Chef InSpec vs Mondoo CSPM
Chef InSpec
docs.chef.io
Mondoo CSPM
mondoo.comSide by side
| Figure | Chef InSpec | Mondoo CSPM |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | $4.92/mo | Free |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | Yes | — |
| Open source | Yes | Yes |
| Web | — | Yes |
| Windows | Yes | Yes |
| macOS | Yes | Yes |
| Linux | Yes | Yes |
| API | Yes | Yes |
| Self-hosted | Yes | — |
| Plans published | 8 | 2 |
| Spec score · Security Configuration Management Software | 9.4 (#1) | 8.6 (#5) |
| Cloud coverage | Official resources target AWS, Azure, Alibaba Cloud and Google Cloud Platform services. | CSPM covers AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud in one posture and remediation workflow. |
| Documentation depth | The documentation includes installation, supported platforms, profiles, resource packs, reporters, plugins, licensing and Test Kitchen integration guides. | Documentation includes platform quickstarts, installation, provider management, MQL resource references, compliance, reporting, access control, API tokens and audit logs. |
| Integrations | The kitchen-inspec verifier lets users run InSpec profiles through Test Kitchen. | Mondoo lists 118 integrations, including AWS, Azure, Google Cloud, Kubernetes, Terraform, GitHub Actions, Qualys, CrowdStrike, Snyk, Jira and ServiceNow. |
| What it does | Chef InSpec is a framework and rule language that tests applications and infrastructure against desired security, compliance and policy states, reporting violations for users to remediate. | Mondoo CSPM continuously scans AWS, Azure, Google Cloud, Kubernetes and infrastructure-as-code for misconfigurations, exposed data, weak identity controls and compliance gaps. |
Plans
Chef InSpec
- FreeFree
- FreeFree
- TrialFree
- TrialFree
- Business$59 a year
- Enterprise$189 a year
- CommercialPriced on request
- Enterprise PlusPriced on request
In their own words
Chef InSpec
Chef InSpec tests and audits applications and infrastructure against a desired state described in InSpec code. Its runtime framework and rule language express compliance, security and policy requirements. Reusable profiles group controls and can include versioning, platform requirements and dependencies. Resources support testing AWS, Azure, AliCloud and GCP infrastructure, and users can create custom resources. Tests can run locally or against cloud services and infrastructure such as Linux in Docker containers. Results can be exported as JSON, HTML or plain text, or sent to Chef Automate. The kitchen-inspec verifier also runs profiles through Test Kitchen. Chef offers premium CIS- and STIG-based profiles for compliance scanning. The free tier is for non-production workloads and personal, non-commercial use; the 30-day trial is for product evaluation under non-production conditions. Commercial licensing covers production and non-production workloads, with entitlements based on purchase order. Chef InSpec 7 requires EULA acceptance, and license-key requirements depend on the distribution source. Telemetry is enabled for free and trial tiers, but not commercial users.
Mondoo CSPM
Mondoo CSPM has no write-up on Specifiction yet; its figures are above.