Cloudflare WAF vs AWS WAF
A detailed comparison to help you choose between Cloudflare WAF and AWS WAF.
Quick Verdict
3.5/5
Cloudflare WAF
249 reviews
4.9/5
AWS WAF
8 reviews
AWS WAF is rated higher (4.9 vs 3.5). Cloudflare's Web Application Firewall protects against OWASP Top 10, zero-day vulnerabilities, and DDoS. 300+ global PoPs absorb attacks. Free plan blocks basic threats; Pro adds OWASP managed rules. AWS WAF is Amazon's web application firewall that can be attached to CloudFront, ALB, or API Gateway. Pay per rule ($1/rule/month) and per million requests ($0.60). Integrates with AWS Shield.
Cloudflare WAF Web Application Firewall protecting millions of sites |  AWS WAF Amazon WAF integrated with CloudFront and ALB | |
|---|---|---|
| Overview | ||
| Rating | 3.5 (249 reviews) | 4.9 (8 reviews)✓ |
| Pricing model | freemium | usage-based |
| Starting price | Free tier available✓ | From €5/mo |
| Best for | Every website — Cloudflare WAF is the standard baseline for web application firewall protection | AWS-invested applications that need WAF tightly integrated with their existing CloudFront or ALB setup |
| Tags | ||
| Tags | free tierddos protectionapi accesseu datacenterus datacenterapac datacenter | api accessus datacentereu datacenterapac datacenter |
| Visit Cloudflare WAF → | Visit AWS WAF → | |
Cloudflare WAF
Pros
- + Free WAF rules on all plans
- + DDoS mitigation up to 142Tbps
- + 300+ PoP global network absorbs attacks
Cons
- - Advanced WAF rules require Pro+ plan
- - Some legitimate traffic can be blocked
AWS WAF
Pros
- + Deep AWS integration
- + Per-rule pricing — cost-effective for simple use
- + Works with CloudFront, ALB, API Gateway
Cons
- - Complex rule management
- - Requires AWS expertise to use effectively
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