ModSecurity vs StackPath
A detailed comparison to help you choose between ModSecurity and StackPath.
Quick Verdict
3.7/5
ModSecurity
0 reviews
1.0/5
StackPath
0 reviews
ModSecurity is rated higher (3.7 vs 1.0). ModSecurity is a free WAF engine that detects and blocks malicious HTTP requests. Operates as a module for major web servers to protect against OWASP Top 10 attacks and custom threats. Defunct edge platform. StackPath closed all products and began liquidating assets in June 2024; its CDN line had already ceased in November 2023. Not purchasable.
ModSecurity Open-source web application firewall for Apache, Nginx, and IIS | StackPath Defunct edge platform (closed 2024) | |
|---|---|---|
| Overview | ||
| Rating | 3.7 (0 reviews)✓ | 1.0 (0 reviews) |
| Pricing model | free | discontinued |
| Starting price | Free | Free tier available |
| Best for | Sysadmins and DevOps teams running self-managed web servers who need auditable, on-premises application-layer filtering and have the capacity to tune rules. | Nobody in 2026 — StackPath was dissolved in June 2024. For the same CDN + WAF + DDoS + edge compute combination, look at Cloudflare, Fastly, or Akamai. |
| Features | ||
| IPv6 | ||
| DDoS protection | ✓ | |
| Automated backups | ||
| Snapshots | ||
| Managed option | ||
| Bare metal | ||
| GPU available | ||
| S3-compatible | ||
| Hourly billing | ||
| Free tier | ✓ | |
| Tags | ||
| Tags | free tieropen sourceself hostable | free tierddos protectioneu datacenterus datacenterapac datacenter |
| Visit ModSecurity → | Visit StackPath → | |
ModSecurity
Pros
- + Free Apache-2.0 WAF engine with 23 years of production deployments behind it
- + OWASP Core Rule Set covers OWASP Top 10 attack classes without application-specific knowledge
- + Actively maintained under OWASP governance with LTS rule branches and coordinated security releases
- + Full control and visibility: custom rules, blocking or detection-only modes, everything on your own servers
- + Broad deployment surface: Apache, nginx, IIS, containers, Debian/Ubuntu packages
Cons
- - Engine alone provides almost no protection — CRS tuning is mandatory skilled work
- - False positives are guaranteed without a detection-only tuning period; not a deploy-and-forget tool
- - libmodsecurity 3.x connector path (nginx/IIS) has matured more slowly than the Apache module
- - No volumetric DDoS protection, no managed option, no SLA, community-only support
StackPath
Pros
- + Historically bundled CDN, WAF, DDoS, and edge compute under one account
- + Large final footprint (73 edge locations across 43 metro markets, company's own count)
- + Edge compute with VMs and containers in the same PoPs as content delivery
- + Backing from Juniper, Cox, and ABRY gave it enterprise credibility while it lasted
Cons
- - Company defunct since June 2024 — all products closed, assets liquidated, support switched off
- - CDN business sold to Akamai in 2023; customers stranded through three platform migrations in five years
- - Conflicting PoP counts across its own marketing pages (45 / 50+ / 73)
- - Any pricing or feature list found online is historical, not purchasable
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