Checkmarx SAST vs Semgrep comparison

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Checkmarx SAST

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Executive Summary

We performed a comparison between Checkmarx SAST and Semgrep based on real PeerSpot user reviews.

Find out in this report how the two Static Application Security Testing (SAST) solutions compare in terms of features, pricing, service and support, easy of deployment, and ROI.

To learn more, read our detailed Checkmarx SAST vs. Semgrep Report (Updated: November 2026).

Checkmarx SAST vs. Semgrep

November 2026

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Review summaries and opinions

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:

Categories and Ranking

Checkmarx SAST

Ranking in Static Application Security Testing (SAST)

19th

Average Rating

7.6

Reviews Sentiment

6.0

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Semgrep

Ranking in Static Application Security Testing (SAST)

4th

Average Rating

8.2

Reviews Sentiment

7.2

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

Supply Chain Management Software (4th), Software Composition Analysis (SCA) (5th), Static Code Analysis (3rd)

Mindshare comparison

As of November 2026, in the Static Application Security Testing (SAST) category, the mindshare of Checkmarx SAST is 2.2%, up from 1.5% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Semgrep is 2.3%, down from 3.0% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Static Application Security Testing (SAST) Mindshare Distribution
Product	Mindshare (%)
Semgrep	2.3%
Checkmarx SAST	2.2%
Other	95.5%

Static Application Security Testing (SAST)

Featured Reviews

RaghavendraRao PV

Incident Manager at a computer software company with 1,001-5,000 employees

Improved code security reporting has streamlined reviews but response times still need work

I assess the accuracy and efficiency of Checkmarx SAST and notice that sometimes there are false positives, so we bring it up to the vendor and ask them to add ignore rules to prevent it from appearing again when they see a particular pattern. This is how we have been notifying Checkmarx SAST about false positives. The detailed reports from Checkmarx SAST help with our security process by showing details about which line is actually vulnerable, which is beneficial for the developers, and I do not have any suggestions or inputs on that area. The ability to generate actionable insights from Checkmarx SAST impacts our software development lifecycle by allowing developers to generate reports. We have explained the options for generating both detailed reports and executive reports, and once they generate it, they get JIRA tickets to work off, although I doubt they open Checkmarx SAST user interface frequently.

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Manjunath Maneppagol

Cloud & Application Security at Sixt SE

Context-aware code analysis has reduced noise and now improves developer experience with actionable security findings

I have consistently observed that their scan time is an issue for mono repos. Sometimes with their AI-based scanning, when you triage that scan, the scan never completes or finishes(, which makes it difficult. Another consistent issue is that whenever you have a new repo to onboard to the platform, the tool ideally should detect the master branch by default. However, sometimes the tool fails to identify it and will never scan it unless manually somebody looks into it and fixes the issue. Although their support team is really good, this issue was present six or eight months ago during the POC and is still present now. If it is affecting multiple customers, it should be prioritized and fixed. I would say that their integration aspects could have been improved. I see a lot of different security solutions that provide flexibility to the security teams based on Jira project, team divisions, Slack, and all those can be very much easily customized. Semgrep needs to work on the enhancement of their notification capabilities. Currently, they are working on identifying business logic vulnerabilities or privilege escalation vulnerabilities by looking at the code, and they should continue to focus on and improve this effort. Regarding stability, whenever you have a mono-repo which is a very large repository, the scan never finishes or the scan never kicks in. At that time, you have to reach out to the support team and ask them to expand the resources in the back end to fix it. This is an issue I keep seeing often on that platform.

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Quotes from Members

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:

Pros

"The most important competitive advantage and benefit is the ability to identify vulnerabilities in the source code immediately without needing to complete the coding."

"The detailed reports from Checkmarx SAST help with our security process by showing details about which line is actually vulnerable, which is beneficial for the developers, and I do not have any suggestions or inputs on that area."

"The most important feature is that Checkmarx protects our company against attacks."

"The CX1 is a unified platform that covers all components such as SAST, SCA, DAST, container scanning, and infrastructure code, which is quite beneficial because some clients need one-stop solutions for all their needs."

"This helps us a lot in identifying vulnerabilities in early stages, and the integration within the IDEs helps developers get the results into their IDE itself, making it easier for them to fix vulnerabilities."

"Since implementing Semgrep, I have noticed significant outcomes, for example, I can resolve vulnerabilities that previously took four days in under a day, saving both time and money, thus enhancing our return on investment."

"Semgrep has positively impacted my organization by significantly reducing the number of vulnerabilities we encounter during development."

"Semgrep has positively impacted my organization by significantly reducing our security blind spots by catching critical vulnerabilities early in the development life cycle before they reach production."

"The best part of Semgrep is its ease of integration with CI/CD pipelines and how it is a developer-friendly tool."

"Semgrep flourishes with the SAST, secret scanning, and Software Composition Analysis types of scanning."

"In my team, we use Semgrep, which is more efficient for coding purposes, time-saving, and quickly detects issues, and I can say that weekly I save about six to seven hours because of this, making it very time-saving and fostering faster development for my team's products and environment."

"Semgrep is really simple to use, it's free, and it's very useful."

"The feature is easy to use, saves a lot of time, and is streamlined in nature."

More Semgrep pros

Cons

"I believe that nothing in particular could be improved about Checkmarx SAST, only the turnaround time and the fact that technical account managers keep moving around, which leads to some lag in communication."

"The accuracy of the results depends on various factors, as some of the test folders tend to give us false positives, which makes a huge impact on the vulnerabilities."

"We had some issues where Checkmarx did not recognize a vulnerability. We had to talk with the vendor, and they had to include an improvement in the tool to resolve this issue."

