Aqua vs Wiz: cloud security facts side by side
How do their category maps compare?
- Described on the vendor's pages we read
- Not in our sources (it may exist; we did not find it on the pages we read)
What are the facts, side by side?
| Fact | Aqua | Wiz |
|---|---|---|
| Positioning | A cloud native security platform built around kernel-layer runtime enforcement, with agentless posture visibility, for public, private and disconnected environments. | An agentless cloud security platform (Wiz Cloud, Wiz Code, Wiz Defend) built around the Security Graph, part of Google since 11 March 2026. |
| Agent approachDiffers | Agentless parts, agent for depth Offers agentless posture visibility; the platform's depth comes from kernel-layer enforcement on the workload. Source: Aqua cloud native security platform, read . | Agentless core Connects by cloud API and, Wiz states, reaches VMs, containers, serverless, PaaS and AI resources without agents. Source: Wiz platform overview, read . |
| Runtime sensor | Kernel-layer enforcement that blocks attacks without killing the container itself. Source: Aqua cloud native security platform, read . | The optional Wiz Sensor is eBPF-based and blocks threats on VMs, containers and serverless containers (Wiz Defend). Source: Wiz Defend and Wiz Sensor, read . |
| Clouds named | AWS, Azure, GCP, OCI, Alibaba Aqua names AWS, Azure, GCP, Oracle and Alibaba Cloud environments, plus Kubernetes; its platform page also describes private cloud and disconnected environments. Source: Aqua pricing, read . | AWS, Azure, GCP, OCI, Alibaba Wiz names AWS, Azure, Google Cloud, OCI and Alibaba Cloud among its supported environments; Tencent Cloud is not named. Source: Wiz environments: Alibaba Cloud, read . |
| CNAPP | Described Positions one platform across posture, pipeline scanning and runtime enforcement. Source: Aqua cloud native security platform, read . | Described Wiz Cloud, Wiz Code and Wiz Defend on one Security Graph. Source: Wiz platform overview, read . |
| CSPM | Described CSPM is listed among the capabilities on its pricing page, alongside CWPP, agentless and agent-based scanning and eBPF runtime detection. Source: Aqua pricing, read . | Described Agentless, API-connected scanning of cloud resources, including Alibaba Cloud, as the vendor states. Source: Wiz extends CNAPP leadership with protection for Alibaba Cloud, read . |
| CWPP | Described Monitor, detect, enforce and contain inside running workloads, with kernel-layer enforcement. Source: Aqua cloud native security platform, read . | Described Agentless workload scanning plus the Wiz Sensor for runtime blocking, Kubernetes file integrity monitoring and drift detection. Source: Wiz Defend and Wiz Sensor, read . |
| CIEMDiffers | Not in our sources Not named as an Aqua capability on the pricing or CSPM pages we read. Source: Aqua CSPM product page, read . | Described Wiz has a named CIEM solution (Wiz for CIEM). Source: Wiz for CIEM, read . |
| DSPMDiffers | Not in our sources Not described on the pages we read. | Described Wiz DSPM discovers and classifies sensitive data and detects data risks. Source: Wiz DSPM, read . |
| Vulnerability management | Described Ranks vulnerabilities by reachability, EPSS scores and evidence of active exploitation. Source: Aqua cloud native security platform, read . | Described Named Unified Vulnerability Management solution, described as agentless cloud vulnerability management. Source: Wiz Unified Vulnerability Management, read . |
| Code security | Scans images and repositories for vulnerabilities, secrets and misconfigurations and blocks noncompliant artifacts in the pipeline. Source: Aqua cloud native security platform, read . | Wiz Code: SCA and SBOM, IaC, secrets and malware scanning, IDE scanning, GitHub, an MCP server, ASPM and code-to-cloud tracing. Source: Wiz Code, read . |
| AI security | GenAI application security from code to runtime, and detection of unsanctioned AI usage. Source: Aqua cloud native security platform, read . | Agentless AI-BOM across SageMaker, OpenAI, Bedrock and Vertex AI, AI attack paths, and runtime detection of prompt injection and rogue agents. Source: Wiz AI-SPM, read . |
| Kubernetes runtime | Runtime enforcement for containers that blocks attacks without killing the container. Source: Aqua cloud native security platform, read . | Kubernetes file integrity monitoring and drift detection in Wiz Defend. Source: Wiz Defend and Wiz Sensor, read . |
