Juliet vs Kubescape
Kubescape is a CNCF Incubating open-source KSPM tool from ARMO (promoted from sandbox in January 2025). It is fast, easy, and widely used for CLI-based cluster scans against NSA/CISA, MITRE ATT&CK, and the CIS Kubernetes, EKS, and AKS Benchmarks. Juliet is a managed Kubernetes security platform with graph-based attack paths, admission control, eBPF runtime, and broader compliance framework coverage. Kubescape is a strong fit for engineers who want a scriptable CLI scan. Juliet is a better fit for teams that need continuous, correlated, enforceable security across many clusters.
What each product does
Juliet. Commercial, graph-based Kubernetes security platform. KSPM, attack paths, admission, runtime, compliance, multi-cluster dashboards. Managed SaaS with a free tier.
Kubescape. Open-source CNCF Incubating project from ARMO. CLI-first KSPM scans against NSA/CISA, MITRE ATT&CK, and CIS Benchmarks (Kubernetes, EKS, AKS). ARMO also sells a commercial product (ARMO Platform) that builds on it with managed features and UI.
Feature comparison
| Capability | Juliet | Kubescape (OSS) |
|---|---|---|
| Kubernetes posture (KSPM) | Yes | Yes |
| Managed / SaaS UI | Yes | No (ARMO cloud is a separate product) |
| Graph-based attack paths | Yes | No |
| Multi-cluster dashboard | Yes | No |
| Container vulnerability scanning | Yes | Yes |
| eBPF runtime detection | Yes | Limited |
| Admission control bundled | Yes | No |
| Compliance frameworks | CIS, NSA/CISA, SOC 2, PSS | NSA/CISA, MITRE ATT&CK, CIS (Kubernetes/EKS/AKS) |
| RBAC / identity graph | Yes | Partial |
| Open source | No | Yes (Apache 2.0) |
| Free tier | Yes (1 cluster) | Yes (OSS fully free) |
When to choose each
Choose Juliet when…
- You need continuous monitoring across multiple clusters from one dashboard.
- You want attack paths and blast radius, not just flat findings.
- You need SOC 2 compliance evidence and continuous posture reporting across many frameworks for audits.
- You want admission control and runtime in the same platform.
- You would rather not operate your own KSPM infrastructure.
Choose Kubescape when…
- You have a strict open-source-only mandate.
- You need quick one-off scans from a CLI or CI pipeline and do not need persistent graphs.
- You run a single cluster and are comfortable running your own tooling.
- You want to extend with custom Rego or Regal policies directly.
Juliet vs Kubescape FAQ
Is Kubescape free forever?
The open-source Kubescape CLI and controller are Apache 2.0 and free. ARMO (the company behind Kubescape) sells a commercial SaaS that extends it, with pricing published separately.
Can I use Kubescape and Juliet together?
Yes. Some teams use Kubescape in CI pipelines (scriptable, fast) and Juliet in production (continuous, managed, attack paths). The findings overlap, but the use cases are complementary.
Does Kubescape do attack path analysis?
Not in the graph sense. Kubescape produces findings keyed to MITRE ATT&CK techniques, which is a useful taxonomy, but is different from computing reachable paths through the cluster graph.
Why pay for Juliet if Kubescape is free?
The posture scan itself is the inexpensive part of a security program. The more expensive work is correlating findings with RBAC, running attack paths, gating admission, detecting runtime threats, and producing audit-ready compliance artifacts. Juliet bundles those; Kubescape focuses on the posture scan.
Does Juliet support PCI DSS, HIPAA, or ISO 27001?
Juliet ships the CIS Kubernetes Benchmark, NSA/CISA Hardening Guidance, Pod Security Standards (Baseline and Restricted), and SOC 2 as first-class framework profiles. Those controls map to a substantial portion of PCI DSS, HIPAA, and ISO 27001 technical requirements — Juliet findings are usable as evidence under those frameworks today. Dedicated PCI DSS, HIPAA, and ISO 27001 profiles with direct control-to-check mapping are on the roadmap.
Try Juliet on your clusters
Free tier, 5-minute Helm install, no credit card. See attack paths, compliance, and vulnerabilities in under 15 minutes.