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Free Security Onion alternatives: 4 apps ranked by verified data

Facts checked Nov 8, 2026AppBreakup editorialHow we rank

4 of the 7 Security Onion alternatives we track can be used for free (free, open source, or with a free plan). Suricata, Snort and Wazuh rank highest, with facts last verified Nov 8, 2026.

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
  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)