Safeguard pricing starts at $1. That single dollar connects one repository and gives you real software supply chain security — core software composition analysis (SCA), a generated SBOM in CycloneDX or SPDX, reachability-based prioritization, and Griffin AI fix suggestions — with no sales call to begin. From there you upgrade when you need autonomous auto-merge remediation, more projects, compliance packs, or an isolated deployment. This FAQ explains exactly what each price point buys and when moving up actually pays off.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does Safeguard cost to start? The Starter plan is $1. It is the cheapest way to run genuine supply-chain security on a real repository rather than a limited trial: you connect one repo, scan its dependencies, and get an SBOM plus prioritized, reachability-aware findings. There is no sales call required to begin, so you can be scanning within minutes of signing up.
What is included in the $1 Starter plan? For $1 you get core SCA on one repository, an exportable SBOM (CycloneDX or SPDX), reachability-based prioritization that separates exploitable findings from noise, and Griffin AI fix suggestions that tell you which version to move to and why. It is a working slice of the platform, not a feature-locked demo. You can see the full breakdown on the pricing page.
Why is it only a dollar — what's the catch? There is no catch beyond scope. The $1 tier is deliberately priced to remove the "should I even try this" hesitation, and it covers a single project with core detection and prioritization. The paid tiers exist for teams that need automation, scale, and compliance features — so the $1 plan is honest about being a starting point, not the whole platform.
What do I get when I upgrade from Starter? Upgrading unlocks autonomous remediation, where Auto-Fix opens and can auto-merge fix pull requests instead of just suggesting them, plus support for more projects, compliance packs (SOC 2, NIST, PCI-DSS mapping), and isolated deployment options. In short: Starter finds and prioritizes; paid tiers fix and govern at scale.
How is Safeguard priced above the Starter plan? Team tiers are usage-based and published, so you can plan a budget without a custom quote for routine growth. Enterprise pricing is sales-led because it is scoped by reasoning budget for AI remediation, deployment isolation requirements, and compliance scope — variables that genuinely differ per organization. The published tiers show where self-serve ends and sales-led begins.
Does the $1 plan include the AI features? Yes — Starter includes Griffin AI fix suggestions, so you get AI-assisted remediation guidance on your findings. What Starter does not include is autonomous remediation: Griffin will tell you the fix, but auto-merging that fix without a human in the loop is a paid-tier capability.
Is there a free trial instead of the $1 plan? The $1 Starter plan is effectively the trial, except it is not time-boxed into a countdown and it operates on your real repository. For the price of a rounding error you get durable access to core scanning rather than a two-week clock, which is usually more useful for evaluating whether the platform fits your workflow.
Who is the $1 plan actually for? Solo developers, open-source maintainers, and small teams securing one important repository get the most obvious value. It is also a low-friction way for engineers inside larger companies to run a proof of value on one service before proposing a team rollout, since it needs no procurement conversation to start.
When should I upgrade to a paid tier? Upgrade when the manual step of merging fixes becomes the bottleneck, when you need to cover more than one project, or when an auditor asks for a compliance pack. If you are triaging findings across several repos or spending real time shepherding fix PRs by hand, autonomous auto-merge remediation is where the paid tiers pay for themselves.
How does Safeguard pricing compare to other tools? Most supply-chain and SCA tools gate meaningful functionality behind a free-but-limited tier and then jump to per-developer contracts that require a sales call. Safeguard's $1 entry point is unusually low, and its consolidation of SCA, SBOM, reachability, and AI remediation into one platform reduces the multi-tool sprawl that drives cost. See our comparison hub and the Safeguard vs Snyk breakdown for specifics.
Are there hidden costs like SBOM storage or extra scans? The Starter plan's scope is transparent: one repository with core scanning and SBOM export. As you scale, cost tracks the projects and automation you actually use rather than surprise line items. Enterprise arrangements are scoped up front so the deployment and compliance requirements are priced into the agreement, not billed as extras later.
What is the ROI of even a $1 plan? A single unremediated, reachable vulnerability shipped to production can cost far more than a year of any tooling tier to clean up. At $1, the break-even is essentially the first prioritized finding you would have otherwise missed in the noise — the plan pays for itself the moment it points you at one exploitable issue worth fixing.
How do I get started? Create an account and connect one repository to activate the $1 Starter plan at app.safeguard.sh/register. For setup steps, integration guides, and how each tier's features work in practice, see the technical documentation at docs.safeguard.sh.