Quick Overview
- 1#1: Cloudflare DDoS Protection - Delivers always-on, autonomous DDoS mitigation at the network edge for websites, applications, and networks with unlimited capacity.
- 2#2: Akamai Prolexic - Offers scalable, carrier-grade DDoS protection with global scrubbing centers for enterprise networks and applications.
- 3#3: Imperva DDoS Protection - Provides advanced DDoS mitigation integrated with WAF capabilities to protect web applications from volumetric and application-layer attacks.
- 4#4: Radware Cloud DDoS Protection - Combines behavioral-based detection and autonomous mitigation for multi-vector DDoS attacks across cloud and on-premises environments.
- 5#5: AWS Shield - Offers managed DDoS protection service with automatic detection and mitigation for AWS resources, including advanced options for high-volume attacks.
- 6#6: F5 Silverline DDoS Protection - Provides on-demand and always-on DDoS mitigation services with real-time telemetry and global scrubbing capacity for critical infrastructure.
- 7#7: Azure DDoS Protection - Delivers adaptive DDoS protection powered by Azure's global network intelligence for virtual networks and applications.
- 8#8: Google Cloud Armor - Secures applications with DDoS and WAF protections using machine learning and global threat intelligence at Google's edge.
- 9#9: NetScout Arbor DDoS Protection - Uses network-wide visibility and ATLAS intelligence for precise DDoS detection and inline mitigation in service provider and enterprise networks.
- 10#10: Cisco Secure DDoS Protection - Integrates hardware-accelerated DDoS mitigation with AI-driven analytics for protecting data centers and cloud environments.
We selected and ranked these tools based on key factors including detection accuracy, mitigation speed, ease of deployment and management, and alignment with diverse use cases, ensuring a balanced focus on reliability, value, and practicality.
Comparison Table
In today's digital environment, DDoS attacks are a persistent threat, emphasizing the need for effective mitigation tools. This comparison table features top solutions like Cloudflare DDoS Protection, Akamai Prolexic, and AWS Shield, among others, to guide readers in selecting the right fit for their security needs. Analyzing key capabilities helps users make informed choices to safeguard systems against disruptive attacks.
| # | Tool | Category | Overall | Features | Ease of Use | Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cloudflare DDoS Protection Delivers always-on, autonomous DDoS mitigation at the network edge for websites, applications, and networks with unlimited capacity. | enterprise | 9.8/10 | 9.9/10 | 9.7/10 | 9.6/10 |
| 2 | Akamai Prolexic Offers scalable, carrier-grade DDoS protection with global scrubbing centers for enterprise networks and applications. | enterprise | 9.2/10 | 9.5/10 | 8.0/10 | 8.5/10 |
| 3 | Imperva DDoS Protection Provides advanced DDoS mitigation integrated with WAF capabilities to protect web applications from volumetric and application-layer attacks. | enterprise | 9.2/10 | 9.6/10 | 8.1/10 | 8.4/10 |
| 4 | Radware Cloud DDoS Protection Combines behavioral-based detection and autonomous mitigation for multi-vector DDoS attacks across cloud and on-premises environments. | enterprise | 8.8/10 | 9.3/10 | 8.1/10 | 8.4/10 |
| 5 | AWS Shield Offers managed DDoS protection service with automatic detection and mitigation for AWS resources, including advanced options for high-volume attacks. | enterprise | 8.7/10 | 9.2/10 | 8.8/10 | 8.5/10 |
| 6 | F5 Silverline DDoS Protection Provides on-demand and always-on DDoS mitigation services with real-time telemetry and global scrubbing capacity for critical infrastructure. | enterprise | 8.6/10 | 9.2/10 | 7.8/10 | 8.0/10 |
| 7 | Azure DDoS Protection Delivers adaptive DDoS protection powered by Azure's global network intelligence for virtual networks and applications. | enterprise | 8.2/10 | 8.5/10 | 9.2/10 | 7.8/10 |
| 8 | Google Cloud Armor Secures applications with DDoS and WAF protections using machine learning and global threat intelligence at Google's edge. | enterprise | 8.4/10 | 9.1/10 | 7.6/10 | 8.0/10 |
| 9 | NetScout Arbor DDoS Protection Uses network-wide visibility and ATLAS intelligence for precise DDoS detection and inline mitigation in service provider and enterprise networks. | enterprise | 8.5/10 | 9.2/10 | 7.4/10 | 8.0/10 |
| 10 | Cisco Secure DDoS Protection Integrates hardware-accelerated DDoS mitigation with AI-driven analytics for protecting data centers and cloud environments. | enterprise | 7.8/10 | 8.4/10 | 6.9/10 | 7.2/10 |
Delivers always-on, autonomous DDoS mitigation at the network edge for websites, applications, and networks with unlimited capacity.
