CrowdSec
CrowdSec: A multi-scope, open-source IDS/IPS with free detection and paid threat-intelligence options. Ranked #8 of 37 in Intrusion Detection and Prevention Software by our editors (6.8/10); pricing: Free plan · paid from $49/mo; best for affordable multi-scope detection with threat sharing.
At a glance
- Editor score6.8 / 10
- PricingFree plan · paid from $49/mo
- Best forAffordable multi-scope detection with threat sharing
- Free planYes
- Paid from$49/mo
- Inline blockingYes
- Founded2020 · Montrouge, France
- Facts checked21 Sep 2026
Where it wins
- Free open-source engine with behavior-based detection
- Automated remediation across firewalls, proxies, CDNs, and WAFs
- Community blocklists, custom scenarios, and cloud workload support
Where it doesn't
- Paid capabilities are divided across multiple offerings
- Premium blocklists cost $1,900 per month
- Console Premium pricing follows a pay-as-you-grow model
Our verdict on CrowdSec
CrowdSec is an open-source security engine for detecting and responding to malicious behavior across infrastructure. It analyzes logs and HTTP requests, then supports automated remediation through firewalls, web servers, reverse proxies, CDNs, and WAF deployments. The product is suited to individuals, sysadmins, DevOps and SRE teams, security analysts, SMBs, and larger organizations that need detection across network, cloud, and self-hosted environments.
The Community plan provides the open-source security engine, community blocklist, behavior-based detection, and community integrations at no cost. The IP Reputation API costs $49 per month and adds IP reputation and cyber-threat-intelligence access, 32 criteria of context, hourly updated data, and 5,000 queries. Platinum Blocklists costs $1,900 per month and adds industry, technical-stack, country, high-background-noise, and AI crawlers blocklists, with firewall and CDN integrations. Other offerings cover exploit tracking, local CTI replication, and premium console capabilities, including alert surge notifications, centralized list management, and stack health monitoring.
CrowdSec fits teams that want threat sharing alongside local detection and automated blocking. Its integrations include AWS services, Kafka, Microsoft Sentinel, Cloudflare, AWS WAF, Kubernetes, Docker, Nginx, Windows Firewall, and Prometheus, supporting web, Windows, macOS, Linux, API, and self-hosted deployments. Custom detection scenarios and virtual-patching collections extend its use beyond standard log analysis. Organizations seeking a single, narrowly packaged product with one unified paid plan may find the separate offerings less straightforward; teams that value open-source deployment, shared blocklists, and multiple remediation paths are the stronger match.
CrowdSec pricing
All 6 CrowdSec plans and prices →
CrowdSec fact sheet
| Free plan | Yes |
|---|---|
| Paid from | $49/mo |
| Deployment model | Hybrid |
| Network scope | Multi-scope |
| Inline blocking | Yes |
| Encrypted traffic inspection | Not verified |
| Cloud workload support | Yes |
| Threat intelligence | Yes |
| Supported platforms | Network |
| Deployment | Cloud, Self-hosted, Desktop, Browser extension |
| Platforms | Web, Windows, macOS, Linux |
| Support | Email, Community, Docs |
| Built for | Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise (editorial estimate) |
| Integrations | 12 integrations: AWS S3, AWS Kinesis, AWS CloudWatch, Kafka, Microsoft Sentinel, Cloudflare … See all → |
| Pricing | Free plan · paid from $49/mo (source) |
| Website | crowdsec.net |
| Facts checked | 21 Sep 2026 |
CrowdSec integrations
CrowdSec lists 12 integrations on its own site.
- AWS S3
- AWS Kinesis
- AWS CloudWatch
- Kafka
- Microsoft Sentinel
- Cloudflare
- AWS WAF
- Kubernetes
- Docker
- Nginx
- Windows Firewall
- Prometheus
See all CrowdSec integrations →
Alternatives to CrowdSec
- SuricataA capable free network IDS and IPS for teams prepared to manage self-hosted deployment.9.0
- Palo Alto Networks Advanced Threat PreventionA strong fit for Palo Alto environments needing inline zero-day and exploit prevention.8.8
- Check Point Intrusion Prevention System (IPS)Enterprise IPS combining signature, behavioral, and virtual patching defenses.7.7
See all CrowdSec alternatives →
CrowdSec vs the competition
- CrowdSec vs Suricata
- CrowdSec vs Palo Alto Networks Advanced Threat Prevention
- CrowdSec vs Check Point Intrusion Prevention System (IPS)
- CrowdSec vs Trellix Intrusion Prevention System
- CrowdSec vs Snort
- CrowdSec vs AhnLab AIPS
Compare CrowdSec with any tool side by side →
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Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Sep 2026
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