Upwind alternatives in 2026: eight CNAPPs compared against Upwind
Cloud Security Compare editors · Matchups reviewed September 2026 · Editorial assessment
The short version
Wiz (4.4) and Orca Security (4.2) are the strongest Upwind alternatives, and both beat Upwind on five criteria: agentless coverage, attack paths, code security, AI and ecosystem. Only CrowdStrike and Sysdig beat Upwind on runtime depth, its strongest criterion. If runtime is why you chose Upwind, those two are the like-for-like alternatives.
How do the alternatives rank?
1Wiz
4.4 / 5Best overall for multicloud CNAPP
Beats Upwind on: Agentless coverage and time to value, Risk prioritization and attack paths, Code-to-cloud and AppSec, AI workload security, Ecosystem and integrations
Upwind is stronger on: Runtime protection depth
Consider it if: You want broader coverage and ecosystem, and can accept slightly less runtime depth (4.2 against 4.7).
2Orca Security
4.2 / 5Best for agentless coverage across the most clouds
Beats Upwind on: Agentless coverage and time to value, Risk prioritization and attack paths, Code-to-cloud and AppSec, AI workload security, Ecosystem and integrations
Upwind is stronger on: Runtime protection depth
Consider it if: You want the strongest agentless coverage in the matrix and better code security, and can accept a lighter runtime layer (3.8 against 4.7).
3=Palo Alto Networks Cortex Cloud (formerly Prisma Cloud)
4.0 / 5Best for Palo Alto Networks estates
Beats Upwind on: Code-to-cloud and AppSec, Ecosystem and integrations
Upwind is stronger on: Agentless coverage and time to value, Runtime protection depth, Risk prioritization and attack paths, AI workload security
Consider it if: You want runtime close to Upwind's (4.6) inside a larger security operations portfolio.
Read Cortex Cloud vs UpwindCompare side by sideSee all scores
3=Microsoft Defender for Cloud
4.0 / 5Best value for Azure-first teams
Beats Upwind on: Ecosystem and integrations, Pricing transparency
Upwind is stronger on: Agentless coverage and time to value, Runtime protection depth, Risk prioritization and attack paths, AI workload security
Consider it if: You are Azure-first and want public pricing and a free posture tier.
5=CrowdStrike Falcon Cloud Security
3.8 / 5Best for Falcon endpoint customers
Beats Upwind on: Runtime protection depth, Ecosystem and integrations
Upwind is stronger on: Agentless coverage and time to value, Risk prioritization and attack paths, Code-to-cloud and AppSec, AI workload security
Consider it if: You want stronger runtime than Upwind (4.8) from an agent you may already run on endpoints.
Read CrowdStrike vs UpwindCompare side by sideSee all scores
5=SentinelOne Singularity Cloud
3.8 / 5Best for exploit-validated findings
Beats Upwind on: Ecosystem and integrations
Upwind is stronger on: Agentless coverage and time to value, Runtime protection depth, Risk prioritization and attack paths, Code-to-cloud and AppSec, AI workload security
Consider it if: Your SOC runs SentinelOne and you want an agentless CNAPP with exploit validation.
Read SentinelOne vs UpwindCompare side by sideSee all scores
7=Sysdig Secure
3.7 / 5Best for Kubernetes runtime detection
Beats Upwind on: Runtime protection depth, Ecosystem and integrations, Pricing transparency
Upwind is stronger on: Agentless coverage and time to value, Risk prioritization and attack paths, Code-to-cloud and AppSec, AI workload security
Consider it if: You want runtime detection at least as deep as Upwind's (4.8), built on Falco.
7=Aqua Security
3.7 / 5Best for container pipelines and disconnected estates
Beats Upwind on: Code-to-cloud and AppSec, Ecosystem and integrations
Upwind is stronger on: Agentless coverage and time to value, Runtime protection depth, Risk prioritization and attack paths, AI workload security
Consider it if: You need container pipeline gating and disconnected-environment support.
Why do teams look for Upwind alternatives?
Upwind is a young vendor, founded in October 2022, growing quickly: its newsroom lists a $250 million Series B in January 2026 and 150+ customers. Buyers who like its runtime-first design often want a second option from a larger vendor, or a platform with more agentless coverage and code security around the runtime core. Upwind scores 4.7 on runtime, so most alternatives trade some runtime depth for breadth.
Which alternative fits which reason?
| Reason | Look at | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Same or deeper runtime | CrowdStrike, Sysdig | 4.8 on runtime against Upwind's 4.7 |
| Broader agentless coverage | Orca Security, Wiz | 4.9 and 4.8 against Upwind's 4.0 |
| Larger vendor and ecosystem | Wiz, CrowdStrike, Cortex Cloud | 4.9, 4.6 and 4.5 on ecosystem against 3.5 |
| Stronger code security | Wiz, Cortex Cloud, Orca Security | 4.6, 4.5 and 4.4 against 3.8 |
| Cost you can model up front | Microsoft Defender for Cloud | Public per-resource pricing |
When should you stay with Upwind?
Stay with Upwind if runtime detection and response is the main job: it scores 4.7 on runtime, behind only CrowdStrike and Sysdig, and 4.5 on risk prioritization, behind only Wiz and Orca Security. If coverage or code security is the gap, compare it with Wiz or Orca Security on the same accounts.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best alternative to Upwind?
It depends on why you chose Upwind. For overall score, Wiz (4.4). For runtime depth, CrowdStrike or Sysdig (4.8 each).
Is Upwind a Wiz competitor?
Yes. Both sell a CNAPP with agentless scanning and an eBPF sensor. Wiz scores 4.4 and Upwind 3.9 in our matrix; Upwind is stronger on runtime. See Upwind vs Wiz.
Does Upwind publish pricing?
No. The pricing URL on its site returned a 404 when we checked in September 2026.