The Top 11 Static Application Security Testing (SAST) Tools

Discover the top SAST tools with features like code analysis, vulnerability detection, and secure coding guidance.

Last updated on Jun 20, 2025
Alex Zawalnyski
Laura Iannini
Written by Alex Zawalnyski Technical Review by Laura Iannini

The Top 11 Static Application Security Testing (SAST) Tools include:

  1. 1.
  2. 2.
  3. 3.
    Aikido Security
  4. 4.
    BlackDuck Coverity
  5. 5.
    Checkmarx

Static Application Security Testing (SAST) is the process of testing an application’s codebase for vulnerabilities during the development phase.

The Challenge: Software Dev teams need to check their applications for vulnerabilities before deploying them, otherwise any companies that use that app could be exposed to a cyberattack.Today, this is more important than ever, asthe increasing use of AI-generated code heightens the risk of writing vulnerabilities into applications from the ground up.

But many dev teams don’t have the resources to test hundreds of lines of code manually. That’s where SAST comes in.

How SAST Works: SAST tools identify vulnerabilities in an application’s source code, byte code, and binaries without actually executing the app. This enables them to identify vulnerabilities that you may not be able to find just by testing the app’s front-end. It can also help you resolve issues more quickly as the SAST tool tells you exactly where in the source code the issue is. 

In this article, we’ll highlight:

  • The best SAST tools designed to secure applications
  • Standout features of each solution
  • Who they are best suited for

Cycode is an Application Security Posture Management (ASPM) platform that offers comprehensive code-to-cloud security, including modern Static Application Security Testing (SAST). It quickly and accurately analyzes code, enabling efficient remediation of security issues.

Why We Picked Cycode: We appreciate Cycode’s fast, accurate scanning capabilities and its ease of use. Its AI-powered SAST engine provides smart, context-aware remediation suggestions and prioritizes vulnerabilities based on business impact and risk score.

Cycode Standout Features: Cycode’s key features include fast and continuous real-time scanning, AI-powered SAST with smart remediation suggestions, vulnerability prioritization, and extensive integration capabilities. It supports all major languages and frameworks across Java, PHP, C#, Python, Swift, and C, and offers over 100 pre-built integrations with third-party security tools. Cycode also secures the entire software supply chain, covering secrets management, software composition analysis, CI/CD, IaC, and container security.

What’s Great:

  • Fast, continuous, real-time scanning enhances visibility into security posture
  • AI-powered SAST engine offers context-aware remediation suggestions
  • Prioritizes vulnerabilities based on business impact and risk score
  • Easy integration with existing SDLC infrastructure
  • Comprehensive security from code to cloud

Pricing: For pricing details, visit Cycode directly.

Best suited for: Cycode is ideal for development teams seeking a robust SAST solution as part of a broader ASPM platform, aiming to secure their entire software supply chain.

Mend SAST is part of Mend’s AI-native application security platform. It analyzes source code across 30+ languages and frameworks and includes Agentic SAST for AI-generated code alongside a traditional SAST scanner that integrates into the SDLC to detect security issues.

Why We Picked Mend SAST: We value its AI-driven approach to both detection and remediation. Mend SAST filters findings by exploitability to cut false positives and can generate precise fix suggestions—or even pull requests—automatically, accelerating mean time to repair.

Mend SAST Best Features: Key capabilities include incremental scanning for rapid feedback on large monorepos, reachability-based prioritization to highlight only exploitable issues, AI-powered remediation guidance, and out-of-the-box integrations with popular IDEs, Git platforms, and DevOps toolchains. Cloud and on-premises deployment options support varied security requirements.

What’s great:

  • Agentic SAST for real-time analysis of AI-generated code
  • AI-driven fix suggestions and automated pull requests
  • Comprehensive language and framework support
  • Native CI/CD and IDE integrations
  • Flexible cloud or self-hosted deployment

Pricing: $1,000 per developer for teams under 20, with volume discounts for larger teams.

