Lacework alternatives are cloud security platforms, now mostly sold as CNAPP, that find misconfigurations, risky permissions and live threats across cloud accounts, containers and workloads. They differ in where they start: runtime detection, agentless posture scanning, a wider security suite, or cloud identity. Ten options follow in no particular order.
Here's the short version. If you're replacing a cloud security platform, you're choosing how you want to see risk: from inside running workloads, from a scan of your cloud accounts, or from the permissions every identity holds. Most vendors now claim all three, so it pays to know where each one began.
The ten platforms below are listed alphabetically and in no particular order, and every description comes from each vendor's own website, read as of Oct 2026. For remote access to those cloud apps, my guide to business VPNs covers the network side.
Lacework alternatives at a glance
I checked the free plan column on each vendor's own website, as of Oct 2026. Yes means the page names a free plan, a free version or an open source edition. Trial only means it names a time-limited free trial. Not stated means the page I read named neither, so check the vendor's own site before you sign up.
| Tool | Type | Good for | Free plan |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aqua Security | Cloud native security platform | Containers and serverless from build to runtime | Not stated |
| Orca Security | AI cloud security and CNAPP | Cloud exposure across accounts | Not stated |
| Prisma Cloud | Integrated CNAPP | Posture, entitlements and runtime in one platform | Not stated |
| Qualys TotalCloud | Risk-focused CNAPP | Broad cloud coverage under one risk view | Not stated |
| Rapid7 InsightCloudSec | CNAPP in a wider platform | Cloud security plus exposure management | Not stated |
| Sonrai Security | Cloud identity security | Least privilege and cloud permissions | Trial only |
| Sysdig | Runtime-first CNAPP | Threat detection in containers and Kubernetes | Not stated |
| Uptycs | AI-native CNAPP and XDR | Cloud and endpoint data in one place | Not stated |
| Upwind | Runtime cloud and AI security | Cutting alerts down to reachable risks | Not stated |
| Wiz | Cloud and AI security graph | Linking code, cloud and runtime risk | Not stated |
Ten cloud security and CNAPP platforms
Aqua Security
Best for: Container and serverless teams that want runtime-powered protection from development through production, with code scanning and policy enforcement.
Orca Security
Best for: Security teams wanting an AI-powered CNAPP that shows their true cloud exposure, backed by an in-house research team and open source projects.
Prisma Cloud
Best for: Palo Alto Networks customers wanting posture management, entitlement management, API visibility and runtime blocking, in SaaS or self-hosted editions.
Qualys TotalCloud
Best for: Enterprises that want a risk-focused CNAPP covering posture, workloads, Kubernetes, IaC, entitlements, SaaS and data security in one console.
Rapid7 InsightCloudSec
Best for: Organisations already on a wider command platform that want CNAPP alongside attack surface and exposure management.
Sonrai Security
Best for: Cloud teams that need least privilege fast, with a one-click cloud permissions firewall and privileged access controls for identities and AI agents.
Sysdig
Best for: Kubernetes and container teams that want prevention, detection and response at runtime, plus open source projects such as Falco.
Uptycs
Best for: SecOps teams that want posture, workloads, containers, Kubernetes and identity on one data set, with an AI analyst running investigations.
Upwind
Best for: Teams that want runtime context to narrow alerts to reachable exposures across cloud workloads, APIs and AI agents.
Wiz
Best for: Companies wanting code, cloud and runtime joined in one security graph, to automate risk reduction and threat response across cloud and AI apps.
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Almost every vendor now says CNAPP, and most add AI
Here's what stood out reading the vendor pages. The four letters CNAPP, short for cloud-native application protection platform, now sit in nearly every page title, from Qualys TotalCloud's to Rapid7's. Palo Alto Networks goes further, saying integrated CNAPP is now the benchmark and citing a 2025 Gartner report.
The newer pages lead with AI security as well. Wiz sells AI cybersecurity for cloud and AI applications, and Uptycs and Upwind both use the phrase cloud and AI security. So the label won't separate them. Where each one starts will.
Runtime-first, agentless graph, suite or identity-led?
- Runtime-first. These watch what's running in containers, Kubernetes and workloads and catch threats as they happen. Sysdig puts it plainly: cloud security starts at runtime.
- Agentless posture and graph tools. These scan cloud accounts without installing agents and map how risks connect, from code to cloud to runtime, so you fix the paths an attacker could use first.
- Security suites. Cloud security sold as one module of a wider platform covering vulnerability, exposure or SOC work. Useful if you already run that vendor elsewhere.
- Identity-led. One vendor here starts from cloud permissions, arguing that a CNAPP tells you which identities are over-permissioned but leaves you thousands of policies to fix.
Questions for a CNAPP shortlist
- Do you need agents? Agentless scanning is quicker to roll out; runtime agents see more of what's happening live.
- Which clouds and workloads do you run? Check containers, Kubernetes, serverless and VMs against each vendor's own coverage list.
- What happens after an alert? Ask how the tool ranks reachable exposures and who it routes fixes to.
- How does it handle identities? Over-permissioned roles are a common gap, and some tools go further than others here.
- Can you trial it on real accounts? One vendor on this list names a 14-day free trial.
Cloud risk is now a board topic as well as an engineering one. My piece on board portal cyber security covers how directors keep sensitive papers safe.
Do you make a cloud security or CNAPP platform? Tool makers can ask to be considered for a featured place on this list.
My plain advice on a Lacework replacement
Start with your biggest risk. If it's live attacks on containers and Kubernetes, shortlist the runtime-first tools. If it's misconfigurations and exposed data across many accounts, start with an agentless graph tool and see what it finds in a week. If you already run a security suite from one vendor, check its cloud module before buying a new one. And whichever you pick, ask for a plan to move your existing alerts and policies across.
Cloud security also sits behind the edge layer in front of your apps, which my guide to CDN and edge security tools covers.
Want your tool on this list? Featured spots and reviews here are paid partnerships. Here's how to partner with me.
Frequently asked questions
What is a CNAPP?
A cloud-native application protection platform combines posture management, workload protection, entitlement management and often code scanning, so one tool covers cloud risk from build to runtime.
What's the difference between CNAPP and CSPM?
Cloud security posture management checks cloud settings for misconfigurations. A CNAPP includes that and adds workload, container, identity and runtime protection.
Do I need agents for cloud security?
Not always. Agentless scanning reads your cloud accounts without installing software, while runtime agents watch live activity in containers and hosts. Many teams use both.
How long does it take to replace a cloud security tool?
It depends on how many accounts and policies you have. Agentless tools usually connect faster, while rolling out runtime agents across clusters takes longer.
Can a CNAPP secure AI workloads?
More vendors say so. Several on this list now describe themselves as cloud and AI security platforms, covering AI applications and agents alongside cloud workloads.
