[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":485},["ShallowReactive",2],{"blog-costs/free-tier-security":3},{"id":4,"title":5,"body":6,"category":462,"date":463,"dateModified":463,"description":464,"draft":465,"extension":466,"faq":467,"featured":465,"headerVariant":462,"image":471,"keywords":471,"meta":472,"navigation":473,"ogDescription":474,"ogTitle":471,"path":475,"readTime":476,"schemaOrg":477,"schemaType":478,"seo":479,"sitemap":480,"stem":481,"tags":482,"twitterCard":483,"__hash__":484},"blog/blog/costs/free-tier-security.md","Free Tier Security: Building Startup Security on $0",{"type":7,"value":8,"toc":440},"minimark",[9,16,22,27,30,141,145,150,153,157,160,164,167,171,174,178,181,191,195,199,215,218,232,235,249,253,256,316,325,329,359,381,385,388,409,428],[10,11,12],"tldr",{},[13,14,15],"p",{},"Good security does not require a budget. Free tiers of major security tools, combined with secure development practices, can protect a startup through seed stage. Focus on: Dependabot for dependencies, GitHub secret scanning, Let's Encrypt for HTTPS, proper .gitignore, environment variables, and input validation. These free measures prevent 80%+ of common attacks.",[17,18,19],"stat-callout",{},[13,20,21],{},"80%+\nOf common vulnerabilities prevented by free tools and secure practices\nSource: Industry security benchmarks",[23,24,26],"h2",{"id":25},"the-free-security-stack","The Free Security Stack",[13,28,29],{},"Here is everything you need for solid security at zero cost:",[31,32,33,49],"table",{},[34,35,36],"thead",{},[37,38,39,43,46],"tr",{},[40,41,42],"th",{},"Category",[40,44,45],{},"Free Tool",[40,47,48],{},"What It Does",[50,51,52,64,75,86,97,108,119,130],"tbody",{},[37,53,54,58,61],{},[55,56,57],"td",{},"Dependency Scanning",[55,59,60],{},"Dependabot",[55,62,63],{},"Auto-updates vulnerable packages",[37,65,66,69,72],{},[55,67,68],{},"Secret Scanning",[55,70,71],{},"GitHub Secret Scanning",[55,73,74],{},"Alerts on exposed credentials",[37,76,77,80,83],{},[55,78,79],{},"HTTPS",[55,81,82],{},"Let's Encrypt",[55,84,85],{},"Free SSL certificates",[37,87,88,91,94],{},[55,89,90],{},"Password Manager",[55,92,93],{},"Bitwarden (free)",[55,95,96],{},"Secure credential storage",[37,98,99,102,105],{},[55,100,101],{},"2FA",[55,103,104],{},"Google Authenticator",[55,106,107],{},"Two-factor authentication",[37,109,110,113,116],{},[55,111,112],{},"Web Scanning",[55,114,115],{},"OWASP ZAP",[55,117,118],{},"Find web vulnerabilities",[37,120,121,124,127],{},[55,122,123],{},"Secret Detection",[55,125,126],{},"TruffleHog",[55,128,129],{},"Scan git history for secrets",[37,131,132,135,138],{},[55,133,134],{},"Security Headers",[55,136,137],{},"Mozilla Observatory",[55,139,140],{},"Check security headers",[23,142,144],{"id":143},"free-practices-that-matter-most","Free Practices That Matter Most",[146,147,149],"h3",{"id":148},"environment-variables-0","Environment Variables ($0)",[13,151,152],{},"Never hardcode secrets. Use environment variables for all API keys, database passwords, and sensitive configuration. Every hosting platform supports them.",[146,154,156],{"id":155},"proper-gitignore-0","Proper .gitignore ($0)",[13,158,159],{},"Ensure .env files, credentials, and sensitive data are never committed. One line in .gitignore prevents thousands in potential damage.",[146,161,163],{"id":162},"input-validation-0","Input Validation ($0)",[13,165,166],{},"Validate all user input on the server side. This single practice prevents SQL injection, XSS, and most injection attacks. It costs nothing but time.",[146,168,170],{"id":169},"parameterized-queries-0","Parameterized Queries ($0)",[13,172,173],{},"Use parameterized queries instead of string concatenation. This eliminates SQL injection with zero performance cost and zero budget.",[146,175,177],{"id":176},"https-everywhere-0","HTTPS Everywhere ($0)",[13,179,180],{},"Let's Encrypt provides free SSL certificates. Most hosting platforms auto-provision them. There is no excuse for unencrypted traffic.",[182,183,184],"success-box",{},[13,185,186,190],{},[187,188,189],"strong",{},"Key insight:"," The most effective security measures are free. Secure coding practices, proper configuration, and free scanning tools provide better protection than expensive tools applied to insecure code.",[23,192,194],{"id":193},"free-tool-deep-dive","Free Tool Deep Dive",[146,196,198],{"id":197},"dependabot-github","Dependabot (GitHub)",[200,201,202,206,209,212],"ul",{},[203,204,205],"li",{},"Automatically creates PRs for vulnerable dependencies",[203,207,208],{},"Completely free for all GitHub repos",[203,210,211],{},"Catches 80%+ of known dependency vulnerabilities",[203,213,214],{},"Set it up once, runs forever",[146,216,71],{"id":217},"github-secret-scanning",[200,219,220,223,226,229],{},[203,221,222],{},"Scans commits for accidentally exposed credentials",[203,224,225],{},"Free for public repos, included in Teams/Enterprise",[203,227,228],{},"Integrates with 100+ service providers",[203,230,231],{},"Alerts you before attackers find exposed keys",[146,233,115],{"id":234},"owasp-zap",[200,236,237,240,243,246],{},[203,238,239],{},"Open-source web application scanner",[203,241,242],{},"Finds XSS, SQL injection, and common vulnerabilities",[203,244,245],{},"Can run