# Black Duck SCA vs npm-scan: side-by-side comparison (2026)

[Black Duck SCA](https://cybersectools.com/tools/black-duck-black-duck-sca) is a commercial [software composition analysis](https://cybersectools.com/categories/sca) solution by [Black Duck Software, Inc](https://cybersectools.com/companies/black-duck-software-inc). [npm-scan](https://cybersectools.com/tools/npm-scan) is a free [software composition analysis](https://cybersectools.com/categories/sca) solution. Features, integrations, deployment and the company behind each one, side by side.

## Our take

What our shortlists say about the one we picked.

### [Black Duck SCA](https://cybersectools.com/tools/black-duck-black-duck-sca)

Best for: Organizations with license compliance and binary scanning needs

It is hybrid, runs in the largest enterprises, and is the right solution when you ship software to customers and must prove what is inside it. For a cloud-native team that mainly wants fast dependency alerts in CI, it may be more than needed.

From [Best Application Security Solutions for Business](https://cybersectools.com/shortlists/best-application-security-solutions), Fall 2026.

Reviewed by [Nika (Nikoloz) Kokhreidze](https://cybersectools.com/about).

## Side-by-side comparison

| | Black Duck SCA | npm-scan |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Commercial | Free |
| Category | Software Composition Analysis | Software Composition Analysis |
| Verified | No | No |
| Deployment type | Hybrid | On-Premises |
| Company size fit | SMB, Mid-Market, Enterprise | Startup, SMB, Mid-Market |
| GitHub stars | – | 50 |
| Last commit | – | Jul 2021 |
| Company | Black Duck Software, Inc. | – |
| Headquarters | – | – |

### Use cases and capabilities

| | Black Duck SCA | npm-scan |
|---|---|---|
| CI/CD | Yes | – |
| Dependency Scanning | Yes | – |
| License Compliance | Yes | – |
| Open Source | Yes | – |
| SBOM | Yes | – |
| Supply Chain Security | Yes | – |
| npm | – | Yes |
| Node.js | – | Yes |

### Core features

**Black Duck SCA**

10 features listed. Sign in on the page to see them.

**npm-scan**

No features listed.

### Integrations

**Black Duck SCA**

1 integration listed. Sign in on the page to see them.

**npm-scan**

No integrations listed.

## Which one fits you

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

- [Black Duck SCA](https://cybersectools.com/tools/black-duck-black-duck-sca) fits if you need both cloud and on-premises options and you are an enterprise.
- [npm-scan](https://cybersectools.com/tools/npm-scan) fits if you need to run it on your own servers, you are a startup, you need a free product and you want an open-source product.

## Black Duck SCA vs npm-scan FAQ

Common questions when comparing Black Duck SCA vs npm-scan for software composition analysis.

### What is the difference between Black Duck SCA and npm-scan?

**Black Duck SCA**: SCA tool for managing security, quality, and license risks in open source code, built by Black Duck Software, Inc.

**npm-scan**: An extensible, heuristic-based vulnerability scanning tool for installed npm packages.

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

### Who makes Black Duck SCA and npm-scan?

**Black Duck SCA** is made by Black Duck Software, Inc. **npm-scan** is open-source with 50 GitHub stars. The vendor behind a product decides its roadmap, support, and longevity, so check each company's profile before you commit.

### Is Black Duck SCA a good alternative to npm-scan?

Often, yes. Black Duck SCA and npm-scan are both Software Composition Analysis products. Key differences: Black Duck SCA is Commercial while npm-scan is Free, npm-scan is open-source. Use the table above to see where features, deployment and company size fit differ.

## Related comparisons

- [Black Duck SCA vs FossID Software Composition Analysis](https://cybersectools.com/compare/black-duck-black-duck-sca-vs-fossid-software-composition-analysis)
- [Black Duck SCA vs Threatrix Autonomous Platform](https://cybersectools.com/compare/black-duck-black-duck-sca-vs-threatrix-autonomous-platform)
- [Black Duck SCA vs Snyk Open Source](https://cybersectools.com/compare/black-duck-black-duck-sca-vs-snyk-open-source)
- [npm-scan vs FossID Software Composition Analysis](https://cybersectools.com/compare/fossid-software-composition-analysis-vs-npm-scan)
- [npm-scan vs Threatrix Autonomous Platform](https://cybersectools.com/compare/npm-scan-vs-threatrix-autonomous-platform)
- [npm-scan vs Snyk Open Source](https://cybersectools.com/compare/npm-scan-vs-snyk-open-source)

## Alternatives to each

- [See all Black Duck SCA alternatives](https://cybersectools.com/alternatives/black-duck-black-duck-sca)
- [See all npm-scan alternatives](https://cybersectools.com/alternatives/npm-scan)

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Source: https://cybersectools.com/compare/black-duck-black-duck-sca-vs-npm-scan

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

More on Black Duck SCA and npm-scan: 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