Wazuh vs Elastic Security -- Open Source SIEM Compared

Wazuh vs Elastic Security (2026)

Wazuh and Elastic Security are both open source siem solutions that serve different segments of the market. Wazuh is cloud-hosted and self-hosted with open source pricing and is best suited for organizations wanting a free, comprehensive siem/xdr platform with strong compliance capabilities. Elastic Security offers cloud-hosted and self-hosted with resource-based (nodes/capacity) pricing and targets teams wanting open-source flexibility with enterprise siem capabilities and no per-gb ingest pricing.

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The Verdict

Both offer flexible deployment with cloud-hosted and self-hosted options. Ultimately, the right choice depends on your organization's specific requirements, compliance needs, and existing technology stack.

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Wazuh vs Elastic Security at a Glance

WazuhElastic Security
CategoryOpen Source SIEMOpen Source SIEM
PricingFree (Open Source)Free (basic) / From $95/month (Cloud) / Enterprise custom
Pricing ModelOpen SourceResource-based (nodes/capacity)
Open SourceYesYes
Cloud HostedYesYes
Self-HostedYesYes
Founded20152012

Feature Comparison

Key capabilities of Wazuh and Elastic Security compared side by side.

Wazuh

  • +Log data analysis
  • +Intrusion detection
  • +File integrity monitoring
  • +Vulnerability detection
  • +Configuration assessment
  • +Incident response
  • +Regulatory compliance
  • +Cloud workload protection

Elastic Security

  • +SIEM with detection engine and rules
  • +Endpoint detection and response (EDR)
  • +Cloud security posture management
  • +MITRE ATT&CK-aligned detection rules
  • +Machine learning anomaly detection
  • +Threat intelligence integration
  • +Case management and investigation
  • +Cross-cluster search and replication

Key Differentiators

Unique to Wazuh

  • Log data analysis
  • File integrity monitoring
  • Configuration assessment
  • Regulatory compliance

Unique to Elastic Security

  • Threat intelligence integration
  • Case management and investigation
  • Cross-cluster search and replication

When to Choose Each

Choose Wazuh if...

  • →You need a tool best suited for organizations wanting a free, comprehensive siem/xdr platform with strong compliance capabilities
  • →You want an open-source solution with full code transparency
  • →Open Source pricing fits your budget model

Choose Elastic Security if...

  • →You need a tool best suited for teams wanting open-source flexibility with enterprise siem capabilities and no per-gb ingest pricing
  • →You want an open-source solution with full code transparency
  • →Resource-based (nodes/capacity) pricing fits your budget model

Pros & Cons Comparison

Elastic Security

Pros

  • +Open-source core with no ingest-based pricing
  • +Scales massively with Elasticsearch
  • +Unified SIEM, EDR, and cloud security
  • +Strong community and extensive documentation
  • +No per-GB data licensing costs

Cons

  • –Complex cluster management at scale
  • –Advanced features require paid subscription
  • –Steeper operational overhead than SaaS alternatives
  • –Detection content less mature than Splunk

Wazuh

Pros

  • +Completely free and open source
  • +Unified SIEM + XDR in one platform
  • +Active community with 20M+ annual downloads
  • +Agent-based with multi-platform support
  • +Strong compliance reporting (PCI DSS, HIPAA, GDPR)

Cons

  • –Requires significant infrastructure expertise to deploy
  • –UI less polished than commercial alternatives
  • –Community support only (paid support available)
  • –Can be resource-intensive at scale

Other Wazuh Alternatives

Splunk logo
Splunk

Enterprise SIEM and security analytics platform for threat detection and incident response

Graylog logo
Graylog

Open-source log management and SIEM platform with intuitive analytics

Securonix logo
Securonix

Cloud-native SIEM with advanced UEBA and analytics

IBM QRadar logo
IBM QRadar

AI-powered enterprise SIEM with automated threat detection and investigation

LogRhythm logo
LogRhythm

Unified SIEM platform with threat lifecycle management and built-in SOAR

Sumo Logic logo
Sumo Logic

Cloud-native SIEM and security analytics with automated threat detection

Exabeam logo
Exabeam

Behavioral analytics SIEM with automated investigation and response

Sources & References

  1. Wazuh (Official Site)[Vendor]
  2. Wazuh Reviews on G2[User Reviews]
  3. Wazuh Reviews on TrustRadius[User Reviews]
  4. Wazuh Reviews on PeerSpot[User Reviews]
  5. Elastic Security (Official Site)[Vendor]
  6. Elastic Security Reviews on G2[User Reviews]
  7. Elastic Security Reviews on TrustRadius[User Reviews]
  8. Elastic Security Reviews on PeerSpot[User Reviews]

Wazuh vs Elastic Security FAQ

Common questions about choosing between Wazuh and Elastic Security.

What is the main difference between Wazuh and Elastic Security?

Wazuh and Elastic Security are both open source siem solutions that serve different segments of the market. Wazuh is cloud-hosted and self-hosted with open source pricing and is best suited for organizations wanting a free, comprehensive siem/xdr platform with strong compliance capabilities. Elastic Security offers cloud-hosted and self-hosted with resource-based (nodes/capacity) pricing and targets teams wanting open-source flexibility with enterprise siem capabilities and no per-gb ingest pricing.

Is Elastic Security a good alternative to Wazuh?

Both offer flexible deployment with cloud-hosted and self-hosted options. Ultimately, the right choice depends on your organization's specific requirements, compliance needs, and existing technology stack.

How does Elastic Security pricing compare to Wazuh?

Wazuh pricing: Free (Open Source) (open source). Elastic Security pricing: Free (basic) / From $95/month (Cloud) / Enterprise custom (resource-based (nodes/capacity)). The best option depends on your team size, usage patterns, and whether you need cloud-hosted, self-hosted, or hybrid deployment.

Can I migrate from Wazuh to Elastic Security?

Migration from Wazuh to Elastic Security is possible and depends on your specific setup. Both platforms offer APIs that can facilitate data migration. Consider running both tools in parallel during transition to ensure continuity. Check each vendor's migration documentation for specific guidance.

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