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Security Onion alternatives: 7 apps ranked by verified data

Facts checked Nov 8, 2026AppBreakup editorialHow we rankAll intrusion detection and network security monitoring

Top picks

  • Suricata logo

    Best overall

    Suricata

    Open source

  • Sn

    Best free option

    Snort

    Personal rules subscription: $29.99 per sensor/year

  • Wazuh logo

    Best open source

    Wazuh

    Cloud starting price: $571/month (up to 100 agents)

Common reasons people leave Security Onion: needs substantial RAM and disk, and complex to run compared with a single IDS. We ranked 7 alternatives by how directly each one replaces Security Onion, then by reviews, real visits and how recently each app's facts were checked against its own website. Suricata currently ranks first.

Quick comparison

#AppPricingVerified priceOpen sourcePlatformsVerified factsScore
1Suricata logoSuricataOpen source—NoLinux, macOS, Windows +15 of 568.8
2SnSnortOpen source$29.99 per sensor/yearNoLinux, Self-hosted5 of 561.8
3Wazuh logoWazuhOpen source$571/month (up to 100 agents)YesWeb, Linux, Windows +24 of 454.4
4Graylog logoGraylogFree plan + paidFrom $15,000 a year (Graylog Enterprise)NoSelf-hosted, Linux, Web6 of 651.2
5Darktrace logoDarktracePaid—NoWeb5 of 540.9
6ExtraHop RevealX logoExtraHop RevealXPaid—NoWeb, Self-hosted4 of 440.9
7Corelight logoCorelightPaid—NoWeb, Self-hosted4 of 440.9
  1. Suricata logo

    1. SuricataTop pick

    Best for: Teams who want a free, multithreaded IDS/IPS with detailed JSON logs for their SIEM.

    Open sourceLinux, macOS, Windows, Self-hosted

    68.8

    score / 100

    Why switch from Security Onion

    Run the detection engine on its own when you don't need the full monitoring stack.

    Pros

    • Multithreaded engine that scales across CPU cores
    • Compatible with most Snort-style rulesets
    • EVE JSON logging integrates easily with SIEMs
    • Fully free under the GPL, run by a non-profit

    Cons

    • No built-in dashboard; alerts need a separate tool to review
    • Tuning rules and performance on busy networks takes expertise
    • Commercial rulesets cost extra
    Visit Suricata Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.3100
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.15100
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Suricata a good Security Onion alternative?

    Verified facts

    5 of 5 verified
    License
    GPL-2.0
    Checked Nov 1, 2026github.com(opens source in a new tab)
    IDS / IPS
    Yes
    Checked Nov 8, 2026suricata.io(opens source in a new tab)
    Log format
    EVE JSON
    Checked Nov 8, 2026suricata.io(opens source in a new tab)
    Platforms
    Linux, Mac, FreeBSD, Unix, Windows
    Checked Nov 8, 2026suricata.io(opens source in a new tab)
    Owner
    OISF (non-profit)
    Checked Nov 8, 2026suricata.io(opens source in a new tab)
  2. Sn

    2. Snort

    Best for: Network defenders who want a proven signature-based IDS/IPS with professionally maintained rules.

    Open sourceLinux, Self-hosted

    61.8

    score / 100

    Why switch from Security Onion

    Lightweight signature IDS from Cisco, easy to deploy on a single sensor or firewall.

    Pros

    • Free, open-source engine with a long track record
    • Rules written and tested by Cisco Talos
    • Can run inline to block traffic, not just alert
    • Large rule library and community documentation

    Cons

    • Newest Talos rules require a paid subscription per sensor
    • No built-in dashboard; needs separate tools to review alerts
    • Snort 3 configuration differs from Snort 2, so older guides may not apply
    Visit Snort Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.377
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.15100
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Snort a good Security Onion alternative?

    Verified facts

    5 of 5 verified
    Open source
    Yes
    Checked Nov 8, 2026snort.org(opens source in a new tab)
    Personal rules subscription
    $29.99 per sensor/year
    Checked Nov 8, 2026snort.org(opens source in a new tab)
    Business rules subscription
    $399 per sensor/year
    Checked Nov 8, 2026snort.org(opens source in a new tab)
    Free rules
    Community Ruleset
    Checked Nov 8, 2026snort.org(opens source in a new tab)
    Owner
    Cisco
    Checked Nov 8, 2026snort.org(opens source in a new tab)
  3. Wazuh logo

    3. Wazuh

    Best for: Security teams wanting a free, self-hosted SIEM and endpoint monitoring platform.

    Open sourceSelf-hostableWeb, Linux, Windows, macOS, Self-hosted

    54.4

    score / 100

    Why switch from Security Onion

    Free SIEM and host agent platform, stronger on endpoints and compliance than network capture.

