Tech riderRev. 29 Sept 2026
Chef InSpec
- 1Runs onAPI, Linux, Mac, self-hosted, Windows
- 2CostsFree plan · free trial
- 3Policy as codeYes
3 lines stated Written from the maker's own pages: docs.chef.io
Overview
Chef InSpec is ranked #1 of 27 in infrastructure testing tools on Specifiction. It runs on API, Linux, macOS, Self-hosted, Windows. There is a free plan. A free trial is offered.
Chef InSpec plans and pricing
All plansFree Free Unlimited duration · non-production workloads · personal and non-commercial use docs.chef.io · 29 Sept 2026
Commercial Not published Renewable · production and non-production workloads · entitlements based on purchase order docs.chef.io · 29 Sept 2026
Compared on infrastructure testing tools
- Free plan
- Yesdocs.chef.io
- Policy as code
- Yesdocs.chef.io
Facts
- Purpose
- Chef InSpec tests and audits applications and infrastructure by comparing their actual state with a desired state expressed in InSpec code.docs.chef.io · 29 Sept 2026
- Compliance as code
- InSpec is a runtime framework and rule language for specifying compliance, security, and policy requirements.docs.chef.io · 29 Sept 2026
- Profiles
- Profiles organize controls into reusable artifacts that can be versioned and given platform requirements and dependencies.docs.chef.io · 29 Sept 2026
- Cloud coverage
- Resources support testing AWS, Azure, AliCloud, and GCP cloud infrastructure, and users can create custom resources.docs.chef.io · 29 Sept 2026
- Reporting
- InSpec can output audit results as JSON, HTML, or plain text, or send results to Chef Automate.docs.chef.io · 29 Sept 2026
- Targets
- Tests can run locally or against cloud services and infrastructure such as Linux in Docker containers.docs.chef.io · 29 Sept 2026
- Integrations
- The kitchen-inspec verifier lets users run InSpec profiles through Test Kitchen.docs.chef.io · 29 Sept 2026
- Security standards
- Chef offers premium CIS- and STIG-based profiles for compliance scanning across enterprise assets.docs.chef.io · 29 Sept 2026
- License requirements
- Chef InSpec 7 requires EULA acceptance, and whether a license key is needed depends on the distribution source.docs.chef.io · 29 Sept 2026
- Telemetry
- The Chef Licensing Telemetry service gathers activation, usage, environment, and bug data for InSpec and is enabled for free and trial tiers, but not commercial users.docs.chef.io · 29 Sept 2026
- Installation
- Chef documents native installers for Windows and Linux distributions and Habitat packages for macOS, Windows, and Linux distributions.docs.chef.io · 29 Sept 2026
- Support
- The licensing page lists community Slack support for Free and Trial tiers and contract support for Commercial licenses.docs.chef.io · 29 Sept 2026
Best Chef InSpec alternatives
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Where it ranks on Specifiction
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Sources
- docs.chef.io/inspec/7.2/· checked 29 Sept 2026
- docs.chef.io/inspec/7.2/chef_tools/plugin_kitchen_in· checked 29 Sept 2026
- docs.chef.io/inspec/7.2/install/license/· checked 29 Sept 2026
- docs.chef.io/inspec/7.2/install/· checked 29 Sept 2026
- docs.chef.io/licensing/· checked 29 Sept 2026