Who it’s for: Mend SAST is best suited for mid-sized to enterprise organizations seeking high-speed, high-precision SAST that reduces false positives, automates fixes, and fits seamlessly into existing developer workflows.

3.

Aikido Security

Aikido Security Logo

Aikido’s SAST solution, part of their all-in-one AppSec platform, identifies security vulnerabilities within your code, such as SQL injection, XSS, and buffer overflows. This comprehensive platform is designed to enhance application security across development environments.

Why We Picked Aikido: We appreciate Aikido’s use of multiple scanners to effectively identify a range of security issues, from cloud misconfigurations to vulnerable dependencies. Its integration into IDEs allows for immediate issue detection as code is written.

Aikido SAST Best Features: Key features include multi-scanner support with customizable rules, real-time IDE integration, support for numerous programming languages, detailed vulnerability reports with risk scores and fix suggestions, and compliance with SOC2 and ISO27001 regulations. The platform also offers Cloud Security Posture Management (CSPM), software composition analysis, and secrets detection.

What’s great:

  • Utilizes multiple scanners for comprehensive security coverage
  • Real-time vulnerability detection integrated into IDEs
  • Detailed, actionable vulnerability reports
  • Supports compliance with SOC2 and ISO27001
  • Versatile, supporting numerous programming languages

Pricing: For detailed pricing, visit Aikido Security directly.

Who it’s for: Aikido is best suited for development teams and SMEs looking for a comprehensive, all-in-one application security platform that goes beyond traditional SAST to include CSPM, software composition analysis, and secrets detection.

4.

BlackDuck Coverity

BlackDuck Coverity Logo

BlackDuck Coverity is a static application security testing (SAST) tool that constructs a detailed model of each application, providing insights into dependencies, compilers, data flow, and control flow paths. It is designed for enterprise-level organizations requiring comprehensive and rapid code security analysis.

Why We Picked BlackDuck Coverity: We appreciate its easy onboarding and streamlined integrations, along with real-time defect identification and actionable remediation guidance.

BlackDuck Coverity Best Features: Key features include real-time scanning, detailed reporting, and support for over 20 programming languages and 200 frameworks. It offers rapid analysis of large codebases, actionable remediation insights, and integration with compliance frameworks like ISO, MISRA, and PCI DSS. The platform supports on-premises and private cloud deployments.

What’s great:

  • Differentiates between false positives and actual issues, reducing developer workload
  • Rapid analysis of millions of code lines
  • Easy generation and export of compliance reports
  • Flexible deployment options
  • Comprehensive language and framework support

Pricing: For pricing details, contact BlackDuck directly.

Who it’s for: BlackDuck Coverity is best suited for enterprise-level organizations that need thorough and fast code security analysis, particularly those with large codebases and compliance reporting requirements.

5.

Checkmarx

Checkmarx Logo

Checkmarx Static Application Security Testing (SAST) offers comprehensive source code scanning to identify vulnerabilities early in the development cycle. The tool is ideal for enterprises looking to integrate security into their development lifecycle.

Why We Picked Checkmarx SAST: We like Checkmarx SAST for its early detection of vulnerabilities, which enables faster and safer code development. Its AI-assisted prioritization of vulnerabilities according to severity and risk helps reduce false positives.

Checkmarx SAST Best Features: The platform supports over 35 languages and 80+ frameworks, and integrates smoothly with development tools such as IDEs, source code management platforms, and CI servers. It uses AI to prioritize vulnerabilities and provide remediation guidance, helping to streamline the development process.

What’s great:

  • Comprehensive support for multiple languages and frameworks
  • Smooth integration with development tools
  • AI-assisted prioritization of vulnerabilities
  • Reduces false positives
  • Provides remediation guidance

Pricing: For pricing details, contact Checkmarx directly.

Who it’s for: Checkmarx SAST is best suited for enterprises that need a robust and versatile security tool to integrate security into their development lifecycle and streamline their development process.

6.

Contrast Security

Contrast Security Logo

ContrastScan is a Static Application Security Testing (SAST) platform that delivers quick and precise insights into software vulnerabilities. It is designed to integrate seamlessly into development processes, aiding teams in identifying and fixing security issues efficiently.

