Tool profile
Contrast Security: cost, fit and limits
Contrast Security is an application security platform made by Contrast Security, Inc. that combines runtime instrumentation (IAST and CVE Shield), software composition analysis and code scanning to find and block exploitable vulnerabilities for development and security teams.
What to know first
Contrast Security sells three tiers: a Free plan at $0 for two applications, a Pro plan listed at $750 per month billed annually, and a quoted Enterprise tier. The pricing page marks Pro as to be released soon. The vendor names no AI feature inside the product and instead pitches runtime protection against AI-accelerated attacks and AI-generated code. Its trust page returned an error when opened, so certifications were not confirmed.
Contrast Security at a glance
| Maker | Contrast Security, Inc., United States |
|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes |
| Entry price | $0 on the Free plan, Pro listed at $750 per month billed annually |
| API access | No |
| Category | Best AI Application Security Testing Software in 2026, rank 13 of 13 |
| Website | contrastsecurity.com |
Who Contrast Security is best for
Java teams on Linux
The Free plan supports Java applications on Linux, so a team can try runtime dependency scanning on two applications before talking to anyone.
Security teams chasing exploitable CVEs
CVE Shield shows reachability, which helps a team decide which vulnerable libraries in production actually deserve a ticket this sprint.
Enterprises with SIEM and ticketing workflows
The Enterprise tier adds production attack monitoring and blocking, SIEM and ticketing integrations, SAML SSO and compliance reporting, priced by production hosts on request.
Contrast Security plans and pricing
| Plan | Price | What it includes |
|---|---|---|
| Free | $0, no credit card | 2 applications, up to 12 services, CVE Shield runtime monitoring, runtime SCA, 14-day history, one user, community support. Java on Linux only. |
| Pro | $750 per month billed annually ($9,000 per year) | Marked to be released soon. 8 applications, up to 50 services, active CVE blocking, 90-day history, up to 5 users, email support. |
| Enterprise | Custom quote based on production hosts | Full production monitoring and blocking, SIEM and ticketing integrations, compliance reporting, RBAC and SAML SSO, one-year history, unlimited users. |
Checked November 2026.
What Contrast Security does
- Contrast Scan
- Code scanning for more than 30 languages and frameworks, started from a command line, build automation, an API call or a secure code upload, with remediation guidance in the findings.
- Risk-based analysis
- The analysis engine concentrates on vulnerabilities that can be exploited and drops findings with no risk, which shortens the list a developer has to triage.
- CVE Shield
- Runtime monitoring that detects attempts to exploit known CVEs and shows whether the vulnerable code is reachable. Active blocking is listed on Pro rather than Free.
- Assess and SCA
- Contrast Assess (IAST) watches an instrumented application while it runs, and Contrast SCA inventories dependencies with a tree view, both listed among the product lines.
- Contrast ADR
- Detection and response for attacks inside production applications, covering both known CVEs and custom code vulnerabilities, offered on the Enterprise plan only, next to SIEM and ticketing integrations.
How Contrast Security handles your data
The privacy policy says customer data is stored in the US, Europe or Japan, depending on the customer's location and request. Data processed on behalf of customers is kept for the length of the relationship plus 37 days. The policy cites participation in the EU-U.S., UK Extension and Swiss-U.S. Data Privacy Framework for transfers, which is not a certification. Whether customer data trains any model is not stated. The vendor's trust page returned HTTP 404 when opened, so certifications such as SOC 2 or ISO 27001 were not checked.
Where Contrast Security falls short in practice
- Pro plan is not on sale yet. The pricing page marks Pro as to be released soon, so a team outgrowing Free has no listed step before Enterprise. Buyers should ask when it ships and whether the $750 monthly price will hold.
- Free tier is narrow. Java on Linux is the only supported combination on Free, with wider platform support listed as coming soon. Teams on .NET, Node or Windows hosts cannot use the free tier as a real trial.
- Short history on lower plans. Rolling history is 14 days on Free and 90 days on Pro, against a year on Enterprise, which limits trend reporting and audit evidence for teams on the smaller tiers.
Works with
Alternatives to Contrast Security
Contrast Security: common questions
Does Contrast Security use AI to find vulnerabilities?
The vendor names no AI capability inside the product on the pages we read. Its messaging is about defending against AI-accelerated attacks and AI-generated code, using CVE Shield and the Contrast Graph. Ask the vendor directly if machine learning in triage or remediation guidance is part of your decision.
Can Contrast Security be bought on the Pro plan today?
Not as a finished plan. The pricing page lists Pro at $750 per month billed annually, or $9,000 per year, but marks it as to be released soon. Contact sales to learn the release date, or start on Free or an Enterprise quote.
What does the Free plan of Contrast Security include?
Free costs $0 with no credit card. It covers 2 applications with usage limits, up to 12 services, CVE Shield runtime monitoring, runtime SCA with a dependency tree, 14-day history and one user. It works with Java applications on Linux only.
Where does Contrast Security store customer data?
The privacy policy says customer data is stored in the US, Europe or Japan, depending on the customer's location and request. Data processed for customers is kept for the relationship plus 37 days. Confirm region selection in writing during procurement.
Does Contrast Security have a public API?
The integrations page mentions SDKs for Java, JavaScript, Python and .NET plus webhooks, but no public REST API on the pages we read. Teams that plan to automate reporting or pull findings into dashboards should ask for API documentation before signing.