 10 contributors, 10 repositories, and 60 AI credits. Teams starts at $30 per contributor per month, with 20 AI credits per developer per month and up to 500 private repositories. The listed add-ons are Code at $30, Supply Chain at $30, and Secrets at $15 per contributor per month. Enterprise pricing is custom.
SonarQube Developers is free for up to 50k private LOC. The Team plan is $34 per month and starts with up to 100k private LOC; the pricing page lists 35+ languages. Enterprise pricing is annual and quote-based, with commercial support starting at 5M LOC. Advanced Security requires an additional subscription, with price not published. Semgrep costs rise with contributors and selected add-ons; SonarQube Team pricing is paired with a LOC limit. Compare your seat count, repositories, and private LOC before budgeting.
03API, SDKs and integration
Semgrep lists integrations with VS Code, JetBrains, GitHub, GitLab, Bitbucket, Azure, Jira, Cursor, and Replit, alongside APIs and webhooks. Its homepage links to documentation, a rule registry, and an online Playground for writing and sharing rules. Those features give teams entry points for editor workflows and custom rules; the homepage does not describe SDK languages, API protocols, or CLI commands.
SonarQube’s homepage names Claude Code, Cursor, Devin, GitHub Copilot, Antigravity, and Codex as integrations. It describes quality gates, code review, and remediation workflows, but does not detail API or SDK interfaces, supported languages for an SDK, or CLI usage. The product is available as Server or Cloud. For either product, verify the exact API surface and automation path you need before designing CI or editor integration. The named integrations alone do not establish protocol support or feature parity across tools.
04Open source, self-hosting and lock-in
SonarQube offers Server and Cloud, so teams can choose between those deployment options. Semgrep is listed as a Web platform; its product pages do not describe a self-hosted deployment. Neither vendor’s product pages specify an open-source licence for the platform, so confirm licence terms directly before embedding either product or redistributing components.
The product pages also do not describe data-export formats. Before rollout, ask each vendor how to export findings, rule configurations, project history, and policy settings, and whether those exports can be used outside the service. Migration effort will depend on how much your workflow relies on vendor-specific rules, gates, integrations, and history. Keep rules and CI configuration in version control where possible, and test an export path as part of procurement rather than assuming that findings alone are enough to reproduce your security process.
Questions people ask
Is Semgrep free?
Yes. Semgrep Free Edition costs $0 and includes up to 10 contributors, 10 repositories, and 60 AI credits. Teams starts at $30 per contributor per month. The pricing page also lists a 30-day Semgrep Guardian trial; that is separate from the free plan.
Is Sonar or SonarQube the product to compare?
SonarQube is the code verification and governance platform in this comparison. SonarQube is offered as Server and Cloud. The homepage also names separate products, including SonarQube Advanced Security and Gitar AI Code Review, so check the product and subscription scope when comparing quotes.
How does Semgrep compare with CodeQL?
Semgrep is positioned as an application security platform covering static analysis, dependencies, and secrets, with AI-assisted scanning and remediation. The product facts here do not describe CodeQL’s plans or features, so compare the tools against your required languages, rule workflows, CI integration, and pricing before choosing.
Which is better, Semgrep or SonarQube?
Neither is universally better. Semgrep is a fit for teams prioritizing AppSec scanning across code, dependencies, and secrets. SonarQube suits teams that want code verification and governance with quality gates and a Server option. Compare the free-tier limits and paid plan measures against your repositories, contributors, and LOC.