    Pros

    • SIEM, endpoint monitoring, vulnerability detection and compliance in one platform
    • No licence cost when self-hosted
    • Agents for servers, desktops and cloud workloads
    • Optional managed cloud with a free trial

    Cons

    • Self-hosting the server, indexer and dashboard takes real setup and tuning
    • Managed cloud plans start at several hundred dollars a month
    • Default rules can be noisy until tuned
    Visit Wazuh Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.352
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.15100
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Wazuh a good Security Onion alternative?

    Verified facts

    4 of 4 verified
    Open source
    Yes
    Checked Nov 8, 2026wazuh.com(opens source in a new tab)
    License cost
    None
    Checked Nov 8, 2026wazuh.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Cloud free trial
    14 days
    Checked Nov 8, 2026wazuh.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Cloud starting price
    $571/month (up to 100 agents)
    Checked Nov 8, 2026wazuh.com(opens source in a new tab)
  4. Graylog logo

    4. Graylog

    Best for: IT and security teams who want central log management on their own servers

    Free plan + paidSelf-hostableSelf-hosted, Linux, Web

    51.2

    score / 100

    Why switch from Security Onion

    Log management and SIEM platform for teams that want centralised search and alerting more than packet-level network monitoring.

    Pros

    • Free self-managed edition for core logging
    • Flexible processing pipelines and streams
    • Grows into SIEM features if needed

    Cons

    • SSPL licence is not OSI open source
    • Requires running OpenSearch and MongoDB
    • Key enterprise features are paid
    Visit Graylog Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.341
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.15100
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Graylog a good Security Onion alternative?

    Verified facts

    6 of 6 verified
    License
    SSPL
    Checked Nov 8, 2026github.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Free edition
    Graylog Open, self-managed
    Checked Nov 8, 2026graylog.org(opens source in a new tab)
    Founded
    2009
    Checked Nov 8, 2026graylog.org(opens source in a new tab)
    Starting price
    From $15,000 a year (Graylog Enterprise)
    Checked Nov 1, 2026graylog.org(opens source in a new tab)
    Graylog Security plan
    From $18,000 a year
    Checked Nov 1, 2026graylog.org(opens source in a new tab)
    Free plan
    Yes, Graylog Open (self-managed)
    Checked Nov 1, 2026graylog.org(opens source in a new tab)
  5. Darktrace logo

    5. Darktrace

    Best for: Security teams wanting behaviour-based detection across network, email, cloud and OT from one vendor

    PaidWeb

    40.9

    score / 100

    Why switch from Security Onion

    Managed behavioural detection with automatic containment instead of a self-run sensor stack.

    Pros

    • One behavioural model spans network, cloud, OT, identity and email
    • Can take autonomous containment actions instead of only alerting
    • Named a Leader in Gartner's 2026 Magic Quadrant for NDR

    Cons

    • No public pricing; sold through sales quotes
    • Anomaly-based alerts need tuning and analyst time to manage noise
    • Aimed at organisations; nothing for home users or very small teams
    Visit Darktrace Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.37
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.15100
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Darktrace a good Security Onion alternative?

    Verified facts

    5 of 5 verified
    Founded
    2013
    Checked Nov 8, 2026darktrace.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Customers
    10,000
    Checked Nov 8, 2026darktrace.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Research centre
    Cambridge, UK
    Checked Nov 8, 2026darktrace.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Analyst recognition
    Leader, 2026 Gartner Magic Quadrant for NDR
    Checked Nov 8, 2026darktrace.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Coverage
    Network, cloud, OT, endpoint and identity
    Checked Nov 8, 2026darktrace.com(opens source in a new tab)
  6. ExtraHop RevealX logo

    6. ExtraHop RevealX

    Best for: Enterprises wanting packet-level NDR, IDS and network performance monitoring from one set of sensors

    PaidSelf-hostableWeb, Self-hosted

    40.9

    score / 100

    Why switch from Security Onion

    Commercial NDR with packet forensics and support, for teams tired of running their own stack.

    Pros

    • Full packet analysis with decryption and packet forensics
    • Combines NDR, IDS and performance monitoring in one platform
    • Self-hosted or cloud delivery, including air-gapped networks

    Cons

    • No public pricing; quotes only
    • Sensor hardware and packet storage add cost and setup work
    • Little email or endpoint coverage compared with broader suites
    Visit ExtraHop RevealX Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.37
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.15100
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is ExtraHop RevealX a good Security Onion alternative?

