// Competitive Comparison
OSSeva vs. Chainguard Images
Chainguard Containers, still widely called Chainguard Images, are minimal images rebuilt from source for upstream-supported versions. OSSeva ships Bitnami-compatible images for PostgreSQL, Redis, Kafka, RabbitMQ, MongoDB, ZooKeeper and Elasticsearch, and keeps patching the versions upstream has retired.
Where OSSeva is stronger
- ✓Patched images for end-of-life versions, such as PostgreSQL 11 to 14, Kafka 2.8 to 3.9 on ZooKeeper and RabbitMQ 3.8 to 3.13, with fixes backported into the database or broker itself
- ✓No six-month cutoff: Chainguard's EOL grace period ends six months after upstream end of life and does not patch the end-of-life package
- ✓The Bitnami layout kept, so existing values files work after a registry change, for the version you pinned
- ✓Support for the software inside the image, with 24/7 managed operations on the Operate tier
Where Chainguard is stronger
- →Catalog breadth: 3,000+ images, against OSSeva's seven image families
- →Minimal, distroless images rebuilt from source every day, with -dev variants when you need a shell
- →A contractual CVE remediation SLA on current versions: 7 days for critical, 14 days for the rest
- →SLSA Level 3 build environment, FIPS-validated variants and STIG hardening for regulated workloads
Trusted globally by enterprises
Capability comparison
Comparison based on each vendor's public product pages as of October 2026. Verify current coverage with each vendor.
| Capability | OSSeva | Chainguard |
|---|---|---|
| Patched builds of end-of-life versions | Up to 6 months (EOL grace period) | |
| Fixes backported into the end-of-life package itself | ||
| Works with existing Bitnami Helm charts | Forked iamguarded charts, latest versions | |
| Bitnami env vars, /bitnami paths and non-root user | Not stated | |
| Catalog size | 7 image families | 3,000+ images |
| Minimal distroless images | ||
| Signed images with SBOM | ||
| SLSA Level 3 build environment | ||
| Migration help | Chart inventory and repoint | Guardener for Dockerfiles |
| Support for the database or broker in the image | Not listed | |
| 24/7 managed operations | Not listed | |
| Pricing model | Subscription per image family | Per image or whole catalog; free tier |
Why teams choose OSSeva
End of life is where we start, not where we stop
Chainguard builds the versions upstream still supports. When a version reaches end of life, eligible images get a grace period of up to six months, during which Chainguard updates the other packages in the image but not the end-of-life package itself, and the grace period ends early if the image stops building. After that, previously purchased images stay available but are no longer rebuilt. OSSeva backports security fixes into PostgreSQL 11 to 14, Redis 6.x and 7.2, Kafka 2.8 to 3.9, ZooKeeper 3.5 to 3.8, RabbitMQ 3.8 to 3.13, MongoDB 4.2 to 6.0 and Elasticsearch 7.10.2 and 7.17, and rebuilds the images when new advisories land.
Your charts keep working on the version you pinned
Chainguard offers iamguarded charts forked from the Bitnami charts for teams leaving Bitnami, and builds the matching iamguarded images at the latest mainline version only. That works if you are ready to upgrade. OSSeva images keep Bitnami's environment variables, /bitnami data paths and non-root user for the versions you already run, so you change the image registry in your values file and leave the rest alone. We inventory every bitnami and bitnamilegacy reference across your clusters and repoint them chart by chart.
Support for what runs inside the container
An image subscription keeps the container patched. It does not tell you why a RabbitMQ node partitioned or a ZooKeeper ensemble lost quorum. OSSeva engineers support the broker or database itself, and the Operate tier puts them on call for your clusters 24/7. When you are ready to leave the end-of-life version, the same team plans the upgrade.
Why teams choose Chainguard
Minimal images with very few CVEs
Chainguard images are built from source on Chainguard OS with only the packages the software needs, and rebuilt every night. The standard images are kept minimal, and -dev variants add a shell and package manager for debugging. On current versions that design removes whole classes of scanner findings before they appear, and OSSeva's Bitnami-style images do not try to match it.
Fast remediation on current versions, under contract
Paid Chainguard images carry a contractual CVE remediation SLA of 7 days for critical findings and 14 days for high, medium and low. If your policy is to stay on upstream-supported versions and roll forward to new digests, that SLA across 3,000+ images covers far more of an estate than seven image families can.
