Looking for a Semgrep alternative?
Semgrep is an excellent, flexible general-purpose static analyzer across 30+ languages with custom rule authoring. It is also what most AI-coded apps run into first, and its community rulesets were written for hand-written enterprise code, so they frequently miss the patterns AI tools ship by default. XploitScan is the lighter alternative: a focused scanner tuned for the vulnerabilities that Cursor, Lovable, Bolt, Replit, and Claude Code introduce, in JavaScript, TypeScript, and Python, run in one command. Here is the honest comparison.
XploitScan is a good Semgrep alternative for one specific job: catching the security bugs AI coding tools ship by default in JavaScript, TypeScript, and Python. On a held-out third-party benchmark it caught 15/16 versus Semgrep's 8/16. But it is not a full Semgrep replacement — Semgrep wins on custom rule authoring, 30+ languages, and enterprise integrations.
We publish the benchmark — reproduce it yourself
On a held-out third-party test set (OWASP NodeGoat, Juice Shop, DVNA, and lodash, with hint comments stripped so no scanner can pattern-match on them), XploitScan caught 15 of 16 issues and Semgrep caught 8 of 16. Bearer caught 9 of 16 on the same set. This is external code neither scanner was tuned against.
We also keep a self-authored corpus of 200+ labeled fixtures, regenerated on every commit, currently at 100% precision (zero false positives) and about 98.7% recall. The Semgrep config is pinned to official community rulesets (p/security-audit, p/owasp-top-ten, p/javascript, p/typescript, p/react) so the comparison is reproducible. Both are public at xploitscan.com/benchmark. Detection here is regex plus Babel AST plus a light local taint pass, not CodeQL-grade semantic analysis, and we would rather say that plainly than oversell it.
When each one fits
Semgrep is the right choice when
- → You want to write and maintain custom rules for your own codebase conventions
- → You are running a polyglot monorepo with Go, Java, Ruby, C#, and more alongside JS/TS
- → You have a security engineer to tune signal-to-noise across rulesets
- → You are on Semgrep Pro/Team or running an enterprise SAST program with existing dashboards and SOC integrations
XploitScan is the right choice when
- → You are shipping code written mostly with Cursor, Lovable, Bolt, Replit, or Claude Code and want the failure modes those tools introduce caught
- → Your stack is JavaScript, TypeScript, or Python and you want depth there over breadth everywhere
- → You want one command — npx xploitscan scan . — with no signup and code that never leaves your machine
- → You want copy-paste fixes rather than a rule ID and a line number
- → Flat, self-serve pricing from $0 to $99/mo fits better than per-committer tiering
Side-by-side
| Dimension | Semgrep | XploitScan |
|---|---|---|
| Primary focus | General-purpose SAST across 30+ languages | App-security bugs in AI-generated code (Cursor, Lovable, Bolt, Replit, Claude Code) |
| Detection approach | AST + dataflow; deeper taint modes are Pro-only, not in community rulesets | Regex + Babel AST + a light local taint pass (honestly: not CodeQL-grade semantic analysis) |
| Languages | 30+ languages | JavaScript, TypeScript, Python + config formats |
| Rules | Community rulesets + powerful custom rule authoring | 210+ rules (30 free), tuned for AI-generated code patterns |
| Held-out third-party benchmark | 8 / 16 (community rulesets; NodeGoat, Juice Shop, DVNA, lodash; hints stripped) | 15 / 16 on the same set — live at xploitscan.com/benchmark |
| Fix guidance | Rule ID + line reference | Plain-English explanation + copy-paste-ready fix |
| CLI | semgrep --config ... (configurable, powerful) | npx xploitscan scan . — no signup, runs locally, code never leaves your machine |
| Pricing | Community free; Pro/Team per-committer or quote-based | Flat, self-serve: Free $0 / Indie $9 / Pro $19 / Team $99 per month (annual cheaper) |
Where Semgrep legitimately wins
- Custom rule authoring. Semgrep rule syntax is powerful and well-documented. If you need a rule specific to your codebase conventions, Semgrep is the better authoring platform — we do not match it.
- Language breadth. Semgrep covers 30+ languages with active rule development. XploitScan is deliberately limited to JavaScript, TypeScript, Python, and common config formats, so a polyglot codebase outside those is better served by Semgrep.
- Enterprise integration. Large teams already running Semgrep with dashboards, triage workflows, and SOC integrations should stay on Semgrep — that established program is a real advantage.
Frequently asked questions
Is XploitScan a good alternative to Semgrep?
For AI-generated JavaScript, TypeScript, and Python code, yes. On a held-out third-party benchmark (OWASP NodeGoat, Juice Shop, DVNA, lodash, with hint comments stripped) XploitScan caught 15/16 issues versus Semgrep's 8/16 on official community rulesets. But Semgrep is a general-purpose SAST across 30+ languages with custom rule authoring, so it isn't a like-for-like replacement outside XploitScan's focus.
Does XploitScan replace Semgrep entirely?
No, and it doesn't claim to. XploitScan is deliberately narrow: deep coverage in JS, TS, Python, and config formats, tuned for the failure modes Cursor, Lovable, Bolt, Replit, and Claude Code ship by default. Semgrep covers 30+ languages, lets you author custom rules, and has mature enterprise integrations. If you need polyglot coverage or your own rules, keep Semgrep.
Is XploitScan or Semgrep better for a solo dev shipping AI-coded apps?
For a solo dev on a JS/TS or Python stack built with AI tools, XploitScan is usually the faster fit. It runs with one command (npx xploitscan scan .), the code never leaves your machine, findings ship copy-paste fixes, and pricing is flat and self-serve from $0 to $19/mo. Semgrep is more powerful and general but expects you to tune signal-to-noise yourself.
What does Semgrep do better than XploitScan?
Three things, honestly. Custom rule authoring — Semgrep's rule syntax is powerful and well-documented for rules specific to your codebase. Language breadth — Semgrep covers 30+ languages versus XploitScan's JS/TS/Python-only depth. And enterprise integrations — established dashboards, triage workflows, and SOC tooling. Large teams already running Semgrep should stay on it.
How does XploitScan's detection method compare to Semgrep's?
XploitScan uses regex plus Babel-parsed AST plus a light local taint pass (source to sink). It is explicitly not CodeQL-grade semantic or interprocedural analysis. Semgrep offers deeper taint modes, but they're Pro features outside the default community rulesets. XploitScan's edge comes from rules tuned specifically for AI-generated code patterns, which is why it leads on the held-out benchmark despite the lighter engine.
Try XploitScan on your code
Free, 5 scans a day, no account required. Run one command — npx xploitscan scan . — and your code never leaves your machine. See what the scanner finds in your actual project before you decide.
XploitScan maps findings to SOC 2, ISO 27001, OWASP Top 10, and CWE for reference — informational mapping to help organize remediation, not a certification. XploitScan is built by Cipherline LLC, Fairfield CT.