# AWS Config vs AWS Recon: side-by-side comparison (2026)

[AWS Config](https://cybersectools.com/tools/aws-config) is a commercial [cloud security posture management](https://cybersectools.com/categories/cspm) solution by [Amazon Web Services, Inc](https://cybersectools.com/companies/amazon-web-services-inc). [AWS Recon](https://cybersectools.com/tools/aws-recon) is a free [cloud security posture management](https://cybersectools.com/categories/cspm) solution. Features, integrations, deployment and the company behind each one, side by side.

## Side-by-side comparison

| | AWS Config | AWS Recon |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Commercial | Free |
| Category | Cloud Security Posture Management | Cloud Security Posture Management |
| Verified | No | No |
| Deployment type | Cloud | Cloud |
| Company size fit | SMB, Mid-Market, Enterprise | Mid-Market, Enterprise |
| GitHub stars | – | 549 |
| Last commit | – | Jul 2025 |
| Company | Amazon Web Services, Inc. | – |
| Headquarters | – | – |

### Use cases and capabilities

| | AWS Config | AWS Recon |
|---|---|---|
| Configuration Management | Yes | Yes |
| AWS | Yes | Yes |
| Inventory | – | Yes |
| Multi Threaded | – | Yes |

## Which one fits you

Based on what each listing shows: deployment, company size, price and open source.

- [AWS Config](https://cybersectools.com/tools/aws-config) fits if you are a small business.
- [AWS Recon](https://cybersectools.com/tools/aws-recon) fits if you need a free product and you want an open-source product.

## AWS Config vs AWS Recon FAQ

Common questions when comparing AWS Config vs AWS Recon for cloud security posture management.

### What is the difference between AWS Config and AWS Recon?

**AWS Config**: Assess, audit, and evaluate configurations of AWS resources. Built by Amazon Web Services, Inc.

**AWS Recon**: A multi-threaded Ruby tool for comprehensive AWS security inventory collection that gathers detailed resource attributes, metadata, and policy information across AWS environments.

The table above shows where their features, integrations, deployment and company size fit differ.

### Who makes AWS Config and AWS Recon?

**AWS Config** is made by Amazon Web Services, Inc. **AWS Recon** is open-source with 549 GitHub stars. The vendor behind a product decides its roadmap, support, and longevity, so check each company's profile before you commit.

### Is AWS Config a good alternative to AWS Recon?

Often, yes. AWS Config and AWS Recon are both Cloud Security Posture Management products, and both cover Configuration Management, AWS. Key differences: AWS Config is Commercial while AWS Recon is Free, AWS Recon is open-source. Use the table above to see where features, deployment and company size fit differ.

## Related comparisons

- [AWS Config vs ControlMonkey Agentic IaC Automation Platform](https://cybersectools.com/compare/aws-config-vs-controlmonkey-agentic-iac-automation-platform)
- [AWS Config vs Turbot](https://cybersectools.com/compare/aws-config-vs-turbot)
- [AWS Config vs Opscompass Cloud & Database Asset Intelligence](https://cybersectools.com/compare/aws-config-vs-opscompass-cloud-and-database-asset-intelligence)
- [AWS Recon vs ControlMonkey Agentic IaC Automation Platform](https://cybersectools.com/compare/aws-recon-vs-controlmonkey-agentic-iac-automation-platform)
- [AWS Recon vs Turbot](https://cybersectools.com/compare/aws-recon-vs-turbot)
- [AWS Recon vs Opscompass Cloud & Database Asset Intelligence](https://cybersectools.com/compare/aws-recon-vs-opscompass-cloud-and-database-asset-intelligence)

## Alternatives to each

- [See all AWS Config alternatives](https://cybersectools.com/alternatives/aws-config)
- [See all AWS Recon alternatives](https://cybersectools.com/alternatives/aws-recon)

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Source: https://cybersectools.com/compare/aws-config-vs-aws-recon

For AI agents: each product above has its own Markdown page (add .md to its URL, for example https://cybersectools.com/tools/aws-config.md). Every CybersecTools shortlist is listed at https://cybersectools.com/shortlists.md.

More on AWS Config and AWS Recon: funding, momentum, hiring and news, plus the full product and company record, are available through the Mandos MCP Server (paid plans), which connects to AI assistants: https://mandos.io/mcp?utm_source=cybersectools.com&utm_medium=compare-md