Orca vs Upwind: 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 | Orca | Upwind |
|---|---|---|
| Positioning | A cloud security platform built on agentless SideScanning, with an optional runtime sensor, covering posture, workloads, identity, data, vulnerabilities, code and AI. | A cloud security platform that combines agentless scanning with eBPF runtime sensors, from a company founded in October 2022. |
| Agent approachDiffers | Agentless core SideScanning reads workloads' runtime block storage and reconstructs the file system in a read-only view, covering Linux and Windows VMs, containers and images, and serverless, without agents. Source: Orca agentless SideScanning, read . | Agentless parts, agent for depth Agentless scanning plus eBPF runtime sensors; the design centers on the runtime sensor. Source: Upwind homepage, read . |
| Runtime sensor | The optional Orca Sensor is eBPF-based, runs on Linux, Kubernetes and Windows in public, private cloud and on-premises environments, and can be configured to terminate processes. Source: Orca runtime sensor, read . | eBPF sensors that baseline cloud activity, network and application flows, with forensic event timelines. Source: Upwind CDR, read . |
| Clouds namedDiffers | AWS, Azure, GCP, OCI, Alibaba, Tencent AWS, Azure, Google Cloud, Oracle Cloud, Alibaba Cloud and Tencent Cloud. Source: Orca Security platform overview, read . | AWS, Azure, GCP, OCI AWS, Google Cloud, Azure and OCI are named as partnerships. Source: Upwind homepage, read . |
| CNAPP | Described CNAPP is listed as a module on the platform page, built on one Unified Data Model. Source: Orca Security platform overview, read . | Described Lists posture, identity, data, workload, code, API and detection modules on one platform. Source: Upwind homepage, read . |
| CSPM | Described CSPM and multi-cloud compliance are listed as modules. Source: Orca Security platform overview, read . | Described CSPM is listed. Source: Upwind homepage, read . |
| CWPP | Described Workloads are covered by SideScanning (VMs, containers, serverless) and, for runtime, the optional Orca Sensor. Source: Orca agentless SideScanning, read . | Described Container and Kubernetes, serverless, and CDR modules, with eBPF sensors. Source: Upwind homepage, read . |
| CIEM | Described CIEM is listed as a module. Source: Orca Security platform overview, read . | Described CIEM is listed. Source: Upwind homepage, read . |
| DSPM | Described DSPM is listed as a module. Source: Orca Security platform overview, read . | Described DSPM is listed. Source: Upwind homepage, read . |
| Vulnerability management | Described Vulnerability management is listed as a module, with risk prioritization and attack path analysis. Source: Orca Security platform overview, read . | Described Vulnerability management and attack path analysis are listed. Source: Upwind homepage, read . |
| Code security | SCM posture, SCA, SAST, secrets, IaC and container image scanning, with GitHub, GitLab and Azure DevOps, and cloud-to-code tracing that opens pull requests. Source: Orca application security, read . | IaC security, SCA and SBOM, DAST and a container admission controller; SAST is not among its listed modules. Source: Upwind homepage, read . |
| AI security | AI-SPM inventory of models, pipelines, training datasets and AI packages, shadow AI discovery, MCP server monitoring and AI AppGen Security. Source: Orca AI security, read . | AI inventory, AI-BOM, AI-SPM, an AI sensor, AI detection and response, and offensive testing for models, agents and MCP servers. Source: Upwind AI security platform, read . |
| Kubernetes runtime | Container and Kubernetes security is listed as a module; the Orca Sensor runs on Kubernetes. Source: Orca runtime sensor, read . | Container and Kubernetes security is listed, with eBPF sensors. Source: Upwind homepage, read . |
| Private cloud or on-premisesDiffers | The Orca Sensor runs in private cloud and on-premises environments. Source: Orca runtime sensor, read . | Not in our sources |
| Disconnected environments | Not in our sources | Not in our sources |
| Compliance reporting | Multi-cloud compliance is listed as a module. Source: Orca Security platform overview, read . | Supports CIS benchmarks, HIPAA, ISO 27001, NIST, PCI and SOC 2 compliance with 13-month data lookback. Source: AWS Marketplace: Upwind Cloud Security Platform, read . |
| Public-sector authorizationDiffers | Orca states it is FedRAMP Authorized at the Moderate Impact Level for its cloud security platform. Source: Orca glossary: FedRAMP, read . | Upwind says it is pursuing FedRAMP Moderate Equivalency; no authorization is stated. Source: Upwind pursues FedRAMP certification to power trusted federal cloud solutions, read . |
| Price | Not published Orca's own site publishes no price (orca.security/pricing returned a 404 on 27 September 2026). An AWS Marketplace contract listing (Unique Expansion) shows Small, up to 100 concurrent workloads (EC2) per month, $7,000.00; Small-medium (300) $12,000.00; Medium (500) $17,000.00; Large (1,000) $30,000.00. These are monthly prices under the listing's 1-month contract, checked on 4 November 2026. The listing also offers a 12-month contract. Source: AWS Marketplace: Orca Security CNAPP Cloud Security Platform, Unique Expansion, read . | Not published No price on upwind.io. AWS Marketplace, 12-month contract: Upwind Cloud Security Platform $30,000.00 and Upwind Managed Detection and Response 24/7 Service $6,000.00; the unit basis is not described in our notes. 24-month and 36-month contracts are listed as saving up to 8% and 11%. Source: AWS Marketplace: Upwind Cloud Security Platform, read . |
| Open source | None named | None named |
| Ownership | Standalone vendor. Source: Orca Security platform overview, read . | Standalone vendor, founded October 2022 in San Francisco; CEO Amiram Shachar. $250 million Series B announced 26 January 2026. Source: Upwind newsroom, read . |
Where do they differ?
- Agent approach: Orca has an agentless core; Upwind has agentless parts and an agent for depth.
- Clouds named: Orca names AWS, Azure, GCP, OCI, Alibaba and Tencent; Upwind names AWS, Azure, GCP and OCI.
- Private cloud or on-premises: Orca matches; Upwind is not in our sources.
- Public-sector authorization: Orca matches; Upwind partly matches.
Choose Orca if
- You want broad coverage without installing agents.
- Your estate includes Tencent Cloud, Alibaba Cloud or Oracle Cloud.
Choose Upwind if
- Runtime detection is your first requirement and you will deploy a sensor.
- You want DAST, API security and AI detection in the same platform.
Which limits should you check?
Orca
- Its own site publishes no price; the AWS Marketplace listing's 1-month contract starts at $7,000 per month for up to 100 concurrent workloads (EC2), checked on 4 November 2026.
- Detection inside running workloads and process termination need the optional Orca Sensor, an agent; with agentless scanning alone you get the read-only view.
- Its FedRAMP authorization is at the Moderate level; disconnected environments are not described on the pages we read.
Upwind
- No price on upwind.io; the AWS Marketplace 12-month contract of $30,000 does not state its unit basis in our notes.
- A younger company (founded October 2022; 150+ customers per its newsroom), and Upwind says it is pursuing FedRAMP Moderate Equivalency; no authorization is stated.
- SAST is not among its listed code modules.
Frequently asked questions
How do Orca and Upwind differ?
Neither is scored on this site. Orca describes 6 of six categories and Upwind 6 on the pages we read, and they differ on 4 recorded facts. Which fits depends on your clouds, agent tolerance and existing tools; the finder checks those.
Which of the two needs an agent?
Orca: Agentless core. Upwind: Agentless parts, agent for depth.
Do Orca or Upwind publish prices?
Orca: Orca's own site publishes no price (orca.security/pricing returned a 404 on 27 September 2026). An AWS Marketplace contract listing (Unique Expansion) shows Small, up to 100 concurrent workloads (EC2) per month, $7,000.00; Small-medium (300) $12,000.00; Medium (500) $17,000.00; Large (1,000) $30,000.00. These are monthly prices under the listing's 1-month contract, checked on 4 November 2026. The listing also offers a 12-month contract. Upwind: No price on upwind.io. AWS Marketplace, 12-month contract: Upwind Cloud Security Platform $30,000.00 and Upwind Managed Detection and Response 24/7 Service $6,000.00; the unit basis is not described in our notes. 24-month and 36-month contracts are listed as saving up to 8% and 11%.