Offers scalable, carrier-grade DDoS protection with global scrubbing centers for enterprise networks and applications.
Provides advanced DDoS mitigation integrated with WAF capabilities to protect web applications from volumetric and application-layer attacks.
Combines behavioral-based detection and autonomous mitigation for multi-vector DDoS attacks across cloud and on-premises environments.
Offers managed DDoS protection service with automatic detection and mitigation for AWS resources, including advanced options for high-volume attacks.
Provides on-demand and always-on DDoS mitigation services with real-time telemetry and global scrubbing capacity for critical infrastructure.
Delivers adaptive DDoS protection powered by Azure's global network intelligence for virtual networks and applications.
Secures applications with DDoS and WAF protections using machine learning and global threat intelligence at Google's edge.
Uses network-wide visibility and ATLAS intelligence for precise DDoS detection and inline mitigation in service provider and enterprise networks.
Integrates hardware-accelerated DDoS mitigation with AI-driven analytics for protecting data centers and cloud environments.
Cloudflare DDoS Protection
enterpriseDelivers always-on, autonomous DDoS mitigation at the network edge for websites, applications, and networks with unlimited capacity.
Magic Transit for Layer 3/4 DDoS protection with BGP anycast routing across 330+ cities worldwide
Cloudflare DDoS Protection is a comprehensive cloud-based service that leverages a massive global network to detect and mitigate DDoS attacks in real-time across Layers 3, 4, and 7. It automatically absorbs and filters malicious traffic at the edge, ensuring websites and applications remain accessible during attacks. With always-on protection available even on the free plan, it scales effortlessly from small sites to enterprise-level operations, backed by one of the world's largest DDoS mitigation capacities exceeding 200 Tbps.
Pros
- Unmatched global network capacity over 200 Tbps for absorbing massive attacks
- Autonomous, always-on mitigation with no manual intervention required
- Seamless integration via DNS change, supporting any origin server
Cons
- Advanced analytics and custom rules limited to paid plans
- Potential for over-mitigation false positives in complex setups
- Enterprise features require custom pricing and onboarding
Best For
Businesses and websites of any size seeking scalable, always-on DDoS protection without hardware investments.
Pricing
Free plan with unlimited DDoS mitigation; Pro starts at $20/month, Business at $200/month, Enterprise custom.
Akamai Prolexic
enterpriseOffers scalable, carrier-grade DDoS protection with global scrubbing centers for enterprise networks and applications.
Prolexic Routing: Automated, network-layer attack detection and mitigation using BGP anycast across 32+ scrubbing centers worldwide
Akamai Prolexic is a premier DDoS mitigation solution that leverages Akamai's global edge network and dedicated scrubbing centers to defend against massive volumetric, protocol, and application-layer attacks. It supports always-on proactive protection and on-demand mitigation via BGP anycast routing, automatically detecting and diverting malicious traffic while preserving legitimate user access. The platform includes advanced analytics, behavioral analysis, and 24/7 expert support from a dedicated Security Operations Center (SOC) for comprehensive threat intelligence and rapid response.
Pros
- Unmatched global scrubbing capacity exceeding 20 Tbps to handle the largest attacks
- Automated BGP-based traffic diversion with minimal latency impact
- Round-the-clock SOC expertise and customizable protection profiles
Cons
- High enterprise-level pricing not suitable for small businesses
- Complex initial setup requiring network engineering expertise
- Limited flexibility for non-enterprise deployments
Best For
Large enterprises and critical infrastructure providers needing robust protection against sophisticated, high-volume DDoS attacks.
Pricing
Custom enterprise pricing starting at $10,000+/month based on protected bandwidth, resources, and service tier; always-on protection adds premium costs.
Imperva DDoS Protection
enterpriseProvides advanced DDoS mitigation integrated with WAF capabilities to protect web applications from volumetric and application-layer attacks.
Behavioral DoS Protection powered by machine learning, which distinguishes legitimate traffic surges from sophisticated attacks in real-time.
Imperva DDoS Protection is a cloud-based cybersecurity solution that provides advanced mitigation against volumetric, protocol, and application-layer DDoS attacks using behavioral analysis and machine learning. It leverages a massive global network with over 20 Tbps of scrubbing capacity to absorb and filter malicious traffic, ensuring high availability for websites, applications, and APIs. The platform offers always-on and on-demand protection modes, integrating seamlessly with Imperva's WAF and bot management for comprehensive defense.
