drydock vs kube-bench: 2026 Comparison
drydock 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:
DevOps teams running Docker in CI/CD pipelines need Drydock because it audits container images against CIS benchmarks before they hit production, catching misconfigurations that scanners miss. The tool ships with customizable profiles and JSON output, so you can integrate it directly into your build process without manual remediation work. Skip this if your organization requires a graphical dashboard or runtime monitoring; Drydock is audit-focused and doesn't track container behavior after deployment.
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.
