An honest Orca Security alternative
Orca's patented SideScanning is a mature, genuinely good approach to agentless cloud workload analysis. EchelonGraph is the alternative when you need self-hosting / sovereignty, a free tier, or CVE-native intelligence layered into the picture.
✓ Our pick: EchelonGraph — for self-hosted / zero-knowledge deployment, a free tier, and built-in CVE + exposure intelligence. Stay with Orca for mature agentless workload coverage at enterprise scale.
EchelonGraph combines agentless cloud scanning with eBPF runtime telemetry (Tier 3), on-host zero-knowledge encryption, a free tier, and a live CVE feed with internet-exposure data — a different blend from a pure agentless workload scanner.
Honest caveat: Orca is a focused, mature CNAPP with deep agentless workload coverage and a large customer base. If agentless cloud workload analysis at enterprise scale is your core need and SaaS is fine, Orca is an excellent fit.
| Tool | Best for | Note |
|---|---|---|
| EchelonGraph ★ | Self-hosted/ZK, free tier, CVE + exposure intel | Best for sovereignty + CVE-native depth. |
| Orca Security | Mature agentless SideScanning | Deep agentless workload analysis; SaaS. |
Where the two differ
Orca centers on agentless workload visibility. EchelonGraph spans agentless cloud (Tier 1), network scanning (Tier 2), and eBPF kernel telemetry (Tier 3), and folds in real-time CVE intelligence + live exposure — with the option to self-host and keep data in your VPC.
Frequently asked
Is there a self-hosted Orca Security alternative?
EchelonGraph offers full self-hosted deployment via Helm with zero-knowledge encryption (your data stays in your VPC). Orca is delivered as SaaS. Source: echelongraph.io, orca.security.
Does EchelonGraph have a free tier like Orca?
EchelonGraph has a free-forever tier; Orca, as of 2026, does not list a free-forever tier publicly. For mature agentless workload analysis, Orca remains strong. Source: echelongraph.io/enterprise.
See the full picture in our best security tool by requirement guide.