Blackwall vs SiteLock TrueShield

Both Blackwall and SiteLock TrueShield are capable WAF solutions. The right choice depends on your specific infrastructure, budget, and feature requirements.

View Blackwall Review View SiteLock TrueShield Review

Overview

Blackwall and SiteLock TrueShield are both popular web application firewall solutions. This comparison will help you understand the key differences and choose the right one for your needs.

Bot protection and WAF platform formerly known as BotGuard. Two products, BotGuard (website protection for SMBs) and GateKeeper (distributed reverse proxy with WAF for hosting providers). B2B2C model targeting hosting providers who bundle security for their customers. Free monitoring mode available. CloudFest Diamond sponsor.

Cloud-based WAF designed for small businesses and shared hosting, offering simple setup and affordable web application protection.

Quick Comparison

Feature Blackwall SiteLock TrueShield
Overall Rating 3.4/5 3.0/5
Free Tier Yes No
Pricing Model Custom (contact sales) Monthly subscription
Ease of Use 3.8/5 4.2/5
Value for Money 3.2/5 3.0/5
Support 3.5/5 3.0/5
Platforms Any web server (Apache, Nginx, LiteSpeed) for BotGuard. Any hosting provider infrastructure for GateKeeper. Compatible with shared hosting, VPS, dedicated servers, and cloud environments. Any web application (DNS-based), cPanel, WordPress, Joomla
Compliance GDPR compliant PCI DSS scanning

Pricing Comparison

Blackwall

Model: Custom (contact sales)

Free Tier Available

BotGuard (Free Monitoring)

Free

BotGuard (Active Protection)

Custom

GateKeeper (Hosting Providers)

Custom

View full pricing →

SiteLock TrueShield

Model: Monthly subscription

Basic

From $19.99/month

Pro

From $29.99/month

Business

From $44.99/month

View full pricing →

Features Comparison

Blackwall

  • BotGuard Web Protection

    Cloud-based bot detection and mitigation for individual websites. Integrates at the web server level without DNS redirect. Behavioral analysis distinguishes legitimate crawlers from malicious bots.

  • GateKeeper Reverse Proxy

    Distributed reverse proxy cluster for hosting providers. Sits in front of all hosted websites, providing transparent security without per-site configuration. Scales with hosting provider infrastructure.

  • HTTP/3 QUIC Support

    GateKeeper supports HTTP/3 with QUIC protocol, providing better performance on high-latency and lossy connections. Automatic protocol negotiation for browsers that support it.

  • Automatic SSL Management

    GateKeeper handles TLS 1.3 certificates automatically. SSL certificates are provisioned and renewed without manual intervention, reducing operational burden for hosting providers managing thousands of domains.

  • WAF with OWASP Top 10

    Rule-based WAF protecting against SQL injection, XSS, CSRF, and other OWASP Top 10 attack vectors. Rules updated by the Blackwall security team.

  • Behavioral Bot Detection

    Uses behavioral analysis to classify traffic as human, good bot (search engine crawlers), or malicious bot. Goes beyond simple user-agent checking to analyze request patterns and behavior.

  • Rate Limiting

    Configurable rate limiting to mitigate brute force attacks, credential stuffing, and application-level DDoS. Can be applied per IP, per endpoint, or globally.

  • CDN Caching Layer

    GateKeeper includes a caching layer that absorbs traffic spikes and reduces load on origin servers. Static content is served from the proxy layer, improving response times.

  • Free Monitoring Mode

    Observe bot traffic and threat patterns without blocking anything. Useful for evaluation and traffic profiling. Available for both BotGuard and GateKeeper deployments.

SiteLock TrueShield

  • TrueShield WAF

    Cloud-based WAF providing OWASP Top 10 protection via DNS redirect.

  • Malware Scanning

    Daily website scanning for malware, backdoors, and suspicious files.

  • Hosting Provider Integration

    Available directly through many hosting control panels.

Which One Is Right for You?

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

Blackwall

  • You need: Web hosting providers wanting to bundle bot protection and WAF for their customers. Hosting companies managing large numbers of domains that need automated SSL and transparent security. SMBs wanting bot protection without DNS changes.
  • You want to start with a free tier
  • You're using: Any web server (Apache, Nginx, LiteSpeed) for BotGuard. Any hosting provider infrastructure for GateKeeper. Compatible with shared hosting, VPS, dedicated servers, and cloud environments.
Learn more →

SiteLock TrueShield

  • You need: Small businesses on shared hosting, non-technical website owners
  • You're using: Any web application (DNS-based), cPanel, WordPress, Joomla
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: Blackwall or SiteLock TrueShield?

Blackwall offers a free tier while SiteLock TrueShield does not, which may be important for early-stage startups. SiteLock TrueShield scores higher for ease of use (4.2/5), which is valuable for smaller teams. Consider your immediate security needs and growth plans when choosing.

Which has better support: Blackwall or SiteLock TrueShield?

Blackwall has a higher support rating (3.5/5) compared to SiteLock TrueShield (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: Blackwall or SiteLock TrueShield?

SiteLock TrueShield scores higher for ease of use (4.2/5) versus Blackwall (3.8/5). The actual implementation effort depends on your existing infrastructure and team expertise.

Which is more cost-effective: Blackwall or SiteLock TrueShield?

Blackwall offers a free tier while SiteLock TrueShield requires a paid plan. Blackwall scores higher for value (3.2/5). Total cost depends on your traffic volume, required features, and support level needs.

Which is better for WordPress: Blackwall or SiteLock TrueShield?

SiteLock TrueShield explicitly supports WordPress while Blackwall 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.