ModSecurity vs AWS WAF
A detailed comparison to help you choose between ModSecurity and AWS WAF.
ModSecurity Open source WAF for Nginx and Apache |  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 | Security engineers who want a free self-hosted WAF they fully control on their Nginx or Apache servers | 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
- + Free and open source
- + OWASP Core Rule Set included
- + Runs on any Nginx or Apache server
Cons
- - Complex to tune — many false positives by default
- - Requires WAF expertise
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
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