| Private cloud or on-premisesDiffers | Supports private cloud environments. Source: Aqua cloud native security platform, read . | Not in our sources |
| Disconnected environmentsDiffers | Supports disconnected environments. Source: Aqua cloud native security platform, read . | Not in our sources |
| Compliance reporting | Out-of-the-box compliance reporting, with built-in compliance and custom reports; the page does not list the frameworks. Source: Aqua pricing, read . | Its compliance solution names benchmarks including NIST, HIPAA, CIS, HITRUST and SOC 2. Source: Wiz compliance, read . |
| Public-sector authorization | States FedRAMP High Authorization. Source: Aqua cloud native security platform, read . | Wiz for Government is described as a FedRAMP High authorized platform; Wiz for Gov also achieved GovRAMP High authorization (10 September 2026). Source: Wiz for Government, read . |
| Price | Not published No list prices. Cloud Security is priced by number of workloads (EC2 instances, Fargate containers, Lambda functions) and Dev Security by number of code repositories; request a trial or demo. Source: Aqua pricing, read . | Not published Wiz's own pages we read publish no price. AWS Marketplace, 12-month contract: Wiz Essential (protect 100 cloud workloads) $24,000.00; Wiz Advanced (protect 100 cloud workloads) $38,000.00; add-ons: Wiz Sensor (100 sensors, for Wiz Advanced) $28,000.00, Wiz Code (100 licenses) $58,500.00, Wiz Defend (ingest 300 GB of logs per month, for Wiz Advanced) $18,000.00. The listing also offers 24-month and 36-month contracts, and a free trial on terms set by the vendor. Source: AWS Marketplace: Wiz Cloud Infrastructure Security Platform, read . |
| Open source | Trivy (maintained by Aqua Security, Apache-2.0) | None named |
| Ownership | Aqua Security. Named Mike Dube CEO and Nir Makovski CTO in February 2026. Source: Aqua press release: new leadership and runtime focus, read . | Part of Google since 11 March 2026; the $32 billion all-cash deal was announced on 18 March 2025. Source: Wiz blog: Google closes deal to acquire Wiz, read . |
Where do they differ?
- Agent approach: Aqua has agentless parts and an agent for depth; Wiz has an agentless core.
- CIEM: Aqua is not in our sources; Wiz describes it.
- DSPM: Aqua is not in our sources; Wiz describes it.
- Private cloud or on-premises: Aqua matches; Wiz is not in our sources.
- Disconnected environments: Aqua matches; Wiz is not in our sources.
Choose Aqua if
- You run disconnected or private environments, or need FedRAMP High.
- You want enforcement inside containers and already use Trivy.
Choose Wiz if
- You want an agentless start across AWS, Azure, Google Cloud, OCI and Alibaba Cloud with attack paths across identities and data.
- You sell to US government and need FedRAMP High or GovRAMP High.
Which limits should you check?
Aqua
- CIEM and DSPM are not described on the pages we read.
- No list prices: Cloud Security is priced by number of workloads, by quote.
Wiz
- Its own pages publish no price; on AWS Marketplace a 12-month contract for Wiz Essential (100 cloud workloads) is $24,000.
- Tencent Cloud is not named, and runtime blocking needs the optional Wiz Sensor.
Frequently asked questions
How do Aqua and Wiz differ?
Neither is scored on this site. Aqua describes 4 of six categories and Wiz 6 on the pages we read, and they differ on 5 recorded facts. Which fits depends on your clouds, agent tolerance and existing tools; the finder checks those.
Which of the two needs an agent?
Aqua: Agentless parts, agent for depth. Wiz: Agentless core.
Do Aqua or Wiz publish prices?
Aqua: No list prices. Cloud Security is priced by number of workloads (EC2 instances, Fargate containers, Lambda functions) and Dev Security by number of code repositories; request a trial or demo. Wiz: Wiz's own pages we read publish no price. AWS Marketplace, 12-month contract: Wiz Essential (protect 100 cloud workloads) $24,000.00; Wiz Advanced (protect 100 cloud workloads) $38,000.00; add-ons: Wiz Sensor (100 sensors, for Wiz Advanced) $28,000.00, Wiz Code (100 licenses) $58,500.00, Wiz Defend (ingest 300 GB of logs per month, for Wiz Advanced) $18,000.00. The listing also offers 24-month and 36-month contracts, and a free trial on terms set by the vendor.