# Static application security testing for small business buyers: what AI models recommend, September 2026

Gane Index, September 2026 Edition. Asked as "SAST tool" and as "static code security scanner", six framings each, to twelve models with search on, on behalf of a small B2B company. Page: https://www.gane.ai/index/it/developer/static-application-security-testing/2026-09/smb

This is the permanent record of the September 2026 Edition, published September 17, 2026 and superseded since. The current standing: https://www.gane.ai/index/it/developer/static-application-security-testing/smb/index.md

**Standing:** Semgrep AppSec Platform leads with 70% of first choices; verdict clear leader. 47 first choices across the direct, paraphrase, budget and scale prompts.

## First-choice share

| Rank | Product | Share | Negative rate | Labels |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | [Semgrep AppSec Platform](https://www.gane.ai/index/it/vendors/semgrep-appsec-platform/index.md) | 70% | 2% | 63 |
| 2 | [Snyk Code](https://www.gane.ai/index/it/vendors/snyk-code/index.md) | 9% | 6% | 36 |
| 3 | [Aikido Security](https://www.gane.ai/index/it/vendors/aikido-security/index.md) | 9% | 13% | 23 |
| 4 | [Snyk](https://www.gane.ai/index/it/vendors/snyk/index.md) | 4% | 10% | 10 |
| 5 | [SonarQube](https://www.gane.ai/index/it/vendors/sonarqube/index.md) | 2% | 21% | 52 |
| 9 | [CodeQL](https://www.gane.ai/index/it/vendors/codeql/index.md) | 0% | 17% | 24 |
| 10 | [Bandit](https://www.gane.ai/index/it/vendors/bandit/index.md) | 0% | 6% | 16 |
| 11 | [CodeAnt AI](https://www.gane.ai/index/it/vendors/codeant-ai/index.md) | 0% | 8% | 12 |
| 12 | [Codacy](https://www.gane.ai/index/it/vendors/codacy/index.md) | 0% | 0% | 11 |
| 40 | [OpenText Fortify](https://www.gane.ai/index/it/vendors/opentext-fortify/index.md) | 0% | 89% | 18 |
| 41 | [Veracode Static Analysis](https://www.gane.ai/index/it/vendors/veracode-static-analysis/index.md) | 0% | 78% | 23 |
| 42 | [Checkmarx One](https://www.gane.ai/index/it/vendors/checkmarx-one/index.md) | 0% | 77% | 30 |

Rank is by share of first choices among all 42 products named; products with the same share are tied, and the order among them carries no meaning. The table lists those with at least 10 labels.

## Each model's first choice on the direct prompt

- Claude Haiku 4.5: Aikido Security, Semgrep AppSec Platform; alternatives GitLab SAST
- GPT-5.4 mini: Semgrep AppSec Platform; alternatives GitHub Advanced Security
- Gemini 3.5 Flash: Aikido Security; alternatives Semgrep AppSec Platform
- Perplexity Sonar: Semgrep AppSec Platform; alternatives Checkmarx One, GitHub Advanced Security, Veracode Static Analysis
- Grok 4.20: Semgrep AppSec Platform; alternatives Snyk Code, SonarQube
- Mistral Small: Semgrep AppSec Platform; alternatives Codacy, CodeAnt AI
- DeepSeek V4 Flash: Semgrep AppSec Platform; alternatives CodeQL, Snyk Code, SonarQube
- Llama 4 Maverick: Semgrep AppSec Platform
- Qwen 3.7 Flash: Snyk; alternatives Semgrep AppSec Platform, SonarQube
- Kimi K2: Snyk Code; alternatives Semgrep AppSec Platform, SonarQube
- GLM 4.7 FlashX: Semgrep AppSec Platform; alternatives Snyk Code, SonarQube
- MiniMax M2.5: Semgrep AppSec Platform, Snyk Code; alternatives Codiga, Corgea, GitHub Advanced Security

## Sources the answers cite

65 of 72 answers came back with a source list, from 12 of 12 models. Sites named in the most answers:

- dev.to: 43 answers, 78 citations
- corgea.com: 33 answers, 37 citations
- zeropath.com: 32 answers, 33 citations
- appsecsanta.com: 30 answers, 41 citations
- ox.security: 29 answers, 32 citations
- g2.com: 28 answers, 36 citations
- safeguard.sh: 25 answers, 36 citations
- pixee.ai: 24 answers, 26 citations

Pages named in the most answers:

- https://dev.to/rahulxsingh/i-reviewed-32-sast-tools-the-ones-worth-using-283e (37 answers)
- https://zeropath.com/blog/best-sast-tools (30 answers)
- https://ox.security/blog/static-application-security-sast-tools (29 answers)
- https://corgea.com/learn/best-sast-tools (25 answers)
- https://pixee.ai/blog/best-sast-tools-2026 (23 answers)
- https://g2.com/categories/static-application-security-testing-sast/small-business (22 answers)
- https://appsecsanta.com/sast-tools (19 answers)
- https://dev.to/rahulxsingh/11-best-sast-tools-in-2026-static-application-security-testing-compared-4ajo (17 answers)
- https://checkmarx.com/learn/sast/open-source-vs-premium-sast-tools (16 answers)
- https://endorlabs.com/learn/best-sast-tools (16 answers)

## Warned against

- Checkmarx One: 23 of 30 labels negative. "Why Avoid: These are built for large teams with dedicated AppSec specialists.  (e.g., older versions of Checkmarx One, Fortify, Veracode enterprise plans)" (Qwen 3.7 Flash, negative prompt)
- Veracode Static Analysis: 18 of 23 labels negative. "Veracode | Enterprise‑focused, complex workflow, no transparent pricing; typically sold via long sales cycles and annual contracts." (GLM 4.7 FlashX, negative prompt)
- OpenText Fortify: 16 of 18 labels negative. "e.g., older versions of Checkmarx One, Fortify, Veracode enterprise plans ... Why Avoid: These are built for large teams" (Qwen 3.7 Flash, negative prompt)
- SonarQube: 11 of 52 labels negative. "Defaults to high false positives (40–60% untuned ...), demanding custom rules and maintenance that small businesses often can't sustain" (Grok 4.20, negative prompt)

## Record

- Method: https://www.gane.ai/index/it/methodology
- License: CC BY 4.0. Cite as Gane Index, September 2026 Edition, www.gane.ai/index/it.