Saurity vs Sucuri

Self-Hosted Plugin vs Cloud-Based WAF - Which Approach Is Right for You?

⚡ Quick Summary

Choose Saurity if you want self-hosted security, full data control, and zero cost.
Choose Sucuri if you need cloud WAF, malware scanning, and can afford $199-499/year.

Fundamental Differences

Saurity Approach

Self-Hosted Plugin - Runs directly on your WordPress server. All protection happens locally without routing traffic through external services.

  • Complete data privacy and control
  • No DNS changes required
  • Minimal performance overhead
  • Works immediately after activation

Sucuri Approach

Cloud-Based WAF - Routes all traffic through Sucuri servers before reaching your site. Protection happens at the network level.

  • Stops attacks before reaching your server
  • CDN performance benefits
  • All traffic goes through third party
  • Requires DNS/nameserver changes

Feature Comparison

FeatureSauritySucuri
Zero Admin Lockouts✓ Guaranteed✗ Can block admins
Progressive Rate Limiting✓ Smart delays✗ Hard blocks
Self-Hosted✓ All local✗ Cloud-based
Cloud WAF✗ Not included✓ Main feature
Malware Scanning⚠️ Planned✓ Included
DDoS Protection⚠️ Basic✓ Advanced
Emergency Recovery✓ 3-tier system⚠️ Limited
IP Management✓ Full control✓ Via dashboard
Performance Impact<1ms localVaries (CDN)
Data Privacy✓ All local⚠️ Routes through Sucuri

Pricing Comparison

PlanSauritySucuri
Free Version$0 - All featuresBasic plugin only
Platform PlanN/A$199.99/year
Professional PlanN/A$299.99/year
Business PlanN/A$499.99/year
Multiple Sites$0 unlimitedSeparate fees per site

💰 Cost Savings: $199-499/year per site with Saurity

Pros and Cons

Saurity

✓ Pros

  • +Completely free with all features
  • +Self-hosted - full data control
  • +Zero admin lockout guarantee
  • +Minimal performance impact (<1ms)
  • +No external dependencies
  • +Open source and transparent
  • +Works on any hosting
  • +Progressive rate limiting

✗ Cons

  • -No malware scanning yet
  • -No cloud WAF protection
  • -No DDoS mitigation
  • -Requires WordPress hosting
  • -Limited to plugin-based protection

Sucuri

✓ Pros

  • +Cloud-based WAF protection
  • +Comprehensive malware scanning
  • +DDoS mitigation included
  • +CDN performance benefits
  • +Professional incident response
  • +Established reputation

✗ Cons

  • -Expensive ($199-$499/year)
  • -Can lock out administrators
  • -All traffic routes through Sucuri
  • -Privacy concerns (third-party)
  • -Requires DNS changes
  • -Performance depends on CDN
  • -Vendor lock-in
  • -Complex setup process

Which Should You Choose?

Choose Saurity If:

  • You want complete control over your security and data
  • Budget is a concern (Saurity is 100% free)
  • You need guaranteed admin access without lockouts
  • Your site is on shared hosting or has limited resources
  • You prefer self-hosted, open-source solutions

Choose Sucuri If:

  • You need comprehensive malware scanning and removal
  • Your site faces frequent DDoS attacks
  • You want enterprise-level incident response support
  • Budget allows for $199-499/year per site
  • You are comfortable routing traffic through third-party servers

Can You Use Both Together?

Yes, but it is not recommended. Sucuri cloud WAF already provides firewall and rate limiting at the network level, so running Saurity behind it would be redundant for those features.

Better approach: Choose one solution based on your needs:

  • For most users: Start with Saurity (free) and see if it meets your needs
  • If compromised: Consider adding Sucuri for malware cleanup and ongoing scanning
  • For high-risk sites: Enterprise sites with budget may justify Sucuri from the start

Try Saurity Risk-Free

100% free, open source, and no credit card required. Download and protect your site in minutes.

No credit card required • 100% free forever • Open source MIT license