Why We Picked ContrastScan: We appreciate its seamless integration into common development workflows and the helpful remediation guides that speed up the process of fixing vulnerabilities.

ContrastScan Best Features: The platform supports deployment via command-line interfaces, build automation tools, API calls, and secure code uploads. It integrates into any Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC) with support for over 30 programming languages and a wide range of frameworks. Its advanced, risk-based algorithm and robust security rules identify and prioritize high-risk vulnerabilities, while the “Fix Guidance” feature helps developers pinpoint and address specific lines of code.

What’s great:

  • Fast and accurate scanning for vulnerabilities
  • Seamless integration into existing development processes
  • Supports a wide range of programming languages and frameworks
  • Prioritizes high-risk vulnerabilities for efficient remediation
  • Provides detailed guidance for fixing issues

Pricing: For pricing details, visit Contrast Security directly.

Who it’s for: ContrastScan is best suited for large enterprises and development teams involved in extensive coding activities, offering them a robust tool to enhance their application security.

7.

Fortify

Fortify Logo

OpenText Fortify Static Code Analyzer (SCA) is a cybersecurity tool that identifies and addresses security vulnerabilities within source code. It is tailored for larger enterprises with complex codebases and stringent security requirements.

Why We Picked OpenText Fortify SCA: We appreciate its depth tuning and advanced scanning algorithms that enable both short scans on new code and comprehensive scans on entire projects.

OpenText Fortify SCA Best Features: The tool offers depth tuning for flexible scanning, a database that cross-references over 1,500 categories of vulnerabilities, and machine learning-enhanced assessments. It integrates with multiple IDEs, Jira, GitHub, Jenkins, and Azure DevOps, supporting over 27 programming languages.

What’s great:

  • Depth tuning allows for efficient scanning tailored to project needs
  • Extensive database identifies a wide range of vulnerabilities
  • Machine learning reduces manual audit time
  • Supports integration with multiple development platforms
  • Compatible with a broad range of programming languages

Pricing: For detailed pricing, contact OpenText directly.

Who it’s for: OpenText Fortify SCA is best suited for larger enterprises with complex codebases and stringent security requirements, seeking comprehensive vulnerability assessment and integration with their development ecosystem.

8.

HCL AppScan

HCL AppScan Logo

HCL AppScan CodeSweep is a static application security testing (SAST) tool that provides on-the-fly security assessments and automated fix capabilities across multiple environments. It is designed to support both novice and expert users in development teams of any size.

Why We Picked HCL AppScan CodeSweep: We appreciate its extensive language support and effective false positive reduction through AI, enabling comprehensive and efficient security testing.

HCL AppScan CodeSweep Best Features: The solution supports over 30 coding languages and frameworks, allowing for use across various environments. It includes Intelligent Finding Analytics (IFA) that uses AI to filter out 98% of false positives. Security testing options include static, dynamic, interactive, and open-source application testing, along with automatic secrets scanning for API keys in source code.

What’s great:

  • Supports over 30 coding languages and frameworks
  • AI-driven Intelligent Finding Analytics reduces false positives by 98%
  • Offers multiple types of security testing
  • Automatic secrets scanning for API keys
  • User-friendly for both novice and expert users

Pricing: For pricing details, please visit HCL Technologies directly.

Who it’s for: HCL AppScan CodeSweep is best suited for development teams of any size looking to maintain secure code and optimize development workflows with a user-friendly yet powerful SAST tool.

9.

Snyk

Snyk Logo

Snyk is a developer-centric security platform that integrates seamlessly into development workflows to identify and fix vulnerabilities across the entire codebase. It leverages data from public sources, community insights, proprietary research, and machine learning, enhanced by human-in-the-loop AI, to provide comprehensive security solutions.

Why we picked Snyk: We appreciate Snyk’s ability to cover the entire codebase, including proprietary code, open-source packages, containers, and cloud infrastructure. Its real-time scanning capability streamlines the development process by integrating security checks early in the workflow.

