Best Intrusion Detection and Prevention Software in 2026
Updated
In short: CrowdSec is ranked #1 of 38 as of 9 October 2026, ahead of OPNsense and Wazuh. The best-ranked option with a free plan is OPNsense. The lowest first paid tier on this page is AWS Network Firewall at $0.07/mo.
If you’re protecting a mix of networks and workloads, intrusion detection and prevention tools can help you monitor suspicious activity and, where supported, block it inline. Compared on cloud workload support, network scope, deployment model, supported platforms, and encrypted traffic inspection, the entries give you several ways to assess fit. Threat intelligence and inline blocking are useful distinctions to check alongside free-plan availability and paid-from pricing. CrowdSec, OPNsense, and Wazuh are among the named options, with network and platform coverage worth weighing against the systems you need to secure.
38 intrusion detection and prevention software ranked on what their makers publish — plans and prices, free tiers, platforms and the facts on their own pages.
Intrusion Detection and Prevention Software, one module each. A lit port is something its maker publishes; 11 of the 25 on this page have a public API.
- 01 CrowdSec API yesOSS not on recordFREE yesDOCS 7.4Free
- 02 OPNsense API yesOSS not on recordFREE yesDOCS 7.3Free
- 03 Wazuh API yesOSS not on recordFREE yesDOCS 7.2$571/mo
- 04 Trellix Data Loss Prevention API yesOSS not on recordFREE not on recordDOCS 7.0
- 05 Hillstone Security Management API yesOSS not on recordFREE not on recordDOCS 6.9
- 06 Palo Alto Networks Panorama API yesOSS not on recordFREE not on recordDOCS 6.7
- 07 Radware Alteon API yesOSS not on recordFREE not on recordDOCS 6.7
- 08 Stormshield Management Center API yesOSS not on recordFREE not on recordDOCS 6.7
- 09 WatchGuard FireCloud API yesOSS not on recordFREE not on recordDOCS 6.7$8.15/mo
- 10 AWS Network Firewall API yesOSS not on recordFREE not on recordDOCS 6.6$0.07/mo
- 11 Clear NDR - Enterprise API yesOSS not on recordFREE not on recordDOCS 6.6
- 12 Arista NG Firewall API not on recordOSS not on recordFREE yesDOCS 5.9$22.50/mo
- 13 pfSense API not on recordOSS not on recordFREE yesDOCS 5.9Free
- 14 IPFire API not on recordOSS not on recordFREE yesDOCS 5.8Free
- 15 OSSEC API not on recordOSS not on recordFREE yesDOCS 5.8$5/mo
- 16 SELKS API not on recordOSS not on recordFREE yesDOCS 5.8Free
- 17 Snort API not on recordOSS not on recordFREE yesDOCS 5.8$2.50/mo
- 18 Suricata API not on recordOSS not on recordFREE yesDOCS 5.8Free
- 19 Check Point DDoS Protector API not on recordOSS not on recordFREE not on recordDOCS 5.5
- 20 Huawei HiSecEngine USG6800G API not on recordOSS not on recordFREE not on recordDOCS 5.5
- 21 Zscaler Private Access API not on recordOSS not on recordFREE not on recordDOCS 5.4
- 22 AhnLab V3 Internet Security API not on recordOSS not on recordFREE not on recordDOCS 5.3
- 23 Atomic OSSEC API not on recordOSS not on recordFREE not on recordDOCS 5.2
- 24 Check Point Intrusion Prevention System (IPS)Check Point Software Technologies Ltd. API not on recordOSS not on recordFREE not on recordDOCS 5.2
- 25 Forcepoint ZTNA API not on recordOSS not on recordFREE not on recordDOCS 5.2
Compare all 25 in a table
| # | Platform | Score | Free plan | From | Free plan | Paid from | Deployment model | Network scope |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | CrowdSec | 7.4 | Free plan | — | Yes | 49 /mo | hybrid | multi-scope |
| 2 | OPNsense | 7.3 | Free plan | — | Yes | — | hybrid | — |
| 3 | Wazuh | 7.2 | Free plan | $571/mo | Yes | 571 /mo | — | — |
| 4 | Trellix Data Loss Prevention | 7.0 | No | — | — | — | hybrid | multi-scope |
| 5 | Hillstone Security Management | 6.9 | No | — | — | — | appliance | network |
| 6 | Palo Alto Networks Panorama | 6.7 | No | — | No | — | hybrid | multi-scope |
| 7 | Radware Alteon | 6.7 | No | — | — | — | hybrid | — |
| 8 | Stormshield Management Center | 6.7 | No | — | — | — | hybrid | — |
| 9 | WatchGuard FireCloud | 6.7 | No | $8.15/mo | — | — | hybrid | — |
| 10 | AWS Network Firewall | 6.6 | No | $0.07/mo | No | — | cloud | — |
| 11 | Clear NDR - Enterprise | 6.6 | No | — | No | — | hybrid | network |
| 12 | Arista NG Firewall | 5.9 | Free plan | $22.50/mo | Yes | 25 /mo | hybrid | — |
| 13 | pfSense | 5.9 | Free plan | — | Yes | — | hybrid | — |
| 14 | IPFire | 5.8 | Free plan | Free | Yes | — | hybrid | — |
| 15 | OSSEC | 5.8 | Free plan | $5/mo | Yes | — | hybrid | multi-scope |
| 16 | SELKS | 5.8 | Free plan | Free | Yes | — | software | network |
| 17 | Snort | 5.8 | Free plan | $2.50/mo | Yes | — | software | network |
| 18 | Suricata | 5.8 | Free plan | Free | Yes | — | software | network |
| 19 | Check Point DDoS Protector | 5.5 | No | — | — | — | hybrid | multi-scope |
| 20 | Huawei HiSecEngine USG6800G | 5.5 | No | — | — | — | appliance | network |
| 21 | Zscaler Private Access | 5.4 | No | — | — | — | cloud | network |
| 22 | AhnLab V3 Internet Security | 5.3 | No | — | — | — | appliance | network |
| 23 | Atomic OSSEC | 5.2 | No | — | No | 5 /mo | hybrid | multi-scope |
| 24 | Check Point Intrusion Prevention System (IPS) | 5.2 | No | — | — | — | hybrid | multi-scope |
| 25 | Forcepoint ZTNA | 5.2 | No | — | — | — | hybrid | — |
Is your platform on this list?
Numbered spots on this list can be sponsored, and a sponsored row is labelled as paid.
Questions about this list
Which intrusion detection and prevention software is ranked first on Inferse?
CrowdSec is ranked #1 of 38 with a score of 7.4. OPNsense is second and Wazuh third.
How many of these have a free plan?
10 of the 25 on this page publish a free plan on their own pricing pages.
Which is the cheapest paid option?
On this page, AWS Network Firewall has the lowest first paid tier we found: $0.07/mo.
How is this list ranked?
Ranked on what each maker publishes, open and connectable first: a public API, open-source code, the depth of its documentation and a free tier to try it on. Model lists are sorted by the figure in their title, exactly as each provider publishes it.