Best WAF for AWS
Find the best Web Application Firewall for your AWS infrastructure. Compare native and third-party WAF solutions for CloudFront, ALB, API Gateway, and more.
Amazon Web Services (AWS) offers multiple deployment options for Web Application Firewalls, from the native AWS WAF to third-party solutions that integrate with your existing infrastructure.
Whether you're protecting a simple ALB-based application or a complex multi-region deployment, choosing the right WAF depends on your specific requirements for traffic patterns, compliance needs, and operational preferences.
AWS WAF has matured significantly, with expanded Bot Control capabilities, fraud prevention features, and tighter integration across services like App Runner and Verified Access. Third-party options continue to offer advantages in ease of use, advanced analytics, and multi-cloud consistency.
Top WAF Providers for AWS
Industry-leading WAF with global CDN integration, offering robust protection against OWASP threats with easy setup and generous free tier.
Developer-friendly WAF using proprietary SmartParse technology, offering low false positives and seamless DevOps integration for modern application security.
Enterprise-grade cloud WAF with industry-leading threat research, offering comprehensive application security with advanced bot protection and API security.
Fully managed cloud WAF combining automatic policy generation, advanced bot mitigation, and 24/7 expert support with industry-leading DDoS protection.
Native AWS security service providing scalable WAF protection for applications hosted on AWS infrastructure with pay-per-use pricing.
AI-powered WAF with preemptive zero-day protection, featuring dual machine learning engines and minimal false positives for cloud-native applications.
Enterprise application security platform from F5 Networks combining behavioral analytics, bot defense, API protection, credential stuffing prevention, and L7 DDoS mitigation. The WAF that banks, airlines, and governments have relied on for over two decades.
Enterprise CNAPP with integrated WAF, API security, and bot management, designed for cloud-native applications across multi-cloud environments.
API-first security platform combining cloud-native WAF, automated security testing, and advanced API abuse detection with real-time blocking capabilities.
High-performance WAF built into the world's most widely used open source load balancer. Uses machine learning-powered threat detection instead of regex-based signatures, delivering 98.5% balanced accuracy with sub-millisecond latency. Enterprise product with custom pricing.
AI-powered web application firewall from Fortinet providing advanced threat detection, API protection, and bot mitigation for web applications and APIs, available as hardware appliance, VM, or cloud service.
Lightweight, high-performance WAF running natively inside NGINX Plus. Brings F5's enterprise threat intelligence to DevOps workflows with declarative configuration, Kubernetes-native deployment, and CI/CD integration. Part of the NGINX One platform.
AI-powered bot and fraud protection platform that stops advanced bots, credential stuffing, scraping, and L7 DDoS attacks across websites, mobile apps, and APIs. Forrester Leader in Bot Management with 99.99% detection accuracy and sub-2ms latency. Starts at $3,830/month.
WordPress-specific vulnerability mitigation platform with virtual patching (vPatching). Not a traditional WAF but deploys targeted mitigation rules for known WordPress vulnerabilities. Claims 74% more exploits blocked than leading WAFs. Number 1 WordPress vulnerability intelligence handler with 12K+ mitigation rules and 4.1K vulnerabilities disclosed in 2024. Free monitoring mode with no time limit.
Comprehensive WAF with flexible deployment options from appliances to cloud, featuring strong bot defense, API protection, and deep DevOps integration.
Cloud-native WAAP platform offering fully managed WAF, bot management, and DDoS protection with private cloud deployment options for enhanced data privacy.
Fully managed cloud WAF by Indusface with integrated vulnerability scanning, zero false positive guarantee, and 24/7 SOC support. Deploys in block mode from day one.
Enterprise application firewall integrated into the Citrix NetScaler (now Citrix ADC) application delivery controller, providing positive and negative security models with deep traffic inspection.
Australian-based WAAP platform combining WAF, bot management, DDoS protection, and CDN in a single solution designed for DevOps and security teams.
AI-powered WAF built natively on Kubernetes, combining behavioral threat detection with zero-configuration API protection for cloud-native applications.
