Quick answer
DeepScan - DeepScan wins for most open-source JS/TS builders who want a no-card, perpetual free tier; DeepSource wins only if you need a broader open-source review workflow or expect to pay for more repo and team automation features later.
How the free tiers compare
These two free offers are aimed at different stages of the same workflow. DeepScan is narrower but cleaner: it is a true ongoing free tier for open source JavaScript and TypeScript projects, with unlimited public projects, GitHub sync, and no credit card required. It is best when you want static analysis and code-quality signal without paying for private-project access. DeepSource is broader in scope, covering PR review, security, code coverage, IaC, formatting, and multiple git providers, but its free offering is really a 14-day trial plus a quota-capped open-source plan. The open-source plan is useful, yet it has ceilings on pull requests and formatting runs and leaves out private repos and some security features. If you are choosing a free tier first, DeepScan is the more durable default; if you want a wider platform and expect to grow into paid team features, DeepSource is the more expansive path.
DeepScan vs DeepSource free tier, side by side
| DeepScanFTV 58 | DeepSourceFTV 43 | |
|---|---|---|
| Free access typeDeepSource has both a trial and a quota-capped open-source offering. | Perpetual free plan for open source projects | 14-day free trial plus open-source plan |
| Public projects / repositoriesDeepSource’s free open-source plan is limited by other quotas, not public-repo count. | Unlimited public projects | Unlimited public repositories |
| Private projects / repositoriesDeepScan’s first private-project quota starts on paid Lite; DeepSource’s open-source plan excludes private repos. | Not included in free plan | Excluded from open-source plan |
| JS/TS analysisDeepScan is JS/TS-specific; DeepSource is broader. | Included | Included as part of static analysis |
| Pull request reviewsDeepSource states this quota explicitly. | Not listed in free tier items | 1,000 per month on open-source plan |
| Code formatting runsOnly DeepSource lists this quota. | Not listed | 1,000 automated code formatting runs per month |
| History / trends | 3 months of historical trends | Not specified in provided free-tier details |
| Team membersOnly DeepSource states team-member limits. | Not specified | Unlimited team members on open-source plan |
| Credit card required to startBoth fields are explicitly present as true. | No | No |
After you outgrow the free tier
DeepScan is straightforward per-seat pricing: the first paid tier is Lite at $9 per seat/month, then Starter at $19 per seat/month, with Enterprise custom-priced. DeepSource is also per-seat on the Team plan at $24 per user/month billed yearly, then Enterprise custom-priced. The main divergence is scope: DeepScan charges less for a narrower JS/TS analysis product, while DeepSource costs more but bundles broader review, security, and automation features. For a small team that only needs code analysis, DeepScan is cheaper; for teams that need PR workflows and multiple integrations, DeepSource’s higher seat price buys more surface area.
Cost at real usage
| Usage | DeepScan | DeepSource |
|---|---|---|
| 1 seat, 1 private projectDeepScan Lite includes 1 private project; DeepSource Team includes unlimited repositories, but the free open-source plan excludes private repos. | $9/mo | $24/mo |
| 3 seats, small team on paid plansBoth are per-seat; DeepSource bills yearly for the Team plan per the provided price label. | $27/mo | $72/mo |
| 5 seats, paid team usageStraight seat multiplication using the listed monthly prices. | $45/mo | $120/mo |
Estimates, not quotes. Usage-based rates change - verify with the vendor's pricing page before committing.
When to pick each one
Pick DeepScan when…
- You maintain open-source JavaScript or TypeScript repositories and want continuous free analysis.
- You need unlimited public projects without starting a trial clock.
- You want GitHub repo sync and code-quality grading with no card required.
- You are okay with static analysis, not a broader PR-security-coverage platform.
- You mostly need editor, CI/CD, or CLI-friendly analysis for JS/TS code.
- You want a simple free tier that stays available after onboarding.
Pick DeepSource when…
- You want a broader code-review platform that covers static analysis, security checks, coverage signals, and AI-assisted comments.
- You need support for GitHub, GitLab, Bitbucket, or Azure DevOps instead of only GitHub sync.
- You expect to use pull-request automation and formatting runs as part of the workflow.
- You want an open-source plan that includes unlimited team members and 1,000 PR reviews per month.
- You are likely to move into a paid team plan with unlimited repositories and unlimited PR reviews.
- You need API and webhook support in the paid tier for workflow automation.
Bottom line
For the most common builder case, DeepScan is the safer free-tier pick if you are shipping open-source JavaScript or TypeScript and want something that stays free without a card. DeepSource makes sense when the free plan is just a starting point and you know you will need broader PR review, security, coverage, and multi-VCS support. If the question is which free tier is easier to live with long term, DeepScan wins. If the question is which product grows into a fuller platform, DeepSource does.
Read the full listings: DeepScan and DeepSource. Scores use the FTV methodology at /ftv. Browse more head-to-heads on /compare, or see the top-ranked free tiers on /top.