Azure Web Application Firewall vs Sophos Firewall (XGS)

Both Azure Web Application Firewall and Sophos Firewall (XGS) are capable WAF solutions. The right choice depends on your specific infrastructure, budget, and feature requirements.

View Azure Web Application Firewall Review View Sophos Firewall (XGS) Review

Overview

Azure Web Application Firewall and Sophos Firewall (XGS) are both popular web application firewall solutions. This comparison will help you understand the key differences and choose the right one for your needs.

Microsoft's cloud-native WAF integrated with Azure Application Gateway and Front Door, offering enterprise-grade protection with deep Azure ecosystem integration.

Next-gen firewall (SFOS on XGS appliances) with a built-in reverse-proxy Web Application Firewall via its Web Server Protection module; the active successor to the end-of-life Sophos UTM.

Quick Comparison

Feature Azure Web Application Firewall Sophos Firewall (XGS)
Overall Rating 4.2/5 3.8/5
Free Tier No Yes
Pricing Model Pay-per-use (gateway hours + data processed) Appliance plus subscription (varies by appliance and subscription bundle)
Ease of Use 3.5/5 3.9/5
Value for Money 3.8/5 4.0/5
Support 4.2/5 3.8/5
Platforms Azure Application Gateway, Azure Front Door, Azure CDN, Azure Spring Apps XGS Series hardware appliances, virtual (VMware, Hyper-V, KVM), software/Home Edition, and cloud (Firewall in AWS and Azure)
Compliance SOC 1/2/3, PCI DSS, HIPAA, FedRAMP High, ISO 27001, ISO 27018 Common Criteria, FIPS-validated cryptography (model dependent)

Pricing Comparison

Azure Web Application Firewall

Model: Pay-per-use (gateway hours + data processed)

Application Gateway WAF v2

~$0.443/hour + $0.008/GB

Front Door Standard

$35/month base + usage

Front Door Premium

$330/month base + usage

View full pricing →

Sophos Firewall (XGS)

Model: Appliance plus subscription (varies by appliance and subscription bundle)

Free Tier Available

Home Edition

Free

Xstream Protection (Commercial)

Custom pricing

View full pricing →

Features Comparison

Azure Web Application Firewall

  • OWASP Core Rule Set

    Pre-configured protection against OWASP Top 10 vulnerabilities with regularly updated rule sets.

  • Custom Rules

    Create custom rules based on geo-location, IP address, request attributes, and rate limiting.

  • Bot Protection

    Managed bot protection ruleset to detect and mitigate malicious bot traffic (Premium tier).

  • Per-Site Policies

    Apply different WAF policies to different sites behind the same gateway.

  • Exclusion Lists

    Fine-tune rules by excluding specific request attributes to reduce false positives.

  • Geo-Filtering

    Allow or block traffic based on country/region of origin.

Sophos Firewall (XGS)

  • Reverse-Proxy WAF

    Apache-based reverse proxy that protects published web servers against SQL injection, cross-site scripting, directory traversal, and other common web attacks.

  • Form Hardening

    Signs and validates form fields to prevent manipulation of submitted web forms.

  • URL Hardening

    Restricts accessible URLs based on the learned structure of the protected application.

  • Cookie Signing

    Cryptographically signs cookies to detect and block tampering.

  • Reverse-Proxy Authentication

    Adds basic or form-based authentication policies in front of published web servers via WAF rules.

  • Antivirus Scanning

    Scans uploads and traffic to protected web servers for malware as part of Web Server Protection.

Which One Is Right for You?

The best WAF depends on your specific requirements, infrastructure, and team expertise.

Azure Web Application Firewall

  • You need: Azure-native applications, Microsoft enterprise customers, government and regulated industries, global applications needing edge protection
  • You're using: Azure Application Gateway, Azure Front Door, Azure CDN, Azure Spring Apps
Learn more →

Sophos Firewall (XGS)

  • You need: Organizations already running Sophos Firewall, businesses wanting WAF and network security in one appliance, home labs and educational users via the free Home Edition
  • You want to start with a free tier
  • You're using: XGS Series hardware appliances, virtual (VMware, Hyper-V, KVM), software/Home Edition, and cloud (Firewall in AWS and Azure)
Learn more →

We recommend evaluating both options with a trial or free tier before committing. Consider your existing infrastructure, team expertise, compliance requirements, and budget.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is better for startups: Azure Web Application Firewall or Sophos Firewall (XGS)?

Sophos Firewall (XGS) offers a free tier while Azure Web Application Firewall does not, making Sophos Firewall (XGS) more accessible for budget-conscious startups. Sophos Firewall (XGS) scores higher for ease of use (3.9/5), which is valuable for smaller teams. Consider your immediate security needs and growth plans when choosing.

Which has better support: Azure Web Application Firewall or Sophos Firewall (XGS)?

Azure Web Application Firewall has a higher support rating (4.2/5) compared to Sophos Firewall (XGS) (3.8/5). However, support quality can vary based on your plan tier - enterprise customers typically receive more responsive support from both providers. Consider evaluating support during a trial period.

Which is easier to implement: Azure Web Application Firewall or Sophos Firewall (XGS)?

Sophos Firewall (XGS) scores higher for ease of use (3.9/5) versus Azure Web Application Firewall (3.5/5). The actual implementation effort depends on your existing infrastructure and team expertise.

Which is more cost-effective: Azure Web Application Firewall or Sophos Firewall (XGS)?

Sophos Firewall (XGS) offers a free tier while Azure Web Application Firewall requires a paid plan. Sophos Firewall (XGS) scores higher for value (4.0/5). Total cost depends on your traffic volume, required features, and support level needs.

Which works better with AWS: Azure Web Application Firewall or Sophos Firewall (XGS)?

Sophos Firewall (XGS) explicitly supports AWS while Azure Web Application Firewall's AWS integration may vary. Consider whether native AWS integration or cross-cloud portability matters more for your use case.