Security Onion
Free Linux platform bundling Suricata, Zeek and Elastic for network security monitoring.
Updated · AppBreakup editorial · Linux, Self-hosted
Is Security Onion free?
Free plan, plus paid plans
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All 7- Verified facts
- 4 of 4
- Alternatives ranked
- 7
- Approved reviews
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About Security Onion
Security Onion is a free Linux distribution for threat hunting, network security monitoring and log management. Instead of being a single detection engine, it packages several: Suricata for signature-based alerts, Zeek or Suricata for protocol metadata, full packet capture, Strelka for file analysis and the Elastic Agent for endpoint data, all feeding an Elastic stack. Security Onion Solutions builds its own interfaces on top for alerts, hunting, dashboards, packet capture and case management, so analysts work in one place. A setup wizard deploys anything from a single sensor to a distributed grid, and it can also import packet captures and Windows event logs for one-off analysis. The core platform is free with source code on GitHub; a paid Pro edition, appliances, training and support come from the company. It needs serious hardware and Linux skills, so it suits security teams more than home users.
Best for: Security teams that want IDS alerts, packet capture and hunting tools in one free platform..
Security Onion pricing (checked Nov 8, 2026)
Each line is quoted from Security Onion's own site, with the page it came from.
| Plan or term | What it says | Checked | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Nov 8, 2026 | securityonion.net |
Pros and cons
What works
- Bundles Suricata, Zeek, packet capture and Elastic in one install
- Its own hunting, case and dashboard interfaces
- Free core platform with source on GitHub
Why people leave
- Needs substantial RAM and disk
- Complex to run compared with a single IDS
- Some features reserved for the paid Pro edition
Security Onion vs Suricata, Snort and Wazuh
From each app's listing and the prices verified on its own site. A dash means we haven't verified it yet.
| Attribute | Security Onion | Suricata | Snort | Wazuh |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan + paid | Open source | Open source | Open source |
| Verified price | — | — | $29.99 per sensor/year | $571/month (up to 100 agents) |
| Free plan | Yes | Free app | Free app | Free app |
| Open source | No | No | No | Yes |
| Self-hostable | Yes | No | No | Yes |
| Platforms | Linux, Self-hosted | Linux, macOS, Windows, Self-hosted | Linux, Self-hosted | Web, Linux, Windows, macOS, Self-hosted |
Top Security Onion alternatives
See all 7- 1
Suricata68.8Run the detection engine on its own when you don't need the full monitoring stack.
- 2SnSnort61.8
Lightweight signature IDS from Cisco, easy to deploy on a single sensor or firewall.
- 3
Wazuh54.4Free SIEM and host agent platform, stronger on endpoints and compliance than network capture.
- 4
Graylog51.2Log management and SIEM platform for teams that want centralised search and alerting more than packet-level network monitoring.
- 5
Darktrace40.9Managed behavioural detection with automatic containment instead of a self-run sensor stack.
Why people left Security Onion
In reviewers' own words, from reviews of the apps they moved to. These are their opinions, not ours.
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Reviews
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Security Onion: common questions
What is Security Onion?
Security Onion: Free Linux platform bundling Suricata, Zeek and Elastic for network security monitoring. Best for security teams that want IDS alerts, packet capture and hunting tools in one free platform. Available for Linux, and you can host it yourself.
Is Security Onion free?
Security Onion has a free plan and paid plans.
How much does Security Onion cost?
Security Onion is free with paid plans. Price: Free. Checked on Security Onion's own site, November 2026.
Is Security Onion open source?
No, Security Onion is not open source. Open-source alternatives include Wazuh.
What platforms does Security Onion run on?
Security Onion is available for Linux and Self-hosted.
What are the best alternatives to Security Onion?
The highest-ranked Security Onion alternatives right now are Suricata, Snort and Wazuh. See the full ranked list for pricing, platforms and verified facts.
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.