The best CSPM tools scan your cloud accounts for risky settings, such as public storage, overly broad permissions or logging that's switched off, and help you fix them before an attacker finds them. Small teams often start with a free open source scanner, while larger estates want continuous monitoring across every cloud. Eleven options follow in no particular order.
Most cloud breaches don't start with clever hacking. They start with a setting: a storage bucket left open, an admin account without extra checks, a test server nobody remembered. In a busy cloud account, those settings change every day.
Cloud security posture management, or CSPM, keeps an eye on them. The eleven options below are listed alphabetically and in no particular order, from free open source scanners to large platforms, and every description comes from the vendor's own site, read this week. For a broader view of protecting a small firm, see my guide to improving your business security.
CSPM tools side by side
In the free plan column, Yes means the tool's own site names a free plan, a free edition, a free account or an open source version. Trial only means a time-limited trial. Not stated means the pages I read named neither, even where there's a button inviting you to try it or book a demo.
| Tool | Type | Good for | Free plan |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cyscale | Cloud security platform (CNAPP) | Smaller teams prioritising what to fix first | Trial only |
| Microsoft Defender for Cloud | Security posture and workload protection | Azure-first organisations | Trial only |
| Orca Security | AI-powered cloud security platform | Agentless visibility across cloud accounts | Not stated |
| Plerion | Agent-led cloud security platform | Teams short on time to triage findings | Not stated |
| Prisma Cloud | Code to cloud security platform | Palo Alto Networks customers | Not stated |
| Prowler | Open source cloud security scanning | Free scans of AWS, Azure and Google Cloud | Yes |
| Scout Suite | Open source multi-cloud security auditing | One-off audits of cloud settings | Yes |
| Sysdig | Runtime-first cloud security | Container and Kubernetes-heavy estates | Not stated |
| Tenable Cloud Security | Cloud security posture and exposure management | Existing Tenable vulnerability customers | Not stated |
| Upwind | Cloud and AI security with runtime sensors | Combining agentless scans with runtime data | Not stated |
| Wiz | Cloud security platform with a security graph | Large multi-cloud estates | Not stated |
Eleven cloud security posture management tools
Cyscale
Best for: Smaller security teams that want cloud misconfigurations and vulnerabilities turned into a short list of what to fix first.
Microsoft Defender for Cloud
Best for: Organisations running mainly on Azure that want posture management and workload protection inside the Microsoft security tools they already use.
Orca Security
Best for: Companies with several cloud accounts that want broad visibility of risks across them from one agentless cloud security platform.
Plerion
Best for: Lean teams whose cloud security backlog keeps growing and who want agents to investigate issues and push fixes forward.
Prisma Cloud
Best for: Larger organisations already invested in Palo Alto Networks that want cloud security from code through to runtime.
Prowler
Best for: Engineers who want an open source engine that scans cloud accounts for risky settings, runnable locally or as a hosted service.
Scout Suite
Best for: Security consultants and IT teams that want a free point-in-time audit of cloud configuration across several providers.
Sysdig
Best for: Teams running lots of containers and Kubernetes that want posture checks tied to what is happening at runtime.
Tenable Cloud Security
Best for: Organisations already using Tenable for vulnerability management that want cloud misconfigurations, identities and data risks in the same view.
Upwind
Best for: Security and DevOps teams that want agentless scanning plus runtime sensors so they can see which risks are live in real time.
Wiz
Best for: Large organisations with sprawling multi-cloud estates that want code, cloud and runtime risks connected in a single graph.
Where the cloud provider's job stops and yours starts
The NCSC's 14 cloud security principles are designed to help you choose a cloud provider that meets your security needs. The guidance is clear that you'll separately need to consider how you configure your use of the service.
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That gap is exactly what posture management covers. Your provider secures the platform underneath, but the choices you make on top of it, who can access what, which data is public, what gets logged, are yours. A CSPM tool checks those choices continuously, so a risky change doesn't sit unnoticed for months.
If you're still choosing which cloud to build on, our AWS vs Google Cloud article covers what AWS and Google Cloud offer a new customer.
CSPM, CNAPP and runtime security
Plain CSPM tools look at settings. Many vendors now sell a wider bundle called a cloud-native application protection platform, or CNAPP, which adds workload scanning, identity risks and runtime protection. Some lead with agentless scanning; others add sensors that watch what's running in real time.
Don't buy the biggest bundle by default. If you run a handful of cloud accounts, a focused tool that finds misconfigurations and explains the fix may be all you need for now.
Writing your cloud setup as code is one way to avoid hand-made mistakes, and our Terraform vs Pulumi comparison compares two tools for that.
Questions to ask a CSPM vendor
- Which clouds do you cover, and how quickly are new services added?
- Do you need agents, or can you scan without installing anything?
- How do you rank findings so we fix the riskiest first?
- Can fixes be pushed to the developer who made the change?
- Do you map findings to frameworks such as CIS benchmarks?
- How do you handle access to our accounts, and what can you change?
Signs your cloud settings need watching
- Several people have admin rights. Nobody remembers why.
- Old test servers still run. Nobody owns them.
- Storage sharing is unclear. Some buckets may be public.
- Logging is patchy. You couldn't trace a change.
Do you make cloud security tools? Tool makers can ask to be considered for a featured place on this list.
My plain advice on choosing a CSPM tool
Run a free scan on your own accounts first, even with an open source tool. The results will tell you how messy things are and which kinds of issues keep coming back. That makes vendor demos far more useful, because you'll be asking about your own problems.
Then be honest about who'll fix what the tool finds. A long list of alerts with no owner doesn't make you safer. Pick a tool that routes each issue to the person who can fix it. If you're still comparing cloud providers, my take on why so many businesses choose AWS is worth a read.
Frequently asked questions
What is CSPM?
Cloud security posture management is the continuous checking of cloud accounts for risky settings, such as public storage, excessive permissions or disabled logging, with guidance on fixing them.
What's the difference between CSPM and CNAPP?
CSPM focuses on cloud settings. CNAPP is a wider bundle that usually adds workload scanning, identity risk and runtime protection alongside posture management.
Are there free CSPM tools?
Yes. Open source scanners can audit major cloud providers for free. Continuous hosted platforms usually need a plan or trial, so check the table above.
Does my cloud provider handle security for me?
Providers secure the underlying platform. The NCSC's guidance is clear that how you configure your use of the service is something you need to consider separately.
Do small businesses need CSPM?
If you run your own cloud accounts, a periodic scan is worth it. Continuous tools make more sense as accounts, people and changes multiply.
How often should cloud settings be checked?
Settings change whenever someone deploys or edits something, so continuous or daily checks catch problems far sooner than an annual review.
