Wiz vs Orca Security: which CNAPP should you pick in 2026?
Cloud Security Compare editors · Matchups reviewed September 2026 · Editorial assessment
The short version
Wiz is the stronger all-round pick, 4.4 to 4.2, winning on runtime, attack paths, code-to-cloud and ecosystem. Orca Security wins agentless coverage, names more supported clouds (six, including Oracle, Alibaba and Tencent) and ties Wiz on AI workload security. Choose Orca if agentless depth across an unusual cloud mix is the requirement; choose Wiz for the broadest ecosystem and the more developed runtime and code layers.
Wiz
4.4/ 5
Orca Security
4.2/ 5
Wiz wins 4 criteria, Orca Security wins 1, 2 tied.
What is the verdict?
These are the two agentless CNAPPs buyers most often shortlist together, and the gap between them is small: 0.19 points on exact totals. Wiz's lead comes from what surrounds the core: a larger integration program, Wiz Code, a runtime sensor that blocks threats, and Google's ownership since March 2026. Orca's lead is on the core itself: SideScanning, the agentless approach Orca says it pioneered, and a cloud list that goes beyond AWS, Azure, Google Cloud and OCI.
How do Wiz and Orca compare on each criterion?
Agentless coverage and time to value
Weight 18%
Wiz: Connects by API and, Wiz states, reaches VMs, containers, serverless, PaaS and AI resources without agents.
Orca: SideScanning reads workload block storage out of band and covers VMs, containers and serverless across six clouds, including Oracle, Alibaba and Tencent.
Runtime protection depth
Weight 16%
Wiz: The eBPF-based Wiz Sensor can block threats, but runtime is a layer added to an agentless core rather than where the product started.
Orca: The eBPF Orca Sensor adds runtime detections and can terminate processes, but it is an optional layer and less proven than runtime-first rivals.
Risk prioritization and attack paths
Weight 18%
Wiz: The Security Graph links infrastructure, identities, data and AI resources into attack paths; it is the design most rivals get compared against.
Orca: Dynamic risk scoring and attack path analysis on one data model built from full agentless context.
Code-to-cloud and AppSec
Weight 14%
Wiz: Wiz Code covers SCA and SBOM, IaC, secrets and malware scanning, IDE and GitHub integration, ASPM and code-to-cloud tracing.
Orca: SCA, SAST, secrets, IaC and image scanning with GitHub, GitLab and Azure DevOps, plus cloud-to-code tracing that opens pull requests.
AI workload security
Weight 12%
Wiz: Agentless AI-BOM across SageMaker, OpenAI, Bedrock and Vertex AI, AI attack paths, and runtime detection of prompt injection and rogue agents.
Orca: AI-SPM inventory, shadow AI discovery, MCP server monitoring and AI AppGen Security for apps built on AI app builders.
Ecosystem and integrations
Weight 12%
Wiz: 200+ integrations through its WIN program, a Fortune 100 footprint Wiz puts above 65%, and Google ownership since March 2026.
Orca: Covers the source-control and CI/CD tools buyers expect, but its partner and market footprint is smaller than Wiz's or the platform vendors'.
Pricing transparency
Weight 10%
Wiz: No public price list; quotes come through sales or cloud marketplaces.
Orca: No public price list; the pricing URL returns a 404 and quotes go through sales.
Scores are 0 to 5. The marker leans toward the stronger vendor; a gap of 1.5 or more pins it to the end. How to read these bars
What are the key differences?
| Fact | Wiz | Orca Security |
|---|---|---|
| Deployment | Agentless, connects by cloud API; optional Wiz Sensor for runtime | Agentless SideScanning of workload block storage; optional Orca Sensor for runtime |
| Runtime sensor | Wiz Sensor, eBPF-based, blocks threats in real time on VMs, containers and serverless containers (Wiz Defend) | Orca Sensor, eBPF-based, Linux, Kubernetes and Windows; can be configured to terminate processes |
| Clouds named | AWS, Azure, Google Cloud, OCI | AWS, Azure, Google Cloud, Oracle Cloud, Alibaba Cloud, Tencent Cloud |
| Code security | Wiz Code: SCA and SBOM, IaC, secrets, malware, IDE scanning, GitHub, code-to-cloud tracing, ASPM | SCM posture, SCA, SAST, secrets, IaC and container image scanning; GitHub, GitLab, Azure DevOps; cloud-to-code tracing into pull requests |
| AI security | AI-SPM with agentless AI-BOM (SageMaker, OpenAI, Bedrock, Vertex AI); runtime detection of prompt injection and rogue agents | AI-SPM (models, pipelines, training data, AI packages), shadow AI, MCP server monitoring, AI AppGen Security (unveiled ahead of Black Hat USA 2026) |
| Ownership | Part of Google since 11 March 2026 ($32 billion deal announced 18 March 2025) | Standalone vendor |
| Public pricing | Not published. Contact sales. | Not published. Contact sales. |
| Open-source project | None named | None named |
Wiz sources: Wiz platform · Wiz Code · Wiz Defend and Sensor · Wiz AI-SPM · Google closes Wiz deal · Google announcement · Reviewed Sep 2026
Orca Security sources: Orca platform · SideScanning · Orca Sensor · Application security · AI security · AI AppGen Security · Reviewed Sep 2026
What does each vendor say about the other?
Orca publishes a Wiz comparison page that calls Orca "The Original And Still The Champ" for agentless scanning and describes Wiz as a "Fast Follower". Those are Orca's claims. Our scores give Orca a narrow agentless lead (4.9 against 4.8), not a wide one, and put Wiz ahead on four other criteria.
Source: Orca vs Wiz comparison page · Reviewed Sep 2026
When should you pick Wiz?
- You want the widest integration ecosystem (Wiz lists 200+ integrations) and a vendor with a large enterprise footprint.
- Runtime blocking matters and you want the sensor from the same vendor as your posture tool.
- Developers will work in the tool: Wiz Code adds IDE scanning, ASPM and code-to-cloud tracing.
When should you pick Orca?
- You run workloads on Oracle Cloud, Alibaba Cloud or Tencent Cloud as well as the larger clouds.
- You want agentless coverage of VMs, containers and serverless before you commit to any runtime agent.
- You want to find apps your staff built on AI app builders outside monitored environments, which is what Orca's AI AppGen Security targets.
What do buyers get wrong about this matchup?
The most common mistake is treating the agentless question as settled. Both vendors now sell an eBPF runtime sensor, so both are agentless-first rather than agentless-only. The practical difference is how much each asks you to deploy to reach the protection you need, and on our reading Wiz's sensor is further along. A second mistake is expecting Google ownership to narrow Wiz to Google Cloud: Wiz states it remains multicloud across AWS, Azure, Google Cloud and OCI.
Frequently asked questions
Is Orca better than Wiz?
Not overall in our assessment: Wiz scores 4.4 and Orca 4.2. Orca is ahead on agentless coverage and time to value (4.9 against 4.8), tied on AI workload security (4.6) and pricing transparency (1.5), and behind on the other four criteria.
Did Wiz follow Orca on agentless scanning?
Orca says so on its comparison page and describes Wiz as a fast follower. Both products now scan workloads without agents, and we score the difference as small.
Does Google owning Wiz matter if I run on AWS or Azure?
Wiz states it remains multicloud across AWS, Azure, Google Cloud and OCI, and Google's announcement said Wiz products would continue to work across all major clouds. If it matters to you, ask for it in the contract.
Which is cheaper, Wiz or Orca?
Neither publishes prices, so we cannot say. Both quote through sales; ask for quotes on the same asset count and term.