European sovereign WAF offering comprehensive application and API protection with EU data residency guarantees and flexible SaaS or cloud deployment options.
Enterprise-grade next-gen WAF from Chinese cybersecurity leader NSFOCUS, offering comprehensive web and API protection with flexible cloud, on-premises, and hybrid deployment options.
API gateway with built-in WAF plugin for enterprise customers. Kong is the most popular open source API gateway (35K+ GitHub stars, 312M+ downloads) built on NGINX, processing 400B+ API calls daily. The WAF plugin is an Enterprise-only add-on that protects API endpoints at the gateway layer.
Cloud-native WAF from Alibaba Cloud, the largest cloud provider in Asia-Pacific. AI-powered deep learning detection, bot management, API security, and DDoS protection. Battle-tested during Double 11 (Singles' Day) handling millions of QPS. Available as pay-as-you-go (SeCU-based billing) or subscription. Recognized by Gartner, Forrester, IDC, and Frost & Sullivan.
German-made, GDPR-compliant cloud WAF built for critical infrastructure and regulated industries. BSI-qualified, NIS-2 and DORA compliant. Managed WAF service available. Blocks 8M+ malicious L7 requests per customer per year. Data processing exclusively in Germany on request.
Appliance-based WAF from the established network security vendor, offering deep packet inspection, PCI DSS compliance, and integration with SonicWall's broader firewall ecosystem.
Cloud-managed WAF from Qualys that integrates with their vulnerability scanning platform, enabling one-click virtual patching of discovered vulnerabilities. Note — product was decommissioned September 2024.
What to Look For in a WAF for AWS
When selecting a WAF for AWS, consider these key factors:
- Native Integration - How well does the WAF integrate with AWS services like CloudFront, ALB, API Gateway, AppSync, and Verified Access?
- Managed Rules - Does it offer pre-configured rulesets for common attack patterns? AWS Marketplace has dozens of managed rule groups from vendors like F5, Imperva, and Fortinet.
- Bot Management - Can it detect and mitigate bot traffic without blocking legitimate users? AWS WAF Bot Control now offers targeted and common bot protection tiers.
- Rate Limiting - Does it support request rate limiting at various granularities including IP, header, and query string?
- Logging & Monitoring - Can you easily integrate with CloudWatch, S3, Kinesis, and Security Lake for observability?
- Account Fraud Prevention - AWS WAF Fraud Control can detect account takeover and fake account creation attempts.
AWS Considerations
AWS-specific considerations when deploying a WAF:
- Regional vs Global - AWS WAF on CloudFront is global, while ALB WAF is regional. Plan your deployment based on your architecture.
- Cost Structure - AWS WAF charges per web ACL, rule, and request. Bot Control and Fraud Control add additional per-request fees. Third-party solutions may have different pricing models.
- IAM Permissions - Ensure proper IAM policies for WAF management and log access across accounts.
- Multi-Account - Use AWS Firewall Manager for centralized WAF management across AWS Organizations accounts.
- AWS Shield Integration - Combine AWS WAF with Shield Advanced for comprehensive DDoS protection with cost protection guarantees.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I use AWS WAF or a third-party WAF on AWS?
AWS WAF is ideal if you want tight integration with AWS services and pay-per-use pricing. Third-party WAFs may offer more advanced features, better management UIs, multi-cloud consistency, or existing enterprise agreements. Many organizations use both—AWS WAF for native integration and a third-party like Cloudflare or Imperva at the edge.
Can I use multiple WAFs on AWS?
Yes, layering WAFs is a recommended defense-in-depth strategy. For example, use Cloudflare as a CDN/WAF in front of your AWS infrastructure, with AWS WAF providing additional protection at the ALB level. Each layer can catch different types of threats.
How much does AWS WAF cost?
AWS WAF charges $5/month per web ACL, $1/month per rule, and $0.60 per million requests. Bot Control adds $10/month plus $1/million requests for common bots or $10/million for targeted bots. Costs can grow with complex rule sets and high traffic volumes.