A free license removes the purchase price, not the cost of running the tool. Someone must install it, keep its data current, fix the pipeline, handle questions and plan for the day the project changes. A fair comparison with a managed platform counts those hours and risks, with your own measured numbers.
What leadership usually asks
"We have a free option. Why spend money?" It is a reasonable question. It deserves a structured answer, not a vendor pitch, and it should be honest about when free is the right call.
The cost categories
| Category | Open source scanner | Managed platform |
|---|---|---|
| License | None | Contract |
| Setup | Staff time | Staff time, usually less |
| Data freshness | Staff time to maintain, or reliance on the project | Vendor responsibility, verify |
| Upkeep | Staff time for upgrades and breakage | Mostly vendor |
| Support | Community, your own debugging | Contract path |
| Reporting and evidence | Build or script it | Often built in, verify |
| Continuity risk | Depends on the project | Depends on the vendor |
| Exit | Low lock in on the tool, high effort to rebuild around it | Needs a data export plan |
Each cell has a cost. No row is automatically zero.
How to make it concrete
- Measure, do not estimate. Use the log from a trial, as described in our guide to how much engineer time open source scanners take.
- Convert hours using your normal internal rate, which finance can supply.
- List risks next to the hours: missed advisories, an unowned tool, audit evidence gaps.
- Compare both options on the same one page, including the option to stay on open source.
- State your recommendation and what would change your mind.
For the structure of a total cost comparison, see our build versus buy worksheet.
When free is the right answer
Be willing to say this to leadership, because it builds trust. Free tooling can be right when the codebase is small, the team has a capable owner with time, the ecosystems are well covered, and audit pressure is light. It tends to stop fitting when repository count grows, buyers ask for evidence, nobody wants to own the pipeline, or incidents show that detection delays matter.
The one sentence version
"The tool is free; running it is not, so we measured the running cost and here is how both options compare."
What to bring to the meeting
- The one page comparison.
- Measured hours from the trial.
- The freshness test results.
- A named owner for either choice.
- An exit plan for either choice.
Safeguard is a managed option, and you can run a free scan at gold.safeguard.sh/scan so the comparison uses your own repositories.
Quick check
Should I put a dollar figure on staff time?
Yes, using your company's internal rate and your measured hours. Do not borrow figures from a vendor or an article.
Is a managed platform always cheaper in total?
No. It depends on your team, scale and needs. Compare both with your own numbers.
Last reviewed: 19 October 2026.
