Top AI SAST tools in 2025
A lot of static analysis has already been shaped or is currently under change, thanks to the latest models. What used to be noisy vulnerability scanners are now smarter tools that prioritize, explain, and patch issues for you.
But not all "AI-powered" SAST tools are created equal. Some add the contextual power of AI on top of old rule engines. Others rethink how code and risk should be analyzed from the ground up.
Here's a breakdown of the most talked-about tools in 2025: what they do well, where they fall short, and how they fit into a security workflow.
ZeroPath
While other SAST tools are built on legacy engines that functions on rule-based checks. ZeroPath takes a different approach outlined in our How it Works. The team has rebuilt a SAST engine from the ground up around LLMs and traditional static analysis to reason about how the application behaves, what’s reachable, and where real risks lie.
Where it works well:
- Uses architectural context and application logic to flag vulnerabilities (even business logic bugs)
- Finds vulns traditionally out of scope for SAST
- Supports natural language custom rules
- Catches traditional vulns at lowest false positive rates in the industry
- Feels more like a security assistant than a scanner
- Patches vulns automatically
Where it struggles:
- Takes a bit of a mindset shift if you're used to rule-heavy SAST workflows
- PR scans are fast, but the first full scan is long on large repos
- Some of the more advanced features are only in enterprise tiers
Snyk Code
Snyk initially started in the SCA space but has built a strong SAST offering. It plugs into your IDE or GitHub workflow and flags vulnerabilities as you type (pretty cool).
Where it works well:
- Provides real-time feedback in editors like VS Code and JetBrains IDEs
- AI-powered suggestions make remediation easy for common issues
- Support for popular web stack languages like JavaScript, Python, Java, and Go
- Simple setup and integration make it easy for small dev teams
Where it struggles:
- Doesn’t go very deep. Multi-file dataflow issues can slip
- Doesn't support custom rules or deeper security customization
- Costs add up fast with larger teams
- Can misfire with safe code depending on context
Checkmarx
Checkmarx is a heavyweight in the AppSec world, used by large organizations with complex stacks. The platform goes beyond SAST, covering cloud and software supply chain security, but SAST is still its core.
Where it works well:
- Supports over 35 languages and 80 frameworks, including legacy systems
- Allows for custom rule writing through its query builder
- Integrates well with DAST tools for more complete coverage
Where it struggles:
- Limited support for mobile platforms and some gaps in Swift, C, and C++
- Initial setup is heavy and requires infrastructure planning
- DevOps integration isn’t always smooth, especially in fast-moving teams
- The interface is hard to navigate, especially for devs trying to triage results
Veracode
Veracode offers cloud-based static analysis and is often chosen by companies focused on governance and compliance. It's designed more for security teams than developers.
Where it works well:
- Excels at scanning enterprise-scale applications with broad language support
- AI-powered remediation suggestions help reduce triage time
- Well-suited for centralized security teams running security gates in CI/CD
Where it struggles:
- Takes longer to learn and operate than more developer-friendly tools
- Full scans are slower than most cloud-native competitors
- False positives are common and require manual cleanup
- Pricing is too high for startups or smaller engineering teams
Semgrep
Semgrep is built for speed and customization. It’s rule-based, open-source, and designed to let you write your own checks without needing to understand abstract syntax trees. They have started integrating AI to help with rule generation and triage.
Where it works well:
- Scans are fast. Good for every PR, every push
- Custom rules can be created in minutes using familiar syntax
- Strong community with thousands of shared rules and active support
Where it struggles:
- Doesn’t track data across multiple files or functions unless manually encoded
- Out-of-the-box rules can be noisy or miss context-sensitive issues
- Requires security engineering effort to maintain and scale effectively
- Fix guidance is minimal. You often get a warning and you have to figure out the rest
Final Thoughts
Each of these tools serves a different kind of organization. Snyk is well-suited for engineering teams that prioritize speed and tight integration with developer workflows. Checkmarx and Veracode offer the depth and controls expected in large, regulated environments. Semgrep gives security engineers flexibility, but it requires more hands-on rule management.
ZeroPath is built for security teams that want clarity and actionability, especially with reduced noise. We focus on showing which vulnerabilities actually matter in the context of how your application works, where they can be reached, and how they’re best resolved.
It reduces triage overhead, shortens remediation cycles, and improves how security and engineering teams work together.
We understand if there are too many comparisons going on in your head right now. Therefore, to make the decision-making easier, we wrote these blogs:
