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

Gane Index, October 2026 Edition. Asked as "SAST tool" and as "static code security scanner", six framings each, to fourteen models with search on, on behalf of a small B2B company. Page: https://www.gane.ai/index/it/developer/static-application-security-testing/2026-10/smb

This is the permanent record of the October 2026 Edition, published October 1, 2026 and superseded since.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 53% of first choices; verdict clear leader. 57 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) | 53% | 0% | 70 |
| 2 | [SonarQube](https://www.gane.ai/index/it/vendors/sonarqube/index.md) | 14% | 11% | 70 |
| 3 | [Snyk Code](https://www.gane.ai/index/it/vendors/snyk-code/index.md) | 11% | 2% | 44 |
| 4 | [Snyk](https://www.gane.ai/index/it/vendors/snyk/index.md) | 9% | 0% | 15 |
| 5 | [Aikido Security](https://www.gane.ai/index/it/vendors/aikido-security/index.md) | 5% | 4% | 24 |
| 6 | [GitHub Advanced Security](https://www.gane.ai/index/it/vendors/github-advanced-security/index.md) | 2% | 5% | 20 |
| 7 | [CodeAnt AI](https://www.gane.ai/index/it/vendors/codeant-ai/index.md) | 2% | 8% | 12 |
| 11 | [CodeQL](https://www.gane.ai/index/it/vendors/codeql/index.md) | 0% | 19% | 26 |
| 12 | [DeepSource](https://www.gane.ai/index/it/vendors/deepsource/index.md) | 0% | 0% | 10 |
| 13 | [Bandit](https://www.gane.ai/index/it/vendors/bandit/index.md) | 0% | 8% | 12 |
| 50 | [OpenText Fortify](https://www.gane.ai/index/it/vendors/opentext-fortify/index.md) | 0% | 94% | 17 |
| 51 | [Veracode Static Analysis](https://www.gane.ai/index/it/vendors/veracode-static-analysis/index.md) | 0% | 86% | 35 |

Rank is by share of first choices among all 52 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: no first choice
- GPT-5.4 mini: Semgrep AppSec Platform; alternatives GitHub Advanced Security, SonarQube
- Gemini 3.5 Flash: Aikido Security; alternatives Semgrep AppSec Platform, Snyk, Snyk Code
- Perplexity Sonar: Aikido Security; alternatives CodeQL, Semgrep AppSec Platform
- Grok 4.20: Semgrep AppSec Platform; alternatives Snyk Code, SonarQube
- Mistral Small: GitHub Advanced Security, Snyk Code; alternatives Checkmarx One, SonarQube
- DeepSeek V4 Flash: Semgrep AppSec Platform; alternatives Codacy, Snyk Code, SonarQube
- Llama 4 Maverick: no first choice
- Qwen 3.7 Flash: SonarQube; alternatives GitHub Advanced Security, Semgrep AppSec Platform, Snyk
- Kimi K2: Semgrep AppSec Platform, Snyk Code; alternatives Aikido Security, SonarQube
- GLM 4.7 FlashX: Semgrep AppSec Platform; alternatives GitHub Advanced Security, Snyk Code, SonarQube
- MiniMax M2.5: CodeAnt AI, Codiga; alternatives Aikido Security, Snyk Code
- GPT-6 Luna: Semgrep AppSec Platform; alternatives CodeQL, Snyk
- Muse Glimmer 30B: Semgrep AppSec Platform, SonarQube; alternatives Aikido Security, CodeAnt AI, Codiga

## Sources the answers cite

73 of 84 answers came back with a source list, from 14 of 14 models. Sites named in the most answers:

- dev.to: 51 answers, 98 citations
- appsecsanta.com: 39 answers, 48 citations
- checkmarx.com: 36 answers, 47 citations
- codeant.ai: 27 answers, 37 citations
- safeguard.sh: 26 answers, 31 citations
- aikido.dev: 24 answers, 34 citations
- g2.com: 23 answers, 28 citations
- jit.io: 19 answers, 19 citations

Pages named in the most answers:

- https://dev.to/rahulxsingh/i-reviewed-32-sast-tools-the-ones-worth-using-283e (43 answers)
- https://checkmarx.com/learn/sast/open-source-vs-premium-sast-tools (34 answers)
- https://appsecsanta.com/sast-tools (27 answers)
- https://dev.to/rahulxsingh/11-best-sast-tools-in-2026-static-application-security-testing-compared-4ajo (23 answers)
- https://jit.io/resources/appsec-tools/best-sast-tools (19 answers)
- https://g2.com/categories/static-application-security-testing-sast/small-business (18 answers)
- https://opsera.ai/blog/sast-tools (17 answers)
- https://appsecsanta.com/sast-tools/open-source-sast-tools (16 answers)
- https://ox.security/blog/static-application-security-sast-tools (16 answers)
- https://codeant.ai/blogs/best-sast-tools-comparison (14 answers)

## Warned against

- Checkmarx One: 33 of 41 labels negative. "the clearest “avoid or be cautious” signals point to Checkmarx... described as expensive, complex to implement, and often too heavy for small teams" (Perplexity Sonar, negative prompt)
- Veracode Static Analysis: 30 of 35 labels negative. "Typically sold via long sales cycles and annual contracts, with complex workflows and no transparent pricing. Not ideal for small teams" (Mistral Small, negative prompt)
- OpenText Fortify: 16 of 17 labels negative. "Enterprise suites (Checkmarx, Veracode, Fortify) – typically require $40K+ annual contracts and dedicated security staff" (Kimi K2, scale prompt)
- Black Duck Coverity: 7 of 7 labels negative. "Usually no. Checkmarx One, Veracode, Coverity, and Fortify are priced and built for organizations with dedicated security teams" (Muse Glimmer 30B, negative prompt)

## Movement since September 2026

Floor: 11 points of share, measured on the calibration repeat.
Same leader: Semgrep AppSec Platform at 50%.

- Semgrep AppSec Platform: 70% to 50%, −20. Cleared the floor by 9 points · rank 1 of 48, unchanged.
- SonarQube: 2% to 12%, +10. Inside the floor by 1 point · rank 5 → 2 of 48.
- Snyk: 4% to 10%, +6. Inside the floor by 5 points · rank 4 of 48, unchanged.
- Snyk Code: 9% to 12%, +3. Inside the floor by 8 points · rank 2 → 3 of 48.
- Aikido Security: 9% to 6%, −3. Inside the floor by 8 points · rank 3 → 5 of 48.
- CodeAnt AI: 0% to 2%, +2. Inside the floor by 9 points · rank 11 → 7 of 48.
- GitHub Advanced Security: 2% to 2%, ±0. Inside the floor by 11 points · rank 6 of 48, unchanged.
- CodeQL: 0% to 0%, ±0. Inside the floor by 11 points · rank 9 → 10 of 48.
- Bandit: 0% to 0%, ±0. Inside the floor by 11 points · rank 10 → 11 of 48.
- Codacy: 0% to 0%, ±0. Inside the floor by 11 points · rank 12 → 14 of 48.
- OpenText Fortify: 0% to 0%, ±0. Inside the floor by 11 points · rank 40 → 46 of 48.
- Veracode Static Analysis: 0% to 0%, ±0. Inside the floor by 11 points · rank 41 → 47 of 48.

## Record

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