ModSecurity vs AWS WAF
A detailed comparison to help you choose between ModSecurity and AWS WAF.
ModSecurity Open-source web application firewall for Apache, Nginx, and IIS |  AWS WAF Amazon WAF integrated with CloudFront and ALB | |
|---|---|---|
| Overview | ||
| Rating | 4.0 (250 reviews) | 4.9 (8 reviews)✓ |
| Pricing model | free | usage-based |
| Starting price | Free✓ | From €5/mo |
| Best for | DevOps teams and system administrators running self-managed web servers who need application-layer protection without managed WAF costs. | AWS-invested applications that need WAF tightly integrated with their existing CloudFront or ALB setup |
| Tags | ||
| Tags | free tieropen sourceself hostable | api accessus datacentereu datacenterapac datacenter |
| Visit ModSecurity → | Visit AWS WAF → | |
ModSecurity
Pros
- + Deploy on-premises with full control and visibility
- + Use industry-standard OWASP Core Rule Set or create custom rules
- + Inspect request/response payloads, headers, and cookies in real-time
- + Free and open-source with active community support
Cons
- - Requires server-level integration and maintenance expertise
- - Rule tuning needed to avoid false positives in production
- - No built-in DDoS rate-limiting or volumetric attack mitigation
AWS WAF
Pros
- + Deep AWS integration
- + Per-rule pricing — cost-effective for simple use
- + Works with CloudFront, ALB, API Gateway
Cons
- - Complex rule management
- - Requires AWS expertise to use effectively
Stay in the loop
Get weekly updates on the best new AI tools, deals, and comparisons.
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.