Snyk Standout Features: Key features include real-time scanning, detailed vulnerability reports, prioritization of remediation efforts, and the DeepCode AI feature which uses symbolic AI, generative AI, and machine learning for accurate insights. Snyk integrates with popular development and scanning tools such as IDEs and CI/CD systems.

What’s Great:

  • Comprehensive coverage across the entire codebase
  • Real-time scanning enhances development efficiency
  • Prioritizes remediation based on business-critical vulnerabilities
  • DeepCode AI provides accurate and actionable insights
  • Seamless integration with existing development tools

Pricing: For detailed pricing, visit Snyk’s official website.

Best suited for: Snyk is ideal for enterprise development teams seeking a security solution that integrates seamlessly into their existing workflows, enhancing both security and development efficiency.

10.

Sonar

Sonar Logo

SonarQube is a self-managed Static Application Security Testing (SAST) tool that enables development teams to detect and address security vulnerabilities at the application code level, with a focus on issues within third-party open-source libraries.

Why We Picked SonarQube: We like that SonarQube excels in detecting security vulnerabilities at the application code level, particularly within third-party components. Its automated, deep code scanning provides real-time feedback, allowing for early remediation of issues.

SonarQube Best Features: Key features include automated deep code scanning, real-time feedback, vulnerability reporting aligned with OWASP Top 10 and PCI DSS standards, machine learning (ML) capabilities for optimized analysis, and support for over 30 programming languages, frameworks, and Infrastructure as Code (IaC) platforms such as Java, C#, and JavaScript/TypeScript.

What’s great:

  • Detects a wide range of vulnerabilities early in the development lifecycle
  • Generates reports in line with OWASP Top 10 and PCI DSS standards
  • Supports over 30 languages, frameworks, and IaC platforms
  • Utilizes ML to optimize analysis processes
  • Founded in 2008 and trusted by over 400,000 organizations

Pricing: For detailed pricing, visit the SonarQube website.

Who it’s for: SonarQube is best suited for enterprises with complex application development environments that rely on third-party open-source libraries. It offers robust capabilities to enhance code quality and reduce the risk of security breaches.

11.

Veracode

Veracode Logo

Veracode is a comprehensive source code analysis tool that supports over 100 programming languages and frameworks. Its scalable cloud architecture and centralized management portal make it an effective solution for maintaining high security standards across large enterprises.

Why we picked Veracode: We appreciate its flexibility and wide-ranging language support, which allows for accurate security analysis across diverse codebases. The integration with over 40 developer tools enhances its utility in various development environments.

Veracode Standout Features: Key features include support for over 100 languages and frameworks, integration with IDEs and APIs for custom workflows, extensive documentation, and a low false positive rate. Veracode integrates seamlessly with popular development tools, offering a centralized management portal and a scalable cloud architecture.

What’s Great:

  • Supports over 100 languages and frameworks
  • Integrates with over 40 developer tools
  • Provides extensive documentation
  • Delivers a low false positive rate
  • Offers a scalable cloud architecture

Pricing: For detailed pricing, visit Veracode directly.

Best suited for: Veracode is ideal for large enterprises needing flexible, accurate code scanning across diverse development environments. Its comprehensive features make it suitable for businesses focused on maintaining high security standards as they scale.

Other DevSecOps Services

12
Klocwork

Provides deep code analysis for enterprises, supporting a wide range of languages to find security defects and ensure compliance.

13
CodeQL

A powerful, open-source tool for security code analysis, now part of GitHub, that enables querying code to identify vulnerabilities.

14
SonarQube

Continuous code quality and security inspection, supporting many languages for enterprise code management.

15
Check Point CloudGuard

Software composition analysis with automated codebase security.

The Top 11 Static Application Security Testing (SAST) Tools

Why should you trust this Shortlist?