Pros
- Massive global scrubbing capacity exceeding 20 Tbps for handling the largest attacks
- Advanced behavioral analysis and ML for precise attack detection with low false positives
- Multi-layer protection (L3/4/7) with seamless integration into existing security stacks
Cons
- High cost structure unsuitable for small businesses
- Complex initial setup and configuration requiring technical expertise
- Custom pricing lacks transparency for budgeting
Best For
Large enterprises and high-traffic websites needing always-on, enterprise-grade DDoS mitigation with minimal latency.
Pricing
Custom quote-based pricing starting at around $5,000/month for basic protection, scaling with bandwidth, traffic volume, and features.
Radware Cloud DDoS Protection
enterpriseCombines behavioral-based detection and autonomous mitigation for multi-vector DDoS attacks across cloud and on-premises environments.
AI-powered behavioral analysis that differentiates legitimate traffic spikes from attacks without relying on signatures
Radware Cloud DDoS Protection is a fully managed, cloud-based service that detects and mitigates sophisticated multi-vector DDoS attacks across network, transport, and application layers. It utilizes a global anycast network of high-capacity scrubbing centers to cleanse traffic in real-time, ensuring minimal latency and business continuity. The solution integrates AI-driven behavioral analysis for zero-day threat detection and provides detailed analytics for post-attack insights.
Pros
- Global scrubbing network with massive capacity exceeding 300 Tbps
- Advanced behavioral DoS protection using AI/ML for zero-day attacks
- Seamless integration with on-premises appliances and hybrid environments
Cons
- Premium pricing may deter SMBs
- Configuration requires networking expertise
- Limited transparency on exact scrubbing capacities per customer
Best For
Enterprises and service providers with high-traffic applications requiring robust, always-on DDoS mitigation at scale.
Pricing
Custom enterprise pricing based on protected bandwidth and resources; subscription or pay-per-clean models starting from several thousand dollars monthly.
AWS Shield
enterpriseOffers managed DDoS protection service with automatic detection and mitigation for AWS resources, including advanced options for high-volume attacks.
Always-on automatic mitigation at AWS edge locations with global anycast network for instant scaling against volumetric attacks
AWS Shield is a managed DDoS protection service from Amazon Web Services that automatically safeguards applications running on AWS against distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks. It includes Shield Standard, which is free and enabled by default for all AWS customers, providing protection against common Layer 3 and Layer 4 attacks via always-on detection and mitigation. Shield Advanced offers enhanced capabilities for sophisticated Layer 7 attacks, including proactive engagement from the AWS Shield Response Team (SRT), detailed visibility, and cost protection during attacks.
Pros
- Seamless integration with AWS services like CloudFront, Route 53, and ELB for automatic mitigation
- Free Shield Standard tier protects against most common DDoS attacks without setup
- Advanced tier includes expert SRT support and automatic scaling to absorb massive attacks
Cons
- Limited to AWS-hosted resources, not ideal for multi-cloud or on-premises environments
- Shield Advanced has high base fees ($3,000/month) that can escalate with data transfer costs during large attacks
- Less granular customization options compared to specialized DDoS vendors
Best For
AWS-centric businesses and applications needing native, scalable DDoS protection with minimal configuration.
Pricing
Shield Standard: free for all AWS customers; Shield Advanced: $3,000/month commitment + data processing ($0.023-$0.034/GB) and transfer fees.
F5 Silverline DDoS Protection
enterpriseProvides on-demand and always-on DDoS mitigation services with real-time telemetry and global scrubbing capacity for critical infrastructure.
Hyper scales with a 20+ Tbps global anycast network across 40+ scrubbing centers for unmatched volumetric attack absorption.
F5 Silverline DDoS Protection is a cloud-based DDoS mitigation service leveraging a massive global anycast network of over 40 scrubbing centers to absorb and mitigate attacks up to 20+ Tbps. It provides multi-vector protection against volumetric, protocol, and application-layer DDoS attacks using behavioral analysis and machine learning for precise detection. The solution supports always-on, on-demand, and hybrid deployment models, with managed services for hands-off operation.
Pros
- Massive global scrubbing capacity exceeding 20 Tbps for handling the largest attacks
- Advanced behavioral DoS (BDoS) protection that adapts to zero-day threats without signatures
- Flexible hybrid integration with on-premises F5 BIG-IP appliances
Cons
- Enterprise-level pricing lacks transparency and can be prohibitively expensive for SMBs
- Initial setup and customization require technical expertise and F5 familiarity
- Reporting and dashboard can feel overwhelming for non-expert users
Best For
Large enterprises with high-value web applications and infrastructure needing scalable, always-available DDoS defense against sophisticated attacks.
Pricing
Custom quote-based pricing; typically starts at $10,000+ annually for basic protection, scaling with bