A Comprehensive Guide to Veracode SAST Pricing

When it comes to securing your software development lifecycle, Static Application Security Testing (SAST) tools like Veracode are indispensable. However, one of the most common and critical questions organizations face is: What is the Veracode SAST pricing model? Understanding the cost structure is essential for budgeting and making an informed decision. This article delves deep into the factors that influence Veracode SAST pricing, explores typical cost ranges, and provides guidance on how to approach the purchasing process.

Veracode SAST is a powerful tool that analyzes an application’s source code, bytecode, or binary code for security vulnerabilities without executing the program. It integrates early in the software development lifecycle (SDLC), allowing developers to find and fix flaws before the software is deployed. The primary value proposition is shifting security left, reducing the cost and effort associated with remediating vulnerabilities later in production.

Unlike products with a simple, publicly listed price tag, Veracode SAST pricing is typically customized for each organization. The cost is not a one-size-fits-all figure and is influenced by a complex interplay of several factors. Understanding these variables is the first step to estimating your investment.

• Deployment Model: Veracode is primarily offered as a SaaS (Software-as-a-Service) platform. This subscription-based model often includes the software, maintenance, and updates. There is generally no option for a perpetual, on-premises license, which simplifies the pricing structure to a recurring annual or multi-year subscription.
• Scanning Volume and Applications: This is one of the most significant cost drivers. Pricing is often tiered based on the number of applications you need to scan or the volume of code. A company scanning a handful of internal applications will pay significantly less than an enterprise scanning hundreds of customer-facing applications.
• Number of Users (Seats): The cost is frequently tied to the number of developer and security analyst seats. A seat typically grants a user access to the platform to upload scans, view results, and manage flaws. Some pricing tiers may offer unlimited seats for a fixed application volume.
• Scanning Frequency: How often do you plan to scan? Organizations integrating SAST into their CI/CD pipelines for every build will have different needs and potential costs compared to those performing weekly or monthly scans. Some plans may limit the number of scans per month.
• Product Bundle: Veracode offers a suite of application security testing tools. While you can purchase SAST as a standalone product, significant discounts are often available when bundling it with other services like Software Composition Analysis (SCA), Dynamic Analysis (DAST), and Manual Penetration Testing. The Greenlight, a developer-focused IDE plugin, may also be part of a bundle.
• Contract Duration: Committing to a longer contract term, such as two or three years instead of one, can often lead to lower annual costs.
• Support and Service Level Agreements (SLAs): The level of technical support, training, and guaranteed uptime (SLAs) can also affect the price. Enterprise-level support with dedicated resources will cost more than standard support.

Given the custom nature of the pricing, providing exact figures is challenging. However, based on industry reports and customer discussions, we can outline a general range. For a small to medium-sized business (SMB) with a need to scan 10-20 applications and support a team of 25 developers, the starting price for a Veracode SAST subscription could be in the range of $15,000 to $30,000 per year. For a larger enterprise with hundreds of applications and thousands of developers, the annual cost can easily run into the hundreds of thousands of dollars. It is crucial to remember that these are rough estimates, and the final price will depend entirely on the factors listed above.

To get from an estimate to an actual price, you must engage with Veracode’s sales team. The process typically involves several steps designed to understand your specific needs and provide an accurate quote.

1. Initial Inquiry: You begin by filling out a contact form on the Veracode website expressing interest in their SAST product.
2. Discovery Call: A sales representative will contact you to discuss your organization’s size, the number of applications, your development environment, and your primary security objectives.
3. Proof of Value (POV) / Free Trial: Veracode often offers a free trial or a proof-of-value period. This allows you to run the tool on your own codebase to see its effectiveness, usability, and integration capabilities firsthand. This step is critical for both technical validation and for scoping the final solution.
4. Formal Quote: Based on the information gathered during the discovery and POV, the sales team will prepare a formal proposal and quote. This document will detail the subscription term, the number of applications and users included, the products in the bundle, and the total cost.
5. Negotiation: Like many enterprise software purchases, the listed price in the initial quote is often negotiable, especially for multi-year contracts or large deals.

When evaluating the cost of Veracode SAST, it’s vital to look beyond the sticker price and consider the total cost of ownership (TCO) and the return on investment (ROI). A cheaper tool that is difficult to use, generates a high number of false positives, and doesn’t integrate well with your development tools can end up costing more in lost developer productivity. The ROI of a tool like Veracode comes from:

• Reduced Remediation Costs: Fixing a bug in production can be 100 times more expensive than fixing it during the coding phase.
• Increased Developer Velocity: By providing actionable results directly to developers in their existing workflows, they can fix issues faster without context-switching.
• Risk Mitigation: Preventing a single major security breach can justify the entire cost of the tool for multiple years.

Veracode is a leader in the SAST market, but it’s not the only option. Competitors include Checkmarx, Synopsys Coverity, Snyk Code, and SonarQube (with security plugins). When comparing, you must evaluate not just the price but also the scanning accuracy (false positive/negative rates), integration capabilities, ease of use, language support, and the quality of the vendor’s support and training. A detailed comparison through proofs-of-concept is highly recommended.

In conclusion, Veracode SAST pricing is a customized model based on your organization’s specific scale and requirements. There is no simple price list. The journey to understanding the cost involves a direct engagement with Veracode, a thorough assessment of your application portfolio, and a careful evaluation of the tool’s value in reducing security risk and accelerating secure software delivery. By focusing on the total value and ROI, you can make a financially sound decision that strengthens your organization’s security posture for the long term.