This article was written by Alex Zawalynski, the Content Manager at Expert Insights, who works along software experts to research, write, fact-check, and edit articles relating to B2B cyber security and technology solutions. This article has been technically reviewed by our technical researcher, Laura Iannini, who has experience with a range of cybersecurity platforms and conducts thorough product tests to ensure that Expert Insights’ reviews are definitive and insightful.

Research for this guide included:

  • Interviewing executives in the SAST space, as well as the wider application security industry, for first-hand insight into the challenges and strengths of different solutions
  • Researching and demoing solutions in the SAST space and wider application security categories over several years
  • Speaking to several organizations of all sizes about their SAST challenges and the features that are most useful to them
  • Reading third-party and customer reviews from multiple outlets, including paid industry reports

This guide is updated at least every 3 months to review the vendors included and ensure that the features listed are up to date.

Who is this Shortlist for?

We recommend that all software development teams use some form of application security to ensure the accuracy, integrity, and security of their code. This list has therefore been written with a broad audience in mind.

How was the Shortlist picked?

When considering SAST solutions, we evaluated providers based on the following criterion:

Features: Based on conversations with vendors, end customers, and our own testing, we selected the following key features:

  1. Integration: A SAST tool should readily integrate with a dev team’s application development workflow. This will allow it to scan and monitor code throughout the app’s entire development journey.
  2. Comprehensive database: SAST solutions should be linked to a large—and continuously updated—database of known threats and vulnerabilities.
  3. Appropriate notifications: When it detects errors, misconfigurations, or vulnerabilities, a SAST solution should notify relevant users, ensuring that they understand the findings and can respond to them.
  4. Remediation: Traditional SAST tools focused on identifying vulnerabilities, but many modern solutions provide training materials and actionable intelligence explaining how best to resolve an issue.
  5. Low false positive rate: As SAST solutions go through every single line of code, they tend to pick up errors that do not pose a direct security risk. The best SAST solutions consider the impact and relevance of an issue before alerting the dev team. This allows developers to focus on genuine threats, rather than being sidelined by false positives.
  6. OWASP Top 10: The OWASP Top 10 is a directory that indexes the most common and most critical security risks to web applications. SAST solutions should be designed around this framework and optimized to identify this broad range of threats.

Market perception: We reviewed each vendor included on the Shortlist to ensure they are reliable, trusted providers in the market. We reviewed their documentation, third-party analyst reports, and—where possible—we have interviewed executives directly.

Customer usage: We use market share as a metric when comparing vendors and aim to represent both high market share vendors and challenger brands with innovative capabilities. We have spoken to end customers and reviewed customer case studies, testimonials, and end user reviews.

Product heritage:  Finally, we have looked at where a product has come from in the market, including when companies were founded, their leadership team, their mission statements, and their successes. We have also considered product updates and how regularly new features are added. We have ensured all vendors are credible leaders with a solution we would be happy to use ourselves.

Based on our experience in the AppSec and broader cybersecurity market, we have also considered several other factors, such as the benefit of consolidating multiple features into a single platform, the quality of the admin interface, the customer support on offer, and other use cases.

This list is designed to be a selection of the best SAST providers. Many leading solutions have not been included in this list, with no criticism intended.


How to Choose the Right SAST Solution?

Selecting the right Static Application Security Testing (SAST) solution involves aligning the tool with your organization’s development processes, security needs, and compliance requirements. Consider these key steps to make an informed choice:

  • Assess Your Development Environment: Evaluate your codebase size, programming languages (e.g., Java, Python, C++), and development methodologies (e.g., Agile, DevOps) to ensure the tool supports your tech stack and workflows.

  • Define Security and Compliance Goals: Identify critical vulnerabilities (e.g., OWASP Top 10, CWE/SANS Top 25) and regulatory standards (e.g., PCI DSS, GDPR) to ensure comprehensive scanning and compliance reporting.

  • Prioritize Scalability: Choose a solution that handles your current code volume and can scale to support larger projects, cloud-native applications, or increased development velocity.

Focus on critical features to ensure effective vulnerability detection and developer adoption:

  • Broad Language Support: Look for tools that scan multiple programming languages and frameworks, including modern ones like Go or Node.js, to cover diverse codebases.

