WAFPlanet

Bunny Shield vs Tempesta FW

Bunny Shield and Tempesta FW take different approaches to web application security. Consider your team's expertise and infrastructure preferences when evaluating these options.

Bunny Shield and Tempesta FW take fundamentally different approaches to web application security. Understanding your infrastructure and team capabilities will help determine which approach fits your needs.

Overview

Bunny Shield and Tempesta FW are both popular web application firewall solutions. This comparison will help you understand the key differences and choose the right one for your needs.

Affordable all-in-one web security from bunny.net, combining AI-powered WAF, DDoS protection, bot mitigation, and upload scanning with a generous free tier and simple pricing.

High-performance open-source WAF and web accelerator built directly into the Linux kernel, delivering up to 1.8M requests per second with integrated L3-L7 DDoS protection and automated bot mitigation via WebShield.

Quick Comparison

Feature Bunny Shield Tempesta FW
Overall Rating 4.1/5 4.0/5
Free Tier Yes Yes
Pricing Model Per feature tier + overage Free (open source) + professional services
Ease of Use 4.6/5 2.5/5
Value for Money 4.7/5 4.8/5
Support 4.2/5 3.0/5
Open Source No Yes
Platforms Any web application, WordPress, static sites, APIs Linux (kernel-level integration), bare metal, cloud VMs

Pricing Comparison

Bunny Shield

Model: Per feature tier + overage

Free Tier Available

Basic

$0/month

Advanced

$9.50/month

Business

$99/month

Enterprise

Contact Sales

View full pricing →

Tempesta FW

Model: Free (open source) + professional services

Free Tier Available

Open Source

Free

Professional Services

Contact for pricing

View full pricing →

Features Comparison

Bunny Shield

  • AI-Powered WAF

    Next-gen WAF engine that blocks zero-day exploits, OWASP Top 10, and emerging risks with AI recommendations and real-time logs.

  • DDoS Protection

    Volumetric and application-layer DDoS mitigation backed by 250+ Tbps network capacity across 119 global scrubbing centers.

  • Global Rate Limiting

    Set precise rate limits per IP, user, or path globally across your entire infrastructure to control abuse.

  • Bot Mitigation

    Detect, block, and neutralize malicious bots in real time using behavioral fingerprinting without impacting legitimate users.

  • Access Lists

    Block traffic using curated threat lists for VPNs, Tor nodes, and other threat sources, or create custom access controls.

  • Upload Scanning

    Automatically scan uploaded files for viruses, malware, and CSAM to prevent harmful content from reaching your platform.

Tempesta FW

  • Kernel-Level Performance

    Built directly into Linux TCP/IP stack, processing up to 1.8M HTTP requests per second - 3x faster than Nginx or HAProxy.

  • Multi-Layer DDoS Protection

    Integrated protection against volumetric and application-layer DDoS attacks with rate limiting, JavaScript challenges, and adaptive QoS.

  • HTTP Tables

    Extends Linux iptables/nftables for application-layer filtering, enabling rules that combine IP addresses with HTTP headers and content.

  • Intelligent Load Balancing

    Machine learning-powered load balancing with persistent sessions, weighted round-robin, and rendezvous hashing strategies.

  • Web Acceleration

    Built-in caching using Tempesta DB, an ultra-fast in-memory database with NUMA-aware distribution and SIMD optimizations.

  • High-Performance TLS

    Tempesta TLS is 40-80% faster than Nginx/OpenSSL with 4x lower latency for TLS handshakes.

  • Bot Protection (WebShield)

    Open-source automated bot protection via WebShield — detects and blocks DDoS bots, scrapers, shopping bots, and booking bots using TLS and HTTP fingerprint analysis on access logs stored in ClickHouse.

  • Volumetric DDoS Protection

    Upcoming open-source volumetric DDoS protection solution, completing a full L3-L7 DDoS and bot mitigation stack when combined with Tempesta FW's application-layer defences and WebShield.

  • Native XDP Integration

    Uses Linux XDP (eXpress Data Path) for early packet dropping, enabling efficient mitigation of volumetric attacks.

Which One Is Right for You?

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

Bunny Shield

  • You need: Small to medium businesses, startups, developers, cost-conscious organizations wanting comprehensive security, sites already using bunny.net CDN
  • You want to start with a free tier
  • You're using: Any web application, WordPress, static sites, APIs
Learn more →

Tempesta FW

  • You need: High-traffic sites requiring maximum performance, organizations with Linux expertise, teams wanting to replace multiple infrastructure components, performance-critical applications
  • You want to start with a free tier
  • You prefer open-source solutions
  • You're using: Linux (kernel-level integration), bare metal, cloud VMs
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: Bunny Shield or Tempesta FW?

Both Bunny Shield and Tempesta FW offer free tiers, making them accessible for startups. Bunny Shield scores higher for ease of use (4.6/5), which is valuable for smaller teams. Consider your immediate security needs and growth plans when choosing.

Which has better support: Bunny Shield or Tempesta FW?

Bunny Shield has a higher support rating (4.2/5) compared to Tempesta FW (3.0/5). 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: Bunny Shield or Tempesta FW?

Bunny Shield scores higher for ease of use (4.6/5) versus Tempesta FW (2.5/5). The actual implementation effort depends on your existing infrastructure and team expertise.

Which is more cost-effective: Bunny Shield or Tempesta FW?

Both providers offer free tiers, making it easy to start without commitment. Tempesta FW scores higher for value (4.8/5). Total cost depends on your traffic volume, required features, and support level needs.

Which is better for WordPress: Bunny Shield or Tempesta FW?

Bunny Shield explicitly supports WordPress while Tempesta FW takes a more platform-agnostic approach. For WordPress-specific threats like plugin vulnerabilities and brute force attacks, look for providers with WordPress-specific rule sets.