SafeLine
Best for self-hosting
Why teams pick it
Control your scheduling stack on your own infrastructure.
Open-source alternatives to Sophos
Compare community-driven replacements for Sophos in waf & api security workflows. We curate active, self-hostable options with transparent licensing so you can evaluate the right fit quickly.
Sophos
Sophos offers firewall, antivirus, EDR, and XDR solutions with AI-based threat detection. It provides centralized management for network and endpoint security across cloud and on-premises environments.Read more
Key stats
- 6Alternatives
- 1Support self-hosting
Run on infrastructure you control
- 6Active development
Recent commits in the last 6 months
- 3Permissive licenses
MIT, Apache, and similar licenses
Counts reflect projects currently indexed as alternatives to Sophos.
Start with these picks
These projects match the most common migration paths for teams replacing Sophos.
BunkerWeb
Fastest to get started
Why teams pick it
Supports Linux, Docker, Swarm, and Kubernetes
All open-source alternatives
ModSecurity
High-performance, language-agnostic security engine for web traffic
Active developmentPermissive licenseIntegration-friendlyC++
Why teams choose it
- Apache-independent core for true platform portability
- C and C++ APIs with identical functionality
- Dynamic rule loading from SecRule files or URIs
Watch for
Requires separate connector projects for each web server
Migration highlight
Integrate WAF into a custom C++ microservice
Real-time request inspection using SecRules without an external web server module
SafeLine
Self‑hosted WAF that shields web apps from attacks
Self-host friendlyActive developmentPrivacy-firstGo
Why teams choose it
- Comprehensive web‑attack blocking (SQLi, XSS, RCE, etc.)
- Built‑in rate limiting and DoS protection
- Anti‑bot and authentication challenges
Watch for
Requires own infrastructure and maintenance
Migration highlight
E‑commerce checkout protection
Blocks injection attacks, reducing fraud and downtime
BunkerWeb
Secure your web services by default with a flexible WAF
Active developmentFast to deployIntegration-friendlyPython
Why teams choose it
- NGINX‑based reverse proxy with built‑in WAF
- Web UI for graphical configuration
- Plugin system for custom security extensions
Watch for
Advanced PRO features require a paid license
Migration highlight
Protect public‑facing website
Automatic HTTPS, security headers, and bot challenges block attacks without manual rule creation.
UUSEC WAF
Industrial‑grade AI‑powered WAF with zero‑day defense and scalable protection
Active developmentPermissive licenseFast to deployLua
Why teams choose it
- Machine‑learning based 0‑day detection that builds whitelist rules automatically
- Regex‑enabled cache purge for precise CDN acceleration
- Host‑level HIPS and runtime RASP modules for dual‑layer protection
Watch for
Requires a pure Linux x86_64 environment
Migration highlight
E‑commerce site zero‑day protection
Automatic detection blocks SQL injection and XSS attacks with <0.1% false positives
Coraza
High-performance Go-based WAF compatible with OWASP CRS v4
Active developmentPermissive licenseIntegration-friendlyGo
Why teams choose it
- Drop‑in compatibility with ModSecurity SecLang rule sets
- Full OWASP CRS v4 support for comprehensive attack coverage
- Extensible library with plugins for Caddy, Envoy, HAProxy, and more
Watch for
Some integrations (HAProxy, C library, RuiQi) are still experimental
Migration highlight
Embedding Coraza in a Go microservice
Provides request‑level inspection and automatic blocking of OWASP Top Ten attacks.
Caddy WAF
Advanced, customizable WAF middleware for Caddy web server
Active developmentIntegration-friendlyAI-powered workflowsGo
Why teams choose it
- Regex‑based deep inspection across request phases
- Integrated IP/DNS/TOR blacklisting with file watchers
- Geo‑IP country blocking and customizable rate limiting
Watch for
Requires Caddy build with module
Migration highlight
Prevent brute‑force login attempts
Rate limiting blocks excessive requests to authentication endpoints, reducing credential stuffing.
Choosing a waf & api security alternative
Teams replacing Sophos in waf & api security workflows typically weigh self-hosting needs, integration coverage, and licensing obligations.
- 1 project let you self-host and keep customer data on infrastructure you control.
- 6 options are actively maintained with recent commits.
Tip: shortlist one hosted and one self-hosted option so stakeholders can compare trade-offs before migrating away from Sophos.