GitGuardian
Real-time secrets detection platform that scans repositories and CI/CD pipelines for leaked API keys, passwords, and tokens across 420+ secret types.
Use Cases
Free Tier
Up to 25 developers, unlimited real-time scanning, 500 historical detections, 10,000 API calls/month
How to Maximize the Free Tier
The Starter plan covers up to 25 developers with unlimited real-time scanning — generous for most small-to-medium teams. Connect your GitHub/GitLab/Bitbucket account for automatic scanning on every push. Use the CI/CD integration (GitHub Actions or GitLab CI) to catch secrets before they reach production. The 500 historical scan detections let you retroactively find secrets in old commits. Monitor your 10,000 API calls/month if using the REST API for custom integrations. For open source repos, the public scanning is included at no extra cost.
Getting Started
Sign up at gitguardian.com → connect your GitHub/GitLab/Bitbucket account → GitGuardian starts scanning all repositories immediately → review the dashboard for detected secrets → add the GitGuardian GitHub Action to your CI workflow for pre-push scanning → set up Slack/email notifications for new detections.
Pros
- Generous free tier: 25 developers and unlimited real-time scanning is one of the most generous free security tiers — covers most small teams entirely
- 420+ secret types: Detects AWS keys, GitHub tokens, Stripe keys, database credentials, and hundreds of other secret formats with high precision
- CI/CD integration: GitHub Actions, GitLab CI, and pre-commit hooks catch secrets before they're committed — shift-left security in practice
Cons
- API call limits: 10,000 API calls/month on the free plan can be restrictive for teams with many repositories or custom integrations
- No remediation on free: Remediation playbooks and automated secret rotation require the paid Teams plan
- GitHub-only depth: Deepest integration is with GitHub — GitLab and Bitbucket support is functional but less feature-rich