Docker Bench for Security vs kube-bench: Side-by-Side Comparison (2026)
Features, pricing, ratings, and pros & cons — compared head-to-head.
Docker Bench for Security is a free container security tool. kube-bench is a free container security tool. Compare features, ratings, integrations, and community reviews side by side to find the best container security fit for your security stack.
CST VerdictBased on our analysis of available product data, here is our conclusion:
Teams running Docker in dev and staging environments need Docker Bench for Security to catch basic misconfigurations before they reach production; it audits against the actual CIS Docker Benchmark standard rather than vendor-specific rules, giving you policy alignment without licensing costs. The 9,600-plus GitHub stars reflect real adoption among engineers who treat it as a pre-deployment gate, and it requires zero agent installation. Skip this if you're looking for runtime threat detection or need continuous compliance monitoring across a fleet; Docker Bench is a point-in-time scanner that won't flag a privilege escalation happening inside a running container.
Teams running Kubernetes who need to know whether their cluster configuration actually matches CIS Benchmark standards should start with kube-bench; it's free, it runs locally, and it will catch misconfigurations that most teams have never audited. The tool covers 93 checks across control plane, node, and policies, which means you'll find real gaps in RBAC, network policies, and pod security posture in your first run. Skip this if you need continuous runtime monitoring or remediation automation; kube-bench is a point-in-time scanner that tells you what's broken, not what's attacking you.
