GuardionAI vs. Runlayer
Which AI security platform is right for your team? We break down the differences in features, latency, and protection scope to help you decide.
Last reviewed: 2026-07-03
| Feature | GuardionAI | Runlayer |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Focus | Agent Runtime Governance | MCP Gateway & Governance |
| Tool Call Protection | Deep Inspection | Yes |
| Deployment | Inline Security Gateway / Guard API / Claude Code plugin | Cloud |
| Guardrails Latency | <130ms policy decision | Inline gateway hop |
| Detection Accuracy | 96.3 F1 on the Prompt Security Leaderboard with 0.02% false positives | Not published / varies by deployment |
| Compliance | GDPR-ready, HIPAA-ready, LGPD-ready, SOC 2 Type II (in progress) |
GuardionAI figures from guardion.ai (Policy engine decisions return in under 130ms — 20× faster than cloud provider guardrails.) • Runlayer figures from public documentation, reviewed 2026-07-03.
Choose GuardionAI if...
- •You are building autonomous AI agents that use tools, MCP servers, or APIs.
- •Latency is critical for your application (Policy engine decisions return in under 130ms — 20× faster than cloud provider guardrails).
- •You want DLP for PII and secrets before data leaves your org.
- •You need a single hub to investigate and respond to agent incidents.
Choose Runlayer if...
- •Strong enterprise traction within months of launch
- •Its pricing model (Enterprise SaaS (quote)) fits your procurement preferences
Frequently asked questions
What is Runlayer?
Enterprise AI control platform combining an MCP gateway, threat detection on every request, shadow-AI discovery, and identity-aware permissions via Okta/Entra. Launched from stealth in November 2025; by mid-2026 customers include Gusto, Instacart, dbt Labs, and PagerDuty. Holds AARM Extended conformance — the highest tier in the CSA registry. It is categorized under Agent & MCP Security in the Guardion AI Security Index.
How much funding has Runlayer raised?
Runlayer raised a $30M Series A (2026-06), bringing total disclosed funding to $42M.
Is Runlayer open source?
No, Runlayer is a commercial product (Enterprise SaaS (quote)).
What are the best Runlayer alternatives?
Teams evaluating Runlayer most often compare it with Lasso Security, Akto, Snyk (Invariant Labs), and GuardionAI — all listed under Agent & MCP Security.
How does Runlayer compare to GuardionAI?
Runlayer focuses on mcp gateway & governance, while GuardionAI is an agent runtime governance platform ("EDR for AI agents") that governs every agent tool call inline with sub-130ms guardrails latency.
Last reviewed: 2026-07-03
Sources: runlayer.com · fortune.com · aarm.dev