Baseten
Small (~100)
Chainguard
Mid (~350)
Best For
Baseten
Best for: Engineers who want high ownership building ML inference infrastructure
Chainguard
Best for: Security-minded engineers who want remote-first open-source work with strong comp
Ratings
BasetenChainguard
4.3
4.5
Overall
3.5
4.2
Work-Life Balance
4.3
4.3
Culture & Values
4.0
4.2
Comp & Benefits
4.2
4.1
Senior Mgmt
4.0
4.0
Career Opps
👍 88% Recommend
👤 90% CEO Approval (Dan Lorenc)
Culture Values
Baseten only
🚀 Ship Fast & Iterate🧩 Wears Many Hats🎯 Direct Product Impact🤝 Flat Hierarchy
Chainguard only
🌐 Remote-Friendly🔓 Open Source💎 Strong Comp & Equity⚖️ Work-Life Balance
Shared
⚙️ Engineering-Driven
Pros & Cons
Baseten
- Cutting-edge ML inference infrastructure — deploying models at scale for real production customers
- Small team means high ownership and direct impact on product direction and company strategy
- Limited resources compared to larger competitors — can feel stretched thin on multiple fronts
- Fast-moving product roadmap means priorities shift frequently as the market evolves
Chainguard
- Fully remote with outstanding benefits — 100% employer-paid insurance for employees and families
- Founders are practitioners who understand what engineers and security teams need
- Growing so fast that some inefficiencies exist, though improving
- Fully remote means you miss in-person interactions with teammates
Bottom Line
Baseten
Choose Baseten if you want high ownership building ML inference infrastructure at an early-stage startup — but expect startup intensity and shifting priorities.
Chainguard
Choose Chainguard if you want to build supply chain security tools in a remote, open-source-first culture with strong equity — but expect a fast-moving startup pace.
Open Roles
Baseten — 55 jobs
💻 Engineering
25
💼 Sales / GTM
12
⚙️ Operations
4
📣 Marketing
3
📋 Product
3
🧠 ML / AI
2
📊 Data
1
👤 HR / People
1
Chainguard — 63 jobs
💼 Sales / GTM
27
💻 Engineering
24
📣 Marketing
3
📋 Product
2
🎨 Design
1
Summary
Baseten scores 4.3/5.0 on Glassdoor with a 3.5 work-life balance rating. Chainguard scores 4.5/5.0 overall with a 4.2 WLB. That’s a 0.2-point gap on overall satisfaction.
Both companies share these culture values: Engineering-Driven. Baseten also emphasizes Ship Fast & Iterate, Wears Many Hats, Direct Product Impact, Flat Hierarchy. Chainguard also emphasizes Remote-Friendly, Open Source, Strong Comp & Equity, Work-Life Balance.
On the hiring front, Baseten has 55 open roles and Chainguard has 63 open roles.