Cloudflare Web Application Firewall vs StackPath Web Application Firewall

Both Cloudflare Web Application Firewall and StackPath Web Application Firewall are capable WAF solutions. The right choice depends on your specific infrastructure, budget, and feature requirements.

Overview

Cloudflare Web Application Firewall and StackPath Web Application Firewall are both popular web application firewall solutions. This comparison will help you understand the key differences and choose the right one for your needs.

Industry-leading WAF with global CDN integration, offering robust protection against OWASP threats with easy setup and generous free tier.

Edge-based WAF that was part of StackPath's CDN and edge computing platform. Discontinued in June 2024 when the company shut down operations.

Quick Comparison

Feature	Cloudflare Web Application Firewall	StackPath Web Application Firewall
Overall Rating	4.5/5	1.0/5
Free Tier	Yes	No
Pricing Model	Per domain / Per feature tier	Per site / Per bandwidth tier (discontinued)
Ease of Use	4.8/5	1.0/5
Value for Money	4.5/5	1.0/5
Support	4.0/5	1.0/5
Platforms	Any web application, WordPress, Shopify, AWS, GCP, Azure, Kubernetes	Cloud (SaaS, discontinued)
Compliance	SOC 2, PCI DSS, ISO 27001, HIPAA, FedRAMP	SOC 2, PCI DSS (historical)

Pricing Comparison

Cloudflare Web Application Firewall

Model: Per domain / Per feature tier

Free Tier Available

Free

$0/month

Pro

$20/month

Business

$200/month

Enterprise

Contact Sales

View full pricing →

StackPath Web Application Firewall

Model: Per site / Per bandwidth tier (discontinued)

Edge Delivery 200

$27.50/month

Edge Delivery 2000

$275/month

View full pricing →

Features Comparison

Cloudflare Web Application Firewall

Managed Rulesets
Pre-configured rules from Cloudflare and OWASP that are automatically updated to protect against emerging threats.
Custom Rules
Create your own firewall rules using Cloudflare's expression language to block, challenge, or allow specific traffic patterns.
Rate Limiting
Protect against brute force attacks and API abuse by limiting request rates from specific IPs or patterns.
Bot Management
Advanced bot detection and mitigation using machine learning to distinguish good bots from malicious ones.
API Shield
Protect API endpoints with schema validation, mutual TLS, and anomaly detection.
Page Shield
Monitor and control third-party JavaScript to prevent supply chain attacks and data theft.

StackPath Web Application Firewall

Edge WAF
Application-layer firewall deployed at the edge, filtering traffic before it reached origin servers. Included OWASP Top 10 coverage and custom rule support.
DDoS Protection
Volumetric and application-layer DDoS mitigation integrated with the CDN edge network.
Bot Management
Bot detection and mitigation using behavioral analysis and challenge-based verification.
Real-time Analytics
Dashboard showing traffic patterns, blocked requests, and attack trends across protected sites.

Which One Is Right for You?

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

Cloudflare Web Application Firewall

You need: Small to medium websites, WordPress sites, developers wanting easy setup, organizations needing integrated CDN+WAF
You want to start with a free tier
You're using: Any web application, WordPress, Shopify, AWS, GCP, Azure, Kubernetes

Learn more →

StackPath Web Application Firewall

You need: Historical reference only. StackPath is no longer available.
You're using: Cloud (SaaS, discontinued)

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: Cloudflare Web Application Firewall or StackPath Web Application Firewall?

Cloudflare Web Application Firewall offers a free tier while StackPath Web Application Firewall does not, which may be important for early-stage startups. Cloudflare Web Application Firewall scores higher for ease of use (4.8/5), which is valuable for smaller teams. Consider your immediate security needs and growth plans when choosing.

Which has better support: Cloudflare Web Application Firewall or StackPath Web Application Firewall?

Cloudflare Web Application Firewall has a higher support rating (4.0/5) compared to StackPath Web Application Firewall (1.0/5). 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: Cloudflare Web Application Firewall or StackPath Web Application Firewall?

Cloudflare Web Application Firewall scores higher for ease of use (4.8/5) versus StackPath Web Application Firewall (1.0/5). DNS-based setup makes Cloudflare particularly quick to implement. The actual implementation effort depends on your existing infrastructure and team expertise.

Which is more cost-effective: Cloudflare Web Application Firewall or StackPath Web Application Firewall?

Cloudflare Web Application Firewall offers a free tier while StackPath Web Application Firewall requires a paid plan. Cloudflare Web Application Firewall scores higher for value (4.5/5). Total cost depends on your traffic volume, required features, and support level needs.

Which works better with AWS: Cloudflare Web Application Firewall or StackPath Web Application Firewall?

Cloudflare Web Application Firewall explicitly supports AWS while StackPath Web Application Firewall's AWS integration may vary. Consider whether native AWS integration or cross-cloud portability matters more for your use case.