  • Accurate Vulnerability Detection: Prioritize solutions with high-precision scanning, contextual analysis, and low false positives, leveraging standards like OWASP or MITRE CWE for reliable results.

  • DevSecOps Integration: Ensure seamless integration with CI/CD pipelines (e.g., Jenkins, GitLab, Azure DevOps) and IDE plugins (e.g., VS Code, IntelliJ) for early vulnerability detection and developer-friendly workflows.

  • Actionable Remediation Guidance: Verify features like prioritized findings, code-level fix suggestions, and compliance reports to streamline remediation and meet audit requirements.

Balance functionality with usability to maximize adoption and efficiency:

  • User-Friendly Interface: Avoid complex tools that slow down developers, opting for intuitive dashboards, clear reporting, and automated prioritization to reduce friction in DevSecOps pipelines.

  • Vendor Support Quality: Select providers with responsive support, detailed documentation, and resources like tutorials or community forums to assist with onboarding and troubleshooting.

  • Testing and Trials: Use demos, free trials (e.g., offered by Checkmarx or Synopsys), or user reviews on platforms to validate scanning accuracy and fit before committing.


Summary and Key Takeaways

Our guide to the leading Static Application Security Testing (SAST) solutions provides a comprehensive overview of platforms designed to secure applications by identifying vulnerabilities early in the development lifecycle. The article evaluates tools based on features like broad language support, accurate vulnerability detection, DevSecOps integration, and actionable remediation guidance, catering to organizations of all sizes. It emphasizes the importance of balancing robust security scanning, scalability, and developer-friendly usability to reduce vulnerabilities, ensure compliance, and accelerate secure software delivery in a DevSecOps-driven landscape.

Key Takeaways:

  • Early Vulnerability Detection: Top SAST solutions scan codebases for vulnerabilities like SQL injection or XSS during development, minimizing downstream risks.

  • Seamless DevSecOps Integration: Choose tools that embed security into CI/CD pipelines and IDEs to empower developers and maintain agile workflows.

  • Actionable and Scalable: Prioritize platforms with clear remediation guidance and scalability to support complex projects and compliance needs.


What Do You Think?

We’ve explored the leading SAST solutions, highlighting how these tools help organizations secure applications by catching vulnerabilities early in the development process. Now, we’d love to hear your perspective—what’s your experience with SAST platforms? Are features like broad language support, CI/CD integration, or actionable remediation critical for your organization’s security strategy?

Selecting the right SAST solution can transform how you secure your software, but challenges like false positives or developer adoption can arise. Have you found a standout platform that’s streamlined your DevSecOps pipeline, or encountered hurdles with scalability or usability? Share your insights to help other organizations navigate the SAST landscape and choose the best tool for their needs.

Let us know which solution you recommend to help us improve our list!

FAQs

Everything You Need To Know About SAST Tools (FAQs)

Written By Written By

Alex is an experienced journalist and content editor. He researches, writes, factchecks and edits articles relating to B2B cyber security and technology solutions, working alongside software experts. Alex was awarded a First Class MA (Hons) in English and Scottish Literature by the University of Edinburgh.

Technical Review Technical Review
Laura Iannini
Laura Iannini Cybersecurity Analyst

Laura Iannini is a Cybersecurity Analyst at Expert Insights. With deep cybersecurity knowledge and strong research skills, she leads Expert Insights’ product testing team, conducting thorough tests of product features and in-depth industry analysis to ensure that Expert Insights’ product reviews are definitive and insightful. Laura also carries out wider analysis of vendor landscapes and industry trends to inform Expert Insights’ enterprise cybersecurity buyers’ guides, covering topics such as security awareness training, cloud backup and recovery, email security, and network monitoring. Prior to working at Expert Insights, Laura worked as a Senior Information Security Engineer at Constant Edge, where she tested cybersecurity solutions, carried out product demos, and provided high-quality ongoing technical support. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Cybersecurity from the University of West Florida.