"The on-premises version is more expensive compared to the cloud version."

"The main challenge with Checkmarx SAST is the price. The price is a challenge because Checkmarx SAST is a very big brand, and many mid-sized companies cannot afford it as they are very price-conscious."

"I have consistently observed that their scan time is an issue; sometimes with their AI-based scanning, when you triage that scan, the scan never completes or finishes, which makes it difficult."

"I give Semgrep a six out of 10 simply because there are other tools that are better than this out there."

"Regarding improvements for Semgrep, I have noticed that it occasionally provides false positive results, although it does not happen consistently."

"Semgrep could be improved by offering more granular configuration options for custom rule tuning and reducing memory overhead during large scale repository scans."

"Semgrep can be improved by making it more user-friendly."

"There should be more information on how to acquire the system, catering to beginners in application security, to make it more user-friendly."

"The features could be enhanced with better documentation and more user-friendly interfaces for beginners."

"However, as a tool it is really complex to maintain and to use, and it has a huge price tag."

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Financial Services Firm

17%

Manufacturing Company

10%

Computer Software Company

10%

Comms Service Provider

Financial Services Firm

14%

Manufacturing Company

10%

Comms Service Provider

Outsourcing Company

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

No data available

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	4
Midsize Enterprise	3
Large Enterprise	7

Questions from the Community

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Checkmarx SAST?

We were users in a small country, and we paid one consolidated bill for all the tools, so I don't know the specific amount for Checkmarx.

What needs improvement with Checkmarx SAST?

I believe that nothing in particular could be improved about Checkmarx SAST, only the turnaround time and the fact that technical account managers keep moving around, which leads to some lag in com...

What is your primary use case for Checkmarx SAST?

I manage the application security side of the products here, currently utilizing solutions such as Checkmarx, Akamai, Traceable, and Invicti, which are the security scanning tools that we use. In t...

What needs improvement with Semgrep?

The features could be enhanced with better documentation and more user-friendly interfaces for beginners.Semgrep can be improved by further enhancing its reporting features to provide more detailed...

What is your primary use case for Semgrep?

A quick specific example of how I use Semgrep in my pipelines is a recent scenario where it helped me catch a critical vulnerability before it went into production, significantly improving our proc...

What advice do you have for others considering Semgrep?

I would rate Semgrep an eight out of ten overall. I chose a six or seven out of ten when considering specific aspects because while Semgrep is powerful, there are still areas that need improvement,...

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Product Reports

Download Checkmarx SAST product report

Checkmarx SAST

October 2026

Download Semgrep product report

October 2026

Also Known As

SAST

Semgrep Code, Semgrep Supply Chain, Semgrep AppSec Platform

Overview

Checkmarx SAST provides advanced static application security testing by identifying vulnerabilities in source code. It's ideal for ISOs, security professionals, and developers striving to secure applications during development.

Checkmarx SAST is known for its powerful code scanning capabilities that integrate seamlessly into existing development environments. It supports a wide range of programming languages, which makes it applicable for diverse development projects. Some users suggest improvements in the scan performance speed and enhanced support in handling false positives to further optimize workflow efficiency.

What are the standout features of Checkmarx SAST?

Language Support: Offers broad language support catering to multiple coding frameworks.
Integration Flexibility: Seamlessly integrates with existing CI/CD pipelines and developer tools.
Comprehensive Scanning: Detects security vulnerabilities early in the development process.
Detailed Reporting: Provides comprehensive reports that help prioritize remediation efforts.

What benefits and ROI should users consider?

Improved Security Posture: Enhances application security by catching vulnerabilities early.
Cost Efficiency: Reduces costs associated with post-deployment issue resolution.
Developer Empowerment: Allows developers to identify and fix issues independently.
Regulatory Compliance: Assists in meeting compliance requirements efficiently.

Implemented across various industries, Checkmarx SAST supports sectors like finance, healthcare, and technology with their stringent security requirements. By integrating seamlessly into existing workflows, it ensures that applications remain secure while not disrupting industry-specific processes.

Checkmarx

Semgrep is an advanced static analysis tool designed to identify vulnerabilities and enforce coding standards, catering primarily to professionals with a focus on enhancing code security and quality.

Engineered for software development environments, Semgrep delivers efficient security feedback with minimal setup. By offering a rich collection of rule sets, it allows customization and integration into CI/CD pipelines, supporting continuous code examination. Semgrep not only uncovers hidden flaws but also enforces best practices, making it a valuable asset for development teams seeking to build secure and reliable software.

What are the most important features of Semgrep?

Customizable Rules: Allows users to define specific rules to match unique coding requirements.
Open Rule Repository: Provides access to a vast array of pre-defined rules covering common security issues.
CI/CD Integration: Seamlessly integrates into development workflows, providing immediate feedback.
Multi-language Support: Detects issues across different programming languages, enhancing its usability.

What benefits or ROI should users consider?

Enhanced Security Posture: Elevates the security standards of codebases.
Time Efficiency: Reduces time spent on manual code reviews.
Adaptability: Easily adapts to evolving coding standards and practices.
Cost-effectiveness: Minimizes the need for external security audits.

In industry applications, Semgrep is a popular choice for sectors such as finance and healthcare, where code integrity and security are paramount. Its integration capabilities allow for effective oversight of compliance and secure coding standards without disrupting existing workflows. This adaptability ensures it meets sector-specific requirements, making it a trusted tool in fields where data privacy and protection are critical.

Sample Customers

Information Not Available

Policygenius, Tide, Lyft, Thinkific, FloQast, Vanta, and Fareportal