Apache RAT vs licscan

Apache RAT is a free, open-source release-audit tool for checking software distributions, with particular attention to license headers. Version 0.18 provides a command-line client, an Ant task library, and a Maven plugin. You can include or exclude files using patterns, collections, pattern files, and file-size limits; apply approved-license lists; and produce plain, XML, missing-header, or unapproved-license reports. The Maven plugin can write target/rat.txt or add a report to a generated site. RAT can add Apache-2.0 headers and copyright notices to files allowed by configuration. XML license definitions are supported, and experienced users can extend matchers, formats, reports, and interfaces. It runs on Linux and is intended for self-hosted, on-premise use. Building requires Java 17, with Maven 3.9.13 or later recommended. Reports need interpretation and project-specific tuning, and heuristics can miss issues.

licscan is a free command-line tool for checking project dependencies for license risk and producing software bills of materials and EU CRA evidence. It supports Go, Node.js, PHP, Python, Ruby, Rust, and Java projects. Its configurable five-level risk model can deny, warn about, or allow licenses, with exceptions. Output formats include table, JSON, HTML, Markdown, CycloneDX, SPDX, CRA PDF, SARIF, and JUnit. CRA mode creates a PDF and an extended CycloneDX JSON SBOM containing manufacturer and product metadata. LicScan runs locally without an account, telemetry, backend connection, or phone-home behavior; the maker describes scans as deterministic for the same inputs. Its official GitHub Action can post verdicts on pull requests, fail builds for denied licenses, and upload SBOM artifacts. SARIF and JUnit outputs support other CI workflows. It runs on Linux, macOS, and Windows, with installation options including Homebrew, curl, and go install. The free open-source plan is listed at free, with $0 per scan and an Apache 2.0 license.