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Pattern matching vs. logic analysis

ShipSafe vsSemgrep

Semgrep is a brilliant rule engine for AppSec teams. But it matches patterns you write — not the auth logic an AI tool quietly broke in your repo. Here's the honest comparison.

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Straight talk

The honest version

Semgrep is one of the best static-analysis engines on the planet. The open-source CLI is free, runs in seconds, ships 2,800+ community rules, and lets you write your own in YAML. Security teams love it — and so do we.

Two things matter for a solo founder shipping AI-generated code. First, Semgrep matches patterns: you (or its rules) have to know the shape of the bug in advance. The free CLI catches roughly 44–48% of vulnerabilities in independent tests; cross-file analysis and the AI Assistant live in the paid AppSec Platform (about $30 per contributor per month after a free 10-seat tier). Second, the output is built for engineers — rule IDs, CWE references, SARIF — not “any logged-out visitor can read invoice #43.”

ShipSafe is the opposite trade. No rules to write, no SARIF to triage. Paste a GitHub URL and get the logic-level bugs AI tools actually ship — IDOR, inverted auth, frontend-only admin checks — explained in plain English with a copy-paste fix.

Side by side

ShipSafe vs Semgrep, side by side

Finds logic-level auth bugs
ShipSafeIDOR, inverted auth, missing ownership checks
SemgrepPattern matches — logic bugs only if a rule exists
Who it's built for
ShipSafeSolo founders, no security background
SemgrepAppSec engineers who write and curate rules
Setup
ShipSafePaste a GitHub URL · ~2 min
SemgrepInstall CLI, pick/write YAML rules, wire CI
Output
ShipSafePlain English + copy-paste AI Fix Prompt
SemgrepRule IDs, CWE refs, SARIF, terminal/dashboard
Coverage depth
ShipSafeAI reasons across files about your auth
SemgrepFree CLI is single-file (~44–48%); cross-file is paid
Tuned for AI-generated code
ShipSafeBuilt for Cursor/Lovable/Bolt/v0/Replit output
SemgrepGeneral-purpose rules, not AI-code-specific
Pricing model
ShipSafeFlat $0–$49/mo, self-serve
SemgrepFree OSS CLI; platform ~$30/contributor/mo after 10 seats
Tests the running app (DAST)
ShipSafeLive URL: security headers, CSP, clickjacking, CORS, IDOR/BOLA across two accounts
SemgrepSource-only static analysis, never hits the running app
Proves a leaked secret is live
ShipSafeOne read-only call to OpenAI/Stripe/GitHub proves the key still works, plus scans deployed JS bundles and git history
SemgrepFlags secret-shaped strings in source, can't tell live from revoked
Verifies BaaS exposure from the internet (Supabase + Firebase)
ShipSafeProves a Supabase table, Storage bucket, or Firebase database is readable by anyone, turning inferred into proven
SemgrepNo runtime check; would need a rule and the policy in source
Custom org-wide rule enforcement
ShipSafeOpinionated checks, no custom rule authoring
SemgrepWrite/version YAML rules, enforce across many repos in CI

Where Semgrep is the right call

  • You have a security engineer who wants to write and version custom rules.
  • You need to enforce specific patterns org-wide in CI across many repos.
  • You want a free, open-source CLI you can run locally with zero account.
  • You're standardizing AppSec tooling across a whole engineering org.

Where it leaves a solo founder exposed

  • Pattern rules miss an inverted auth check or an IDOR unless someone wrote a rule for that exact shape.
  • The free CLI is single-file and catches under half of vulns in independent tests.
  • Findings arrive as rule IDs and SARIF — you still translate them into 'what can an attacker actually do.'
  • No copy-paste fix tuned for the AI tool that wrote the bug.
  • Source-only analysis never touches your running app, so it can't see a secret shipped in your deployed JS bundle, a Supabase table left readable to the public internet, or an IDOR proven across two real accounts.
  • Semgrep tells you a rule matched; ShipSafe opens a fix PR and re-scans the patched file to prove the finding is gone, with a 're-verified resolved' receipt.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Semgrep free?
The open-source Semgrep CLI is free and excellent for running locally. The AppSec Platform — cross-file analysis, the AI Assistant, dashboards — is free up to 10 contributors, then around $30 per contributor per month. ShipSafe's free scan needs no install and no rules: paste a GitHub URL.
Can Semgrep find IDOR or broken auth?
Only if a rule describes that pattern. Logic bugs like an inverted auth condition or a missing ownership check are context-specific, so generic pattern rules tend to miss them. ShipSafe's AI reasons about your auth flow across files instead of matching a fixed pattern.
Do I need to write rules to use Semgrep?
To get the most out of it, usually yes — or curate the community rules. That's great if you have an AppSec engineer. If you just shipped a Cursor app and want to know whether it's safe, ShipSafe needs zero rules.
Should I use both?
Sure. Run Semgrep in CI for pattern enforcement, and run ShipSafe when you want a plain-English, logic-aware read on what your AI tool actually shipped.

See what pattern matching missed

Paste your GitHub URL. 2 minutes. The logic-level bugs Semgrep's rules can't see — in plain English, with a copy-paste fix.

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This is an independent comparison provided for informational purposes. All product names, logos, and brands are the property of their respective owners; ShipSafe is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by them. Statements about other products reflect publicly available information at the time of writing and may change, so please verify current details on each provider’s own website.