    Verified facts

    4 of 4 verified
    Deployment
    Self-hosted or cloud
    Checked Nov 8, 2026extrahop.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Analyst recognition
    Leader, 2026 Gartner Magic Quadrant for NDR
    Checked Nov 8, 2026extrahop.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Included tools
    NDR, NPM and IDS
    Checked Nov 8, 2026extrahop.com(opens source in a new tab)
    FedRAMP
    Authorised
    Checked Nov 8, 2026extrahop.com(opens source in a new tab)
  7. Corelight logo

    7. Corelight

    Best for: Security teams that want rich, open network evidence feeding their existing SIEM

    PaidWeb, Self-hosted

    40.9

    score / 100

    Why switch from Security Onion

    Commercial, supported Zeek and Suricata platform with AI triage and appliances.

    Pros

    • Built on open Zeek and Suricata formats, so data is not locked in
    • Deep integrations with Splunk, Microsoft, CrowdStrike and Elastic
    • Runs on-prem, air-gapped, in the cloud or hybrid
    • Combines NSM logs, IDS alerts, file analysis and packet capture

    Cons

    • Quote-only pricing aimed at enterprises
    • Gets most value when paired with a separate SIEM
    • Needs staff comfortable with network data to use fully
    Visit Corelight Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.37
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.15100
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Corelight a good Security Onion alternative?

    Verified facts

    4 of 4 verified
    Built on
    Zeek, Suricata, YARA
    Checked Nov 8, 2026corelight.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Deployment
    On-prem, SaaS, hybrid, multi-cloud
    Checked Nov 8, 2026corelight.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Cloud sensors
    AWS, Azure, GCP
    Checked Nov 8, 2026corelight.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Integrations
    Splunk, CrowdStrike, Microsoft, Elastic, AWS
    Checked Nov 8, 2026corelight.com(opens source in a new tab)

The best Security Onion alternative for…

The highest-ranked app in this list for each need.

Suricata logo

Best Security Onion alternative for most people

Suricata

Run the detection engine on its own when you don't need the full monitoring stack.

Sn

Best Security Onion alternative for a free option

Snort

Lightweight signature IDS from Cisco, easy to deploy on a single sensor or firewall.

Graylog logo

Best Security Onion alternative for a free plan you can upgrade

Graylog

Log management and SIEM platform for teams that want centralised search and alerting more than packet-level network monitoring.

Wazuh logo

Best Security Onion alternative for open source

Wazuh

Free SIEM and host agent platform, stronger on endpoints and compliance than network capture.

ExtraHop RevealX logo

Best Security Onion alternative for self-hosting

ExtraHop RevealX

Commercial NDR with packet forensics and support, for teams tired of running their own stack.

Suricata logo

Best Security Onion alternative for Mac

Suricata

Run the detection engine on its own when you don't need the full monitoring stack.

Suricata logo

Best Security Onion alternative for Windows

Suricata

Run the detection engine on its own when you don't need the full monitoring stack.

Suricata logo

Best Security Onion alternative for Linux

Suricata

Run the detection engine on its own when you don't need the full monitoring stack.

Darktrace logo

Best Security Onion alternative for working in the browser

Darktrace

Managed behavioural detection with automatic containment instead of a self-run sensor stack.

Security Onion alternatives: common questions

What is the best alternative to Security Onion?

Suricata ranks first right now. Run the detection engine on its own when you don't need the full monitoring stack. Snort and Wazuh follow it in our ranking.

Security Onion vs Suricata: what's the difference?

Security Onion is free with paid plans; Suricata is free and open source. Only Suricata runs on macOS and Windows.

Is Security Onion free?

Security Onion is free with paid plans. Price: Free. Checked on Security Onion's own site, November 2026.

How much do Security Onion alternatives cost?

Verified prices for the top-ranked Security Onion alternatives: Snort, $29.99 per sensor/year; Wazuh, $571/month (up to 100 agents); Graylog, From $15,000 a year (Graylog Enterprise). Each price was checked on the app's own site; see each card below for the date and source.

Is there a free alternative to Security Onion?

Yes. Suricata (open source), Snort (open source), Wazuh (open source) and Graylog (free plan + paid) have a free option. Check each app's verified facts for current plan limits.

Is there an open-source alternative to Security Onion?

Yes: Wazuh. Wazuh can also be self-hosted.

Which Security Onion alternatives work on Linux?

Suricata, Snort, Wazuh and Graylog run on Linux.

Why do people switch from Security Onion?

The complaints we hear most: needs substantial RAM and disk; complex to run compared with a single IDS; some features reserved for the paid Pro edition.

How is this list ranked?

Every app is scored with the same published formula: how directly it replaces Security Onion, reviews (weighted by verification), visits from AppBreakup, how recently its facts were checked against its own website, and reader votes.