The regression
def refund(order, payment):
payment.refund(order.total)
order.status = "refunded"
return order
1 check, 1 broken. Refunded orders cannot be refunded again.
Use Perch for an English requirement about how application code should behave, checked on the current method. Keep security testing as a separate gate rather than treating one semantic requirement as a complete security assessment.
perch check reads working files; perch scan reads Git HEAD. Relevant source is sent to TypeSafe’s hosted models. The MIT CLI does not run model inference offline.
A saved requirement makes a recurring mistake checkable. In this Perch capture from September 20, 2026, the same rule flags a missing guard and passes after the guard is restored.
def refund(order, payment):
payment.refund(order.total)
order.status = "refunded"
return order
1 check, 1 broken. Refunded orders cannot be refunded again.
def refund(order, payment):
if order.status == "refunded":
return order
payment.refund(order.total)
order.status = "refunded"
return order
1 check, nothing to report.
Source: public order-service checkout.py at the linked commit. The captured standalone file is refund.py. Perch command output and timestamp. This saved-rule demonstration does not measure Snyk Code's detection rate.
Perch turns project behavior into focused checks that agents can run before committing. Use these differences to choose the review workflow and billing model your team needs.
| Capability | Perch | Snyk Code |
|---|---|---|
| Billing | 10¢ per 1,000 fresh rule checks. Cached checks free. No seat fees. | Team starts at $25/month for teams up to 10 developers; 1,000 Code tests and 100 projects.Vendor documentation ↗ |
| Before commit | perch check reads the files on disk, including uncommitted edits. | Apache-2.0 CLI provides local and CI security testing.Vendor documentation ↗ |
| Custom requirements | English ensure rules in perch.yaml: project, file or method scope. No paid custom-rule tier. | Policies and .snyk ignore configuration.Vendor documentation ↗ |
| Coverage | Each parsed non-test application method in the selected scan scope is read, with caller and callee context. No method-count cap. | SAST with interfile analysis in most supported languages.Vendor documentation ↗ |
| Open source | MIT-licensed CLI. Hosted model analysis is a paid service. | Apache-2.0 CLI; proprietary Code engine.Vendor documentation ↗ |
Keep security testing for its security coverage. Choose Perch for English behavior requirements such as preserving an ownership guard or using one transaction client. The MIT CLI checks the agent's uncommitted fix and retains the same requirement for CI.
Snyk Code: Apache-2.0 CLI provides local and CI security testing. Snyk Code workflow documentation.
Perch reads the current working file with perch check. For a known requirement, select its rule name and method instead of requesting another broad review. A local CLI describes where the command runs; Perch sends relevant source to hosted TypeSafe models for analysis.
Snyk Code: Policies and .snyk ignore configuration. Snyk Code rule documentation.
Perch stores English ensure rules in perch.yaml or .perch/rules/. Project, file and method scopes determine what is checked. Run the named check after an edit and after the repair; a rule finding can fail the command and a CI gate. Perch rules · Working-file checks.
Compare Snyk Code's billing unit and Perch's usage estimate
Snyk Code: Apache-2.0 CLI; proprietary Code engine. Snyk Code product or license source.
Perch’s CLI is MIT-licensed; hosted model inference is a separate paid service included in its published check rate. It does not run the model offline. Unchanged requests can reuse cached answers for free. Fresh judgments can vary, and a passing requirement check does not prove application correctness. Perch MIT license.
Snyk Code provides security-focused SAST with an open CLI and interfile analysis. Its free test allowance or team pricing can fit security work that is different from Perch’s saved behavior checks.
Perch and Snyk Code: pricing, allowances and workload calculator
npm install -g @lakeday/perchperch rules add refund-once \
--where refund.py --each method \
--ensure "Refunded orders cannot be refunded again."The captured rule checks the requirement shown above. Rule syntax and selectors
perch check refund.py::refund --rules refund-onceRun the check after an edit and after the fix. Working-tree check documentation
Use perch scan for repository code at Git HEAD and changed-code CI checks for pull requests. New model judgments can vary. Repeatability comes from cached answers for unchanged requests; a pass does not prove application correctness.
Choose Perch when you want an MIT CLI, English behavior rules and usage pricing that stays independent of team size. Give your coding agent a saved check it can run after every relevant edit.
Install PerchPublished by Perch. Vendor facts were reviewed on 2026-10-14; plans and allowances can change. Vendor marks belong to their owners.