# AWS WAF vs Cloudflare WAF

**Leader by vioscaleAI score:** AWS WAF

| Attribute | AWS WAF | Cloudflare WAF |
|---|---|---|
| **vioscaleAI score** | 51.2 (73% (medium)) | 42.7 (74% (medium)) |
| content.faq | `[{"answer":"AWS WAF is a managed web application firewall service that helps protect web applications against common exploits and bots. It uses rules to allow, block, or count web requests, and supports bot management, fraud prevention, and DDoS protection. It is indexed under WAF.","source":"https://aws.amazon.com/waf/pricing/","question":"What is AWS WAF?","confidence":0.6},{"answer":"AWS WAF offers a free tier, so you can start without paying. Paid plans start at $0.60. Prices are published openly on the vendor's own pricing page. Pricing changes often, so verify at source before relying on it.","source":"https://aws.amazon.com/waf/pricing/","question":"Is AWS WAF free?","confidence":0.6},{"answer":"AWS WAF supports the web and a command-line interface. Platforms we have not confirmed are simply not listed here rather than ruled out.","source":"https://aws.amazon.com/waf/pricing/","question":"What platforms does AWS WAF support?","confidence":0.6},{"answer":"We have only confirmed a cloud / SaaS deployment for AWS WAF, so it appears to be vendor-hosted. If a self-hosted option exists we have not found it documented publicly.","source":"https://aws.amazon.com/waf/pricing/","question":"Can AWS WAF be self-hosted?","confidence":0.6},{"answer":"We have confirmed 5 integrations for AWS WAF, including Amazon CloudFront, Amazon API Gateway, AWS CloudWatch, AWS Shield and AWS Marketplace (third-party managed rules). This is what we could verify from public sources, so the vendor may support others we have not indexed.","source":"https://aws.amazon.com/waf/pricing/","question":"What does AWS WAF integrate with?","confidence":0.6},{"answer":"We have independently confirmed HIPAA and GDPR for AWS WAF. Certifications we do not list are ones we have not been able to verify from public sources, which is not the same as AWS WAF not holding them. Always confirm compliance directly before you rely on it.","source":"https://aws.amazon.com/compliance/?nc2=h_dsc_aa_cmp","question":"What security certifications does AWS WAF have?","confidence":0.7},{"answer":"AWS WAF is available worldwide. The vendor is headquartered in the United States.","source":"https://aws.amazon.com/waf/pricing/","question":"Where is AWS WAF available?","confidence":0.75}]` | `[{"answer":"A cloud-based firewall that intercepts HTTP/S requests at Cloudflare's distributed network, using automated and customizable rules to block common vulnerabilities like SQL injection and cross-site scripting attacks without adding latency to legitimate user requests. It is indexed under WAF.","source":"https://www.cloudflare.com/plans","question":"What is Cloudflare WAF?","confidence":0.6},{"answer":"Cloudflare WAF offers a free tier, so you can start without paying. Paid plans start at $20 per month. Prices are published openly on the vendor's own pricing page. Pricing changes often, so verify at source before relying on it.","source":"https://www.cloudflare.com/plans","question":"Is Cloudflare WAF free?","confidence":0.6},{"answer":"Cloudflare WAF supports the web and a command-line interface. Platforms we have not confirmed are simply not listed here rather than ruled out.","source":"https://www.cloudflare.com/plans","question":"What platforms does Cloudflare WAF support?","confidence":0.6},{"answer":"We have only confirmed a cloud / SaaS deployment for Cloudflare WAF, so it appears to be vendor-hosted. If a self-hosted option exists we have not found it documented publicly.","source":"https://www.cloudflare.com/plans","question":"Can Cloudflare WAF be self-hosted?","confidence":0.6},{"answer":"We have independently confirmed GDPR for Cloudflare WAF. Certifications we do not list are ones we have not been able to verify from public sources, which is not the same as Cloudflare WAF not holding them. Always confirm compliance directly before you rely on it.","source":"https://www.cloudflare.com/solutions/security","question":"What security certifications does Cloudflare WAF have?","confidence":0.7},{"answer":"Cloudflare WAF is available worldwide. The vendor is headquartered in the United States.","source":"https://www.cloudflare.com/plans","question":"Where is Cloudflare WAF available?","confidence":0.75}]` |
| deployment.options | `{"cloud":true}` | `{"cloud":true}` |
| description.long | AWS WAF filters web requests and API traffic to block common attacks like SQL injection and cross-site scripting. It manages bot traffic through rate limiting and automatic detection, and provides automated layer 7 DDoS protection. | A cloud-based service that monitors incoming web traffic for vulnerabilities and attacks like SQL injection and cross-site scripting, blocking threats at the network edge with automatic rule updates. Provides comprehensive attack protection without requiring manual security management. |
| features.capabilities | `{"pricing_model":"usage_based","rate_limiting":true,"bot_management":true,"deployment_model":"cloud","ddos_l7_protection":true,"custom_rules_engine":true,"owasp_top_10_protection":true}` | `{"pricing_model":"subscription","rate_limiting":true,"bot_management":true,"deployment_model":"cloud","pci_dss_compliant":true,"ddos_l7_protection":true,"custom_rules_engine":true,"owasp_top_10_protection":true,"api_discovery_protection":true,"siem_logging_integration":true}` |
| integrations.count | 5 | 1 |
| integrations.list | `[{"name":"Amazon CloudFront"},{"name":"Amazon API Gateway"},{"name":"AWS CloudWatch"},{"name":"AWS Shield"},{"name":"AWS Marketplace (third-party managed rules)"}]` | `[{"name":"Amazon S3","native":true,"category":"storage","direction":"outbound"}]` |
| market.availability | `{"primaryMarkets":["US"],"availabilityScope":"global","availableCountries":[],"notAvailableCountries":[]}` | `{"primaryMarkets":[],"availabilityScope":"global","availableCountries":[],"notAvailableCountries":[]}` |
| platform.support | `{"web":true}` | `{"web":true}` |
| pricing | `{"type":"usage","plans":[{"free":false,"name":"Standard WAF","summary":"$5/web ACL + $1/rule + per-million-request charges","features":["Web ACL creation and management","Custom rule creation","Allow/Block/Count actions","Request filtering and inspection","CloudWatch Logs integration"],"commitment":"monthly","components":[{"kind":"fixed","amount":5,"period":"month","currency":"USD","description":"per web ACL"},{"kind":"fixed","amount":1,"period":"month","currency":"USD","description":"per rule or managed rule group"},{"per":{"qty":1,"unit":"million requests"},"kind":"metered","amount":0.6,"currency":"USD","description":"varies by region"}],"description":"Base WAF protection with customizable rules","contactSales":false,"includedLimits":{"cloudwatch_logs_per_million_requests":"500 MB"}},{"free":false,"name":"Bot Control","summary":"Free tier + $1/million requests after free allowance","features":["Common bot detection and management","Targeted bot control","Bot traffic visibility","Rate limiting for bot traffic","Scope-down statements to reduce evaluated traffic"],"commitment":"monthly","components":[{"per":{"qty":1,"unit":"million requests"},"kind":"metered","amount":1,"currency":"USD","description":"charged after free tier"}],"description":"Visibility and control over bot traffic","contactSales":false,"includedLimits":{"common_bot_control_free_requests":"10 million/month","targeted_bot_control_free_requests":"1 million/month"}},{"free":false,"name":"Fraud Control","summary":"$10/month per web ACL + per-request charges","features":["Account Takeover Prevention","Account Creation Fraud Prevention","Compromised credential monitoring","Fake account creation detection"],"commitment":"monthly","components":[{"kind":"fixed","amount":10,"period":"month","currency":"USD","description":"per web ACL for managed rule"}],"description":"Account takeover prevention and account creation fraud prevention","contactSales":false}],"addOns":[{"name":"CAPTCHA and Challenge responses"},{"name":"Managed rule groups from AWS Marketplace"}],"summary":"Usage-based pricing: $5/web ACL, $1/rule, plus per-request charges. Free tier for bot control.","currency":"USD","freeTier":true,"sourceUrl":"https://aws.amazon.com/waf/pricing/","retrievedAt":"2026-08-19T22:21:15.356Z","startingPrice":{"amount":1,"period":"month","currency":"USD"},"billingPeriods":["month"]}` | `{"type":"subscription","plans":[{"free":true,"name":"Free","summary":"$0/month","features":["DNS","Unmetered DDoS Protection","Universal SSL Certificate","Managed Ruleset"],"components":[{"kind":"fixed","amount":0,"period":"month","currency":"USD"}],"contactSales":false},{"free":false,"name":"Pro","summary":"$20/mo billed annually ($25/mo monthly)","components":[{"kind":"fixed","amount":20,"period":"month","currency":"USD"}],"contactSales":false},{"free":false,"name":"Business","summary":"$200/mo billed annually ($250/mo monthly)","components":[{"kind":"fixed","amount":200,"period":"month","currency":"USD"}],"contactSales":false},{"free":false,"name":"Contract","summary":"Custom pricing, billed annually","commitment":"annual","description":"For mission-critical applications core to your business","contactSales":true}],"summary":"Free tier; Pro starts at $20/mo annually, Business at $200/mo annually; custom pricing for enterprise","currency":"USD","freeTier":true,"sourceUrl":"https://www.cloudflare.com/plans","retrievedAt":"2026-10-12T15:29:37.862Z","startingPrice":{"amount":20,"period":"month","currency":"USD"},"billingPeriods":["month","year"]}` |
| pricing.free_tier | yes | yes |
| pricing.model | freemium | freemium |
| pricing.price_level | low | mid |
| pricing.starting_price | `{"amount":1,"currency":"USD"}` | `{"amount":20,"currency":"USD"}` |
| pricing.transparent | yes | yes |
| reliability.sla_pct | - | 100 |
| reliability.status_page | yes | - |
| security.certifications | - | `[{"name":"PCI DSS 4.0","level":"4.0","status":"active"}]` |
| security.disclosure_policy | yes | - |
| security.fedramp | yes | - |
| security.gdpr | yes | yes |
| security.hipaa | yes | - |
| security.pci | yes | yes |
| security.trust_center | https://aws.amazon.com/compliance/?nc2=h_dsc_aa_cmp | https://www.cloudflare.com/solutions/security |

## Capabilities (WAF)

| Capability | AWS WAF | Cloudflare WAF |
|---|:--:|:--:|
| **Capabilities** |  |  |
| Deployment model | Cloud | Cloud |
| Owasp top 10 protection | ✓ | ✓ |
| Custom rules engine | ✓ | ✓ |
| Bot management | ✓ | ✓ |
| API discovery protection | - | ✓ |
| Ddos l7 protection | ✓ | ✓ |
| Rate limiting | ✓ | ✓ |
| Threat intel feeds | - | - |
| SIEM logging integration | - | ✓ |
| Kubernetes ingress support | - | - |
| SOC2 type ii | - | - |
| PCI DSS compliant | - | ✓ |
| Fedramp authorized | - | - |
| Pricing model | Usage based | Subscription |

*Source: vioscaleAI. Generated 2026-10-16T21:29:17.898Z. "-" = undocumented, not absent.*