Top 10 Free Alternatives to CodeMetrix Security Scanner in 2025: A Comprehensive Comparison

With the growth in complexity and threats in the software development landscape, security scanners have become increasingly essential. While CodeMetrix stands out for its security analysis features, several free alternatives have emerged as strong contenders. This article explores the top 10 free alternatives, comparing key features, integration capabilities, and language support.

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1. Semgrep

Description: A highly configurable and fast static analysis tool for finding bugs and enforcing code standards.
Type: SAST (Static Application Security Testing)
Configurability: Highly customizable rules and policies.
Language Support: Supports many languages including Python, Java, JavaScript, Go, and more.
Integration: Integrates with CI/CD tools such as GitHub Actions, GitLab CI, and others.
Community: Large and active community with pre-built rules available. Learn more about Semgrep

2. SonarQube

Description: An open-source platform for continuous inspection of code quality, performing automatic reviews with static analysis to detect bugs, code smells, and security vulnerabilities.
Type: SAST (Static Application Security Testing), Code Quality
Analysis: Performs deep code analysis across multiple languages.
Language Support: Supports over 25 programming languages including Java, C#, Python, JavaScript, and more.
Integration: Integrates with CI/CD pipelines and various IDEs.
Reporting: Provides detailed reports on code quality and security. Explore SonarQube

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3. Zed Attack Proxy (ZAP)

Description: An open-source web application security scanner designed for both automated scanning and manual penetration testing.
Type: DAST (Dynamic Application Security Testing)
Functionality: Includes an active scanner, spider, and manual testing tools.
Vulnerability Coverage: Detects common web vulnerabilities such as SQL injection and XSS.
Usability: User-friendly interface.
Community: Active open-source community with regular updates. Discover ZAP

4. GitHub Code Scanning

Description: A static analysis service integrated into GitHub using CodeQL to scan code repositories for vulnerabilities.
Type: SAST (Static Application Security Testing)
Integration: Directly integrated within GitHub repositories.
Language Support: Supports C/C++, C#, Ruby, Java, JavaScript/TypeScript, Python, and Go.
Automation: Automated scans triggered by code changes.
Free for Open Source: Free for public repositories, part of GitHub Advanced Security for private ones. Check out GitHub Code Scanning

5. OWASP Dependency-Check

Description: An open-source tool that detects known vulnerabilities in project dependencies.
Type: SCA (Software Composition Analysis)
Functionality: Scans project dependencies for known vulnerabilities.
Database: Uses the National Vulnerability Database (NVD).
Language Support: Supports Java, .NET, Python, JavaScript, and more.
Integration: Integrates into build processes using Maven, Gradle, Ant, and other build tools. Explore OWASP Dependency-Check

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6. Pylint

Description: A static code analysis tool for Python, checking for errors, coding standard violations, and code smells.
Type: SAST (Static Application Security Testing), Code Quality
Language Support: Specifically for Python.
Functionality: Analyzes code for errors, style issues, and potential vulnerabilities.
Customization: Highly configurable with options to enable/disable checks.
Integration: Can be integrated into various IDEs and text editors. Discover Pylint

7. Gitleaks

Description: A tool for finding hardcoded secrets like API keys, passwords, and tokens in git repositories.
Type: Secret Detection
Functionality: Scans git history for secrets.
Language Support: Works with any code repository.
Configurability: Customizable rules for different types of secrets.
Integration: Can be integrated into CI/CD pipelines. Learn more about Gitleaks

8. KICS (Keeping Infrastructure as Code Secure)

Description: An open-source SAST tool that scans infrastructure-as-code (IaC) files for security vulnerabilities.
Type: IaC Security Scanner
Functionality: Scans IaC files (e.g., Terraform, CloudFormation).
Supported Formats: Supports various IaC formats including Terraform, Kubernetes, Docker, etc.
Policy Checks: Checks for misconfigurations and policy violations.
Integration: Integrates into CI/CD pipelines. Explore KICS

9. Mobile Security Framework (MobSF)

Description: An open-source mobile application security framework that performs static and dynamic analysis of Android, iOS, and Windows mobile applications.
Type: Mobile Application Security Testing
Functionality: Performs both static and dynamic analysis on mobile apps.
Platforms: Supports Android, iOS, and Windows mobile apps.
Analysis Capabilities: Includes malware analysis, penetration testing, and privacy assessment.
Reporting: Provides detailed vulnerability reports. Discover MobSF

10. Coverity Scan

Description: A free static analysis service for open-source projects, designed to identify defects in code.
Type: SAST (Static Application Security Testing)
Language Support: Supports many languages including Java, C/C++, Python, and JavaScript.
Integration: Can be integrated into CI/CD pipelines and Travis-CI.
Free for Open Source: Free for open source projects.
Analysis: Provides deep code quality and security insights. Explore Coverity Scan

These tools provide a solid foundation for security testing and code analysis, offering capabilities that are free or open-source. The best choice depends on the specifics of your project and the type of analysis you need.

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FAQ

1. What is Semgrep?

Semgrep is a highly configurable and fast static analysis tool designed to find bugs and enforce code standards. It integrates easily into CI/CD pipelines. Learn more about Semgrep

2. What does SonarQube offer?

SonarQube is an open-source platform for continuous inspection of code quality. It performs automatic reviews using static analysis to detect bugs, code smells, and security vulnerabilities. Discover SonarQube

3. How can Zed Attack Proxy (ZAP) be used?

Zed Attack Proxy (ZAP) is an open-source web application security scanner for both automated scanning and manual penetration testing, detecting common web vulnerabilities like SQL injection and XSS. Explore ZAP

4. What is GitHub Code Scanning?

GitHub Code Scanning is a static analysis service integrated into GitHub that uses CodeQL to scan code for vulnerabilities. It's free for public repositories and part of GitHub Advanced Security for private ones. Learn more about GitHub Code Scanning

5. What does OWASP Dependency-Check do?

OWASP Dependency-Check is an open-source tool that scans project dependencies for known vulnerabilities using the National Vulnerability Database (NVD). Discover OWASP Dependency-Check

6. What is Pylint useful for?

Pylint is a static code analysis tool for Python that checks for errors, coding standard violations, and code smells, and it is highly configurable with options to enable or disable checks. Learn more about Pylint

7. What does Gitleaks detect?

Gitleaks is a tool for finding hardcoded secrets like API keys, passwords, and tokens in git repositories. It can be integrated into CI/CD pipelines. Explore Gitleaks

8. What is KICS?

KICS (Keeping Infrastructure as Code Secure) is an open-source SAST tool that scans infrastructure-as-code files for security vulnerabilities and supports various formats including Terraform, Kubernetes, and Docker. Discover KICS

9. How does Mobile Security Framework (MobSF) help?

Mobile Security Framework (MobSF) is an open-source tool that performs static and dynamic analysis on Android, iOS, and Windows mobile apps, offering malware analysis, penetration testing, and privacy assessment. Learn more about MobSF

10. What is Coverity Scan?

Coverity Scan is a free static analysis service for open-source projects that identifies defects in code, providing deep insights into code quality and security. Discover Coverity Scan

References

About the Author

Violetta Bonenkamp, also known as MeanCEO, is an experienced startup founder with an impressive educational background including an MBA and four other higher education degrees. She has over 20 years of work experience across multiple countries, including 5 years as a solopreneur and serial entrepreneur. She’s been living, studying and working in many countries around the globe and her extensive multicultural experience has influenced her immensely.

Violetta is a true multiple specialist who has built expertise in Linguistics, Education, Business Management, Blockchain, Entrepreneurship, Intellectual Property, Game Design, AI, SEO, Digital Marketing, cyber security and zero code automations. Her extensive educational journey includes a Master of Arts in Linguistics and Education, an Advanced Master in Linguistics from Belgium (2006-2007), an MBA from Blekinge Institute of Technology in Sweden (2006-2008), and an Erasmus Mundus joint program European Master of Higher Education from universities in Norway, Finland, and Portugal (2009).

She is the founder of Fe/male Switch, a startup game that encourages women to enter STEM fields, and also leads CADChain, and multiple other projects like the Directory of 1,000 Startup Cities with a proprietary MeanCEO Index that ranks cities for female entrepreneurs. Violetta created the "gamepreneurship" methodology, which forms the scientific basis of her startup game. She also builds a lot of SEO tools for startups. Her achievements include being named one of the top 100 women in Europe by EU Startups in 2022 and being nominated for Impact Person of the year at the Dutch Blockchain Week. She is an author with Sifted and a speaker at different Universities. Recently she published a book on Startup Idea Validation the right way: from zero to first customers and beyond and launched a Directory of 1,500+ websites for startups to list themselves in order to gain traction and build backlinks.

For the past several years Violetta has been living between the Netherlands and Malta, while also regularly traveling to different destinations around the globe, usually due to her entrepreneurial activities. This has led her to start writing about different locations and amenities from the POV of an entrepreneur. Here’s her recent article about the best hotels in Italy to work from.

About the Publication

Fe/male Switch is an innovative startup platform designed to empower women entrepreneurs through an immersive, game-like experience. Founded in 2020 during the pandemic "without any funding and without any code," this non-profit initiative has evolved into a comprehensive educational tool for aspiring female entrepreneurs.The platform was co-founded by Violetta Shishkina-Bonenkamp, who serves as CEO and one of the lead authors of the Startup News branch.

Mission and Purpose

Fe/male Switch Foundation was created to address the gender gap in the tech and entrepreneurship space. The platform aims to skill-up future female tech leaders and empower them to create resilient and innovative tech startups through what they call "gamepreneurship". By putting players in a virtual startup village where they must survive and thrive, the startup game allows women to test their entrepreneurial abilities without financial risk.

Key Features

The platform offers a unique blend of news, resources,learning, networking, and practical application within a supportive, female-focused environment:

Skill Lab: Micro-modules covering essential startup skills
Virtual Startup Building: Create or join startups and tackle real-world challenges
AI Co-founder (PlayPal): Guides users through the startup process
SANDBOX: A testing environment for idea validation before launch
Wellness Integration: Virtual activities to balance work and self-care
Marketplace: Buy or sell expert sessions and tutorials

Impact and Growth

Since its inception, Fe/male Switch has shown impressive growth:

3,000+ female entrepreneurs in the community
100+ startup tools built
5,000+ pieces of articles and news written

Partnerships

Fe/male Switch has formed strategic partnerships to enhance its offerings. In January 2022, it teamed up with global website builder Tilda to provide free access to website building tools and mentorship services for Fe/male Switch participants.

Recognition

Fe/male Switch has received media attention for its innovative approach to closing the gender gap in tech entrepreneurship. The platform has been featured in various publications highlighting its unique "play to learn and earn" model.