automated scans in CI/CD",[203,247,248],{},"Active community and regular updates",[23,250,252],{"id":251},"free-tier-limitations","Free Tier Limitations",[13,254,255],{},"Free tools work well but have limitations:",[31,257,258,271],{},[34,259,260],{},[37,261,262,265,268],{},[40,263,264],{},"Tool",[40,266,267],{},"Free Tier Limit",[40,269,270],{},"When to Upgrade",[50,272,273,284,295,306],{},[37,274,275,278,281],{},[55,276,277],{},"Snyk",[55,279,280],{},"200 tests/month",[55,282,283],{},"Large monorepos or many projects",[37,285,286,289,292],{},[55,287,288],{},"GitGuardian",[55,290,291],{},"25 developers",[55,293,294],{},"Team grows beyond 25",[37,296,297,300,303],{},[55,298,299],{},"Bitwarden",[55,301,302],{},"2 users sharing",[55,304,305],{},"Team collaboration needed",[37,307,308,310,313],{},[55,309,71],{},[55,311,312],{},"Public repos only",[55,314,315],{},"Private repos on free plan",[317,318,319],"warning-box",{},[13,320,321,324],{},[187,322,323],{},"When to pay:"," Consider paid tools when free tier limits block your work, you need compliance documentation, you handle regulated data (healthcare, finance), or you have funding to invest properly.",[23,326,328],{"id":327},"setting-up-your-free-security-stack","Setting Up Your Free Security Stack",[330,331,332,337,341,344,348,352,355],"cost-breakdown",{},[333,334],"cost-item",{"amount":335,"label":336},"2 min","Enable Dependabot in GitHub settings",[333,338],{"amount":339,"label":340},"1 min","Enable secret scanning",[333,342],{"amount":335,"label":343},"Verify .gitignore includes .env",[333,345],{"amount":346,"label":347},"10 min","Set up environment variables in hosting",[333,349],{"amount":350,"label":351},"5 min","Install Bitwarden for team",[333,353],{"amount":346,"label":354},"Enable 2FA on all accounts",[333,356],{"amount":357,"label":358},"30 min","Total time investment",[360,361,362,369,375],"faq-section",{},[363,364,366],"faq-item",{"question":365},"Can startups have good security with no budget?",[13,367,368],{},"Yes. The most important security measures are free: secure coding practices, proper secret management, HTTPS, and input validation. Free tiers of scanning tools catch 80%+ of common vulnerabilities.",[363,370,372],{"question":371},"What free security tools should every startup use?",[13,373,374],{},"Essential free tools: GitHub Dependabot for dependency updates, GitHub secret scanning, Let's Encrypt for HTTPS, Bitwarden free tier for passwords, and OWASP ZAP for security scanning.",[363,376,378],{"question":377},"When should startups start paying for security tools?",[13,379,380],{},"Consider paid tools when: free tier limits become restrictive, you need compliance documentation, you handle sensitive customer data, or you have funding to invest properly.",[23,382,384],{"id":383},"further-reading","Further Reading",[13,386,387],{},"Don't let these costs catch you off guard. Here's how to prevent them.",[200,389,390,397,403],{},[203,391,392],{},[393,394,396],"a",{"href":395},"/blog/getting-started/quick-wins","Quick security wins to start now",[203,398,399],{},[393,400,402],{"href":401},"/blog/checklists/pre-deployment-security-checklist","Pre-deployment security checklist",[203,404,405],{},[393,406,408],{"href":407},"/blog/best-practices/secrets","Secret management best practices",[410,411,412,418,423],"related-articles",{},[413,414],"related-card",{"description":415,"href":416,"title":417},"Full tool cost breakdown","/blog/costs/security-tooling","Security Tooling Costs",[413,419],{"description":420,"href":421,"title":422},"ROI of security investment","/blog/costs/prevention-vs-cure","Prevention vs Cure",[413,424],{"description":425,"href":426,"title":427},"Free security checklist for MVPs","/blog/checklists/mvp-security-checklist","MVP Security Checklist",[429,430,433,437],"cta-box",{"href":431,"label":432},"/","Start Free Scan",[23,434,436],{"id":435},"free-security-scanning","Free Security Scanning",[13,438,439],{},"Our free tier catches vulnerabilities before they cost you money.",{"title":441,"searchDepth":442,"depth":442,"links":443},"",2,[444,445,453,458,459,460,461],{"id":25,"depth":442,"text":26},{"id":143,"depth":442,"text":144,"children":446},[447,449,450,451,452],{"id":148,"depth":448,"text":149},3,{"id":155,"depth":448,"text":156},{"id":162,"depth":448,"text":163},{"id":169,"depth":448,"text":170},{"id":176,"depth":448,"text":177},{"id":193,"depth":442,"text":194,"children":454},[455,456,457],{"id":197,"depth":448,"text":198},{"id":217,"depth":448,"text":71},{"id":234,"depth":448,"text":115},{"id":251,"depth":442,"text":252},{"id":327,"depth":442,"text":328},{"id":383,"depth":442,"text":384},{"id":435,"depth":442,"text":436},"costs","2026-02-06","You can build solid security with free tools. Learn which free tiers actually work for startups and how to maximize protection with zero budget.",false,"md",[468,469,470],{"question":365,"answer":368},{"question":371,"answer":374},{"question":377,"answer":380},null,{},true,"Learn which free security tools actually work for startups.","/blog/costs/free-tier-security","7 min read","[object Object]","Article",{"title":5,"description":464},{"loc":475},"blog/costs/free-tier-security",[],"summary_large_image","UAK08-ZprS2rwSgvFQrV2y4XEMNjFFNCN0s3yCO93KA",1775843934863]