AWS WAF vs Hetzner DDoS Protection
A detailed comparison to help you choose between AWS WAF and Hetzner DDoS Protection.
Quick Verdict
4.9/5
AWS WAF
8 reviews
4.9/5
Hetzner DDoS Protection
245 reviews
AWS WAF is rated higher (4.9 vs 4.9). 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. Hetzner's DDoS Protection filters volumetric and application-layer attacks at network edge. Designed for cloud users and hosting providers managing large traffic volumes.
 AWS WAF Amazon WAF integrated with CloudFront and ALB | Hetzner DDoS Protection Hardware-backed DDoS mitigation for high-traffic infrastructure | |
|---|---|---|
| Overview | ||
| Rating | 4.9 (8 reviews)✓ | 4.9 (245 reviews) |
| Pricing model | usage-based | free |
| Starting price | From €5/mo | Free✓ |
| Best for | AWS-invested applications that need WAF tightly integrated with their existing CloudFront or ALB setup | Organizations running high-traffic applications on Hetzner infrastructure who need native, straightforward DDoS mitigation without multi-vendor complexity. |
| Tags | ||
| Tags | api accessus datacentereu datacenterapac datacenter | free tierddos protectioneu datacenter |
| Visit AWS WAF → | Visit Hetzner DDoS Protection → | |
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
Hetzner DDoS Protection
Pros
- + Deploy without external vendor lock-in or third-party dependencies
- + Handle multi-gigabit attacks via Hetzner's own infrastructure
- + Activate automatically or manually via API and console
- + Protect both Cloud and bare-metal servers in one service
Cons
- - Limited to Hetzner infrastructure; cannot protect non-Hetzner targets
- - Requires understanding of traffic baseline for effective tuning
- - Fewer advanced customization options versus specialized DDoS providers
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