AWS Web Application Firewall vs Cloudflare Web Application Firewall vs Radware Cloud WAF Service
Comparing AWS Web Application Firewall, Cloudflare Web Application Firewall and Radware Cloud WAF Service across pricing, features, ease of use, and more. Each WAF has different strengths — the right choice depends on your specific requirements.
Overview
AWS Web Application Firewall, Cloudflare Web Application Firewall and Radware Cloud WAF Service are popular web application firewall solutions. This comparison will help you understand the key differences and choose the right one for your needs.
AWS Web Application Firewall: Native AWS security service providing scalable WAF protection for applications hosted on AWS infrastructure with pay-per-use pricing.
Cloudflare Web Application Firewall: Industry-leading WAF with global CDN integration, offering robust protection against OWASP threats with easy setup and generous free tier.
Radware Cloud WAF Service: Fully managed cloud WAF combining automatic policy generation, advanced bot mitigation, and 24/7 expert support with industry-leading DDoS protection.
Quick Comparison
| Feature |
AWS Web Application Firewall
|
Cloudflare Web Application Firewall
|
Radware Cloud WAF Service
|
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall Rating | 4.3/5 | 4.5/5 | 4.4/5 |
| Free Tier | No | Yes | No |
| Pricing Model | Pay-per-use (rules + requests) | Per domain / Per feature tier | OPEX-based subscription |
| Ease of Use | 3.5/5 | 4.8/5 | 3.6/5 |
| Value for Money | 4.0/5 | 4.5/5 | 3.8/5 |
| Support | 4.0/5 | 4.0/5 | 4.6/5 |
| Platforms | AWS CloudFront, ALB, API Gateway, AppSync, Cognito, App Runner, Verified Access | Any web application, WordPress, Shopify, AWS, GCP, Azure, Kubernetes | Any web application, AWS, Azure, GCP, Kubernetes, on-premises |
| Compliance | SOC 1/2/3, PCI DSS, HIPAA, FedRAMP, ISO 27001 | SOC 2, PCI DSS, ISO 27001, HIPAA, FedRAMP | SOC 2, PCI DSS, ISO 27001, HIPAA |
| Best For | AWS-native applications, organizations already invested in AWS ecosystem, variable traffic workloads, multi-account AWS environments | Small to medium websites, WordPress sites, developers wanting easy setup, organizations needing integrated CDN+WAF | Mid-market to enterprise organizations, companies needing integrated WAF and DDoS, hybrid cloud environments, organizations valuing managed services |
Pricing Comparison
AWS Web Application Firewall
Model: Pay-per-use (rules + requests)
Small (1 ACL, 10 rules)
$15/month + $0.60/M requests
Medium (2 ACL, 25 rules)
$35/month + $0.60/M requests
Large (5 ACL, 50 rules)
$75/month + $0.60/M requests
Cloudflare Web Application Firewall
Model: Per domain / Per feature tier
Free Tier AvailableFree
$0/month
Pro
$20/month
Business
$200/month
Enterprise
Contact Sales
Radware Cloud WAF Service
Model: OPEX-based subscription
Standard
Custom pricing
Advanced
Custom pricing
Premium
Custom pricing
Features Comparison
AWS Web Application Firewall
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AWS Managed Rules
Pre-configured rule groups maintained by AWS and AWS Marketplace sellers for common threats.
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Custom Rules
Build your own rules using conditions like IP addresses, HTTP headers, URI strings, and more.
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Rate-Based Rules
Automatically block IPs that exceed defined request thresholds.
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Bot Control
Managed rule group for detecting and managing bot traffic (additional cost).
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Fraud Control
Account takeover prevention and creation fraud detection for login/signup pages.
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Firewall Manager Integration
Centrally configure and manage WAF rules across multiple AWS accounts.
Cloudflare Web Application Firewall
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Managed Rulesets
Pre-configured rules from Cloudflare and OWASP that are automatically updated to protect against emerging threats.
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Custom Rules
Create your own firewall rules using Cloudflare's expression language to block, challenge, or allow specific traffic patterns.
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Rate Limiting
Protect against brute force attacks and API abuse by limiting request rates from specific IPs or patterns.
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Bot Management
Advanced bot detection and mitigation using machine learning to distinguish good bots from malicious ones.
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API Shield
Protect API endpoints with schema validation, mutual TLS, and anomaly detection.
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Page Shield
Monitor and control third-party JavaScript to prevent supply chain attacks and data theft.
Radware Cloud WAF Service
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Automatic Policy Generation
Patented technology automatically creates and optimizes security policies for new applications.
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Positive and Negative Security
Combines signature-based detection with positive security model for comprehensive protection.
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Bot Manager
Advanced bot detection using behavioral analysis, device fingerprinting, and CAPTCHA challenges.
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API Protection
Discover and protect APIs with schema validation, rate limiting, and anomaly detection.
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DDoS Protection
Integrated network and application layer DDoS mitigation backed by Radware''s global scrubbing network.
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Geo-Fencing
Block or allow traffic based on geographic location with granular country-level controls.
Our Verdict
AWS Web Application Firewall, Cloudflare Web Application Firewall and Radware Cloud WAF Service are all capable web application firewalls that can protect your applications from common threats.
Key considerations:
- AWS Web Application Firewall is well-suited for: AWS-native applications, organizations already invested in AWS ecosystem, variable traffic workloads, multi-account AWS environments
- Cloudflare Web Application Firewall is well-suited for: Small to medium websites, WordPress sites, developers wanting easy setup, organizations needing integrated CDN+WAF
- Radware Cloud WAF Service is well-suited for: Mid-market to enterprise organizations, companies needing integrated WAF and DDoS, hybrid cloud environments, organizations valuing managed services
We recommend evaluating your options with a trial or free tier before committing. Consider your existing infrastructure, team expertise, compliance requirements, and budget.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the cheapest: AWS Web Application Firewall or Cloudflare Web Application Firewall or Radware Cloud WAF Service?
Cloudflare Web Application Firewall offers a free tier.
Which WAF is easiest to set up?
Cloudflare Web Application Firewall has the highest ease of use rating at 4.8/5 in our review.
Which WAF has the highest overall rating?
Cloudflare Web Application Firewall leads with an overall rating of 4.5/5.
View AWS Web Application Firewall Review
View Cloudflare Web Application Firewall Review
View Radware Cloud WAF Service Review