Supply-chain evidence and compliance variants
Every image ships with Sigstore signatures, a signed build-time SBOM and provenance, built in a SLSA Level 3 environment. FIPS-validated variants and STIG hardening are available for FedRAMP, CMMC and similar programs. OSSeva signs its images, includes an SBOM and provides VEX statements on the Assure tier. SLSA Level 3 attestation is where Chainguard goes further.
Which is right for your situation?
Choose OSSeva when…
Your charts pull pinned end-of-life versions of PostgreSQL, Redis, Kafka, ZooKeeper, RabbitMQ, MongoDB or Elasticsearch, often from bitnamilegacy, and you need them patched for longer than six months without rewriting charts, or you want the runtime supported and operated, not only the image.
Talk to an engineerConsider Chainguard when…
You can stay on upstream-supported versions, want minimal low-CVE images across many languages and applications, and need a contractual remediation SLA, SLSA Level 3 provenance or FIPS-validated variants.
Chainguard covers 3,000+ minimal images on upstream-supported versions, with up to six months of grace after end of life. Docker Hardened Images adds up to five years past end of life through its paid Extended Lifecycle Support, and Bitnami Secure Images covers 350+ applications with the Bitnami charts. OSSeva covers seven data and messaging image families, including end-of-life versions, with runtime support behind them.
Frequently asked questions
How does Chainguard pricing work?
Chainguard licenses its containers in three ways. A free tier gives up to five images of your choice per organization, and a separate set of public images is free at the latest tag without the SLA. Per-image licensing is priced by the number and type of images, such as base, application, AI/ML and FIPS. Catalog licensing gives access to the whole catalog and is priced by the size of your engineering organization. Chainguard also lists discounts for multi-year terms, multiple products, startups and the public sector. We do not reproduce other vendors' prices; Chainguard's pricing page has its current terms. OSSeva is a subscription per image family.
Does Chainguard support end-of-life versions?
For a limited time. Paid images follow upstream-supported versions, and eligible images get an EOL grace period of up to six months, with no exceptions. During that period Chainguard updates the other packages in the image but does not update or backport fixes into the end-of-life package itself. The free tier excludes end-of-life versions. Chainguard's EmeritOSS program maintains forks of archived projects such as Kaniko and ingress-nginx, which is a different problem from an old PostgreSQL or RabbitMQ version.
What is the best Chainguard alternative?
It depends on why you are looking. For hardened images of current versions, Docker Hardened Images is the closest match and its catalog is free under Apache 2.0. For the widest Bitnami-compatible catalog, Bitnami Secure Images. For pinned end-of-life versions of the seven technologies OSSeva covers, with the Bitnami layout kept and the runtime supported, OSSeva.
Bitnami vs Chainguard: which should I use?
Bitnami Secure Images is Broadcom's paid catalog of 350+ applications and 140+ Helm charts, and Broadcom says its Photon-based images work with the same Bitnami charts. Chainguard has a larger catalog of minimal images and offers forked iamguarded charts for teams leaving Bitnami, built at the latest mainline version. If you want to keep your charts and stay current, BSI is the shorter path; if you are ready to adopt Chainguard's images and charts, Chainguard. If your charts are pinned to versions past end of life, note that Chainguard's grace period ends six months after upstream end of life and Broadcom does not publish which end-of-life versions BSI keeps patching. OSSeva publishes its list.
How do Docker Hardened Images compare?
Docker Hardened Images are minimal images built on Alpine and Debian. The Community tier is free under Apache 2.0 and includes SBOMs, SLSA Build Level 3 provenance and OpenVEX data. Paid Select adds an SLA for critical fixes within 7 days and FIPS and STIG variants, and Enterprise adds unlimited customization. Extended Lifecycle Support, an add-on that requires Enterprise, continues patching for up to five years after upstream end of life. That is the nearest equivalent to OSSeva for end-of-life versions; OSSeva differs by keeping the Bitnami layout and supporting the runtime inside the image.
Where do Bitnami Secure Images fit?
BSI is the paid successor to the free Bitnami catalog. Free images are for development only and come at the latest tag. A subscription adds the full catalog, stable tags, long-term support versions, 24/7 support and a private registry, with VEX, KEV data, SBOMs and SLSA 3 attestations. Broadcom does not publish which end-of-life versions it keeps patching, so ask for that list in writing before you compare it with OSSeva's.
Which images does OSSeva cover?
PostgreSQL, Redis, Kafka, ZooKeeper, RabbitMQ, MongoDB and Elasticsearch, including versions past upstream end of life. MySQL, MariaDB and Keycloak are not covered.
Ready to see if OSSeva covers your stack?
Book a 30-minute discovery call. We'll confirm version coverage and scope a proposal within 5 business days.