StackHawk focuses exclusively on dynamic application security testing, scanning running web applications and APIs for OWASP Top 10 vulnerabilities during CI/CD pipeline execution. Built on the OWASP ZAP engine with developer experience improvements, it finds SQL injection, cross-site scripting, authentication flaws, and other runtime vulnerabilities that static analysis cannot detect because they only manifest when the application is running.
Snyk provides a multi-layered security platform that covers dependency scanning for known vulnerabilities in open-source packages, container image scanning for base image vulnerabilities, infrastructure as code scanning for cloud misconfiguration, and static code analysis for security bugs. This breadth enables teams to manage security across the entire software supply chain from a single platform.
The CI/CD integration philosophy is shared but implemented differently. StackHawk provides a dedicated CLI that runs DAST scans within pipeline stages, presenting results as pull request comments with severity ratings. Snyk integrates at multiple pipeline stages: pre-commit for code analysis, build time for dependency scanning, container build for image scanning, and deployment time for IaC checking.
The vulnerability discovery scope barely overlaps. StackHawk finds runtime vulnerabilities through active scanning that sends requests to running applications. Snyk finds known vulnerabilities in dependencies through database matching and potential vulnerabilities in code through pattern analysis. Using both together provides comprehensive coverage that neither achieves alone.
Developer experience for vulnerability remediation differs by tool type. StackHawk provides curl commands that reproduce each finding, making it straightforward for developers to verify vulnerabilities and confirm fixes. Snyk provides automatic fix pull requests for dependency vulnerabilities and detailed remediation guidance for code issues, reducing the manual effort needed to resolve findings.
API security testing depth favors StackHawk which supports REST, GraphQL, and gRPC with authentication-aware scanning that handles OAuth, session tokens, and API keys. Snyk's API testing capabilities are more limited, focusing on dependency and configuration scanning rather than runtime API vulnerability detection.
The pricing model reflects each platform's scope. StackHawk is free for one application with Pro plans starting at $35 per developer per month for additional applications. Snyk offers a free tier for individuals with team plans based on the number of developers and projects scanned. Enterprise plans for both platforms require custom pricing based on organizational scale.
Container and infrastructure security is exclusively Snyk's domain. Container scanning identifies vulnerabilities in base images and OS packages, while IaC scanning catches cloud misconfigurations in Terraform, CloudFormation, and Kubernetes manifests before deployment. StackHawk does not address these security layers, maintaining its focus on application-level dynamic testing.