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Free plan + paidInformation reviewed 2026-10-17

HOL Guard

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About this listing

Product and access model reviewed from current official sources; workflow and example are editorial suggestions, not a hands-on test.

Official source

Open-source local guardrail that checks AI coding agent tool calls, secret reads, MCP use and package installs before they run.

Best suited to

HOL Guard is for developers who let agents such as Claude Code, Codex or Cursor run commands on their machine.

Meet HOL Guard

HOL Guard is for developers who let agents such as Claude Code, Codex or Cursor run commands on their machine. It evaluates supported tool calls before they run and can allow, ask for approval or block them, covering secret access, destructive commands, risky MCP configuration and malicious packages. Receipts record what happened.

A practical workflow

  1. Install Guard for one agent you already use
  2. Run its risk check on your current setup
  3. Work as usual and approve or block the prompts it raises
  4. Review the receipts and tighten the policy

Illustrative input

This example describes a task, not a tested output. Adjust the source material and settings to your own situation.

Block reads of .env files and unknown package installs, but ask before running shell commands in a new repository.

Result check: Check the coverage matrix for your agent, because enforcement depth varies by agent and event type, and test that a blocked action is really blocked.

Access and alternatives

Guard Local is free, open source under Apache-2.0 and runs on your machine without a cloud account. Optional Guard Cloud adds synced decision history and shared policy: Solo at $4.99, Pro at $15 and Team at $30, with Enterprise by quote, and the billing period is not stated on the page. The site does not list supported operating systems, so check its install page for yours.

Illustrative workspace photo
Illustrative stock photo from Unsplash; not a screenshot of HOL Guard.

What you can do

Allow, ask or block decisions before tool calls run

Covers shell commands, secret and .env access, MCP calls and package installs

Works with Codex, Claude Code, Cursor, OpenCode and other agents

Runs locally and offline

Security receipts for each decision

Optional Guard Cloud for shared policy

Where it helps

  • Free, open-source local core
  • Human approval for ambiguous actions
  • Works across several coding agents

What to consider

  • Enforcement depth varies by agent, so some actions are only observed
  • Command-line and policy setup suits developers more than casual users
  • Download and star counts on the site are self-reported

Pricing & free access

Official pricing
Free plan + paid

Guard Local is free, open source under Apache-2.0 and runs on your machine without a cloud account. Optional Guard Cloud adds synced decision history and shared policy: Solo at $4.99, Pro at $15 and Team at $30, with Enterprise by quote, and the billing period is not stated on the page. The site does not list supported operating systems, so check its install page for yours.

Plan information can change. Prices and conditions are set by the provider. Information checked 2026-10-17.

Source for access details

Weekly AI tool changes in Coding & Development

One email a week with pricing and feature changes in this category. No per-tool price alerts.

Questions about HOL Guard

Who is HOL Guard useful for?

HOL Guard is for developers who let agents such as Claude Code, Codex or Cursor run commands on their machine. It evaluates supported tool calls before they run and can allow, ask for approval or block them, covering secret access, destructive commands, risky MCP configuration and malicious packages. Receipts record what happened.

Does HOL Guard have continuing free access?

Guard Local is free, open source under Apache-2.0 and runs on your machine without a cloud account. Optional Guard Cloud adds synced decision history and shared policy: Solo at $4.99, Pro at $15 and Team at $30, with Enterprise by quote, and the billing period is not stated on the page. The site does not list supported operating systems, so check its install page for yours.

How should I start a small evaluation?

Install Guard for one agent you already use. Run its risk check on your current setup.

What should I check in the result?

Check the coverage matrix for your agent, because enforcement depth varies by agent and event type, and test that a blocked action is really blocked.

Did this help you complete your task?

Tell us what needs improving. No account or private output required.

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Review evidence

Documentation-based review · 2026-10-17

Reviewed from the linked official pages. The workflow and example are editorial suggestions; no account-level product test or measured performance comparison was performed.

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