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Reviewed · Updated 2026-06-19

IPBan

Prevents unauthorized access and secures IP addresses for network protection.

Reviewed by the Conversion Gems editorial team ·
Try IPBan
Pricing
Free
Best for
IT Security, Privacy & Backup specialists
Category
Security, Privacy & Backup
The bottom line

The go-to free, self-hosted brute-force blocker for sysadmins who want zero licensing cost and full control.

6.8
Our score
6.8 / 10
Conversion Gems editorial verdict
Free (OSS); Pro from ~$2.40/mo per server
Features7/10
7 - strong automated banning, multi-service log parsing, IPv4/IPv6, configurable thresholds; lacks built-in threat-intel feeds on free tier.
Value9/10
9 - fully free and open source for the core use case; Pro tier starts at ~$2.40/mo, extremely competitive.
Ease of use6/10
6 - binary install is straightforward but XML config and OS firewall knowledge required; no GUI on free tier.
Ecosystem5/10
5 - integrates via OS firewall rules and log parsing; no native third-party app marketplace or REST API on free tier.
Support5/10
5 - GitHub issues and community; Pro tier may offer direct support but not prominently documented.
What it really is

IPBan — open-source automated IP-blocking daemon for Windows and Linux servers.

Our take

IPBan is a free, MIT-licensed security daemon (not a SaaS) that monitors event logs and log files to detect brute-force login attempts and automatically bans offending IPs via OS-level firewall rules. DB labels it 'Free Trial' with price_tier 'free_trial', which is incorrect — the core tool is fully free and open source with no trial expiry. A paid IPBan Pro tier exists (~$2.40/mo per server) that adds a web management console, global blocklists, and Windows Filtering Platform integration, making the true model freemium.

Why we rate it

Fifteen-plus years of active development, cross-platform (Windows & Linux), and zero cost for the core use case make IPBan uniquely practical for budget-conscious sysadmins. The Pro tier adds genuine enterprise value without vendor lock-in.

The catch

Self-hosted only — no cloud dashboard on the free tier, requires server access and manual configuration, and relies on OS firewall rules rather than network-layer blocking.

Best for
Sysadmins hardening VPS/dedicated servers against RDP and SSH brute force
Small teams needing zero-cost automated IP banning on Windows or Linux
Homelabs and SMBs that can't justify enterprise WAF or CDN-level DDoS tools
Not good for
Organizations needing a managed cloud security service with zero server setup
Teams wanting DDoS protection or Layer 3/4 volumetric attack mitigation
Environments requiring a central UI across dozens of servers without buying IPBan Pro
Friction report
Time to value
Moderate: download and run the binary, edit XML config for thresholds — protected within 15–30 minutes for experienced sysadmins; steeper for newcomers.
Scale breakpoint
Managing rules across many servers requires IPBan Pro's paid web console; the free version is per-server with no centralized orchestration.
Walled garden
Low: MIT-licensed OSS with standard firewall rule output; no proprietary data formats and no vendor lock-in.

A look inside

IPBan product screenshot

Frequently Asked Questions

Alternatives

Step up

IPBan Pro Datacenter Edition for multi-server web console and global blocklists.

Lighter alternative

Fail2ban (free, Linux-focused) for teams already on a pure Linux stack.

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Tags

#Security#Privacy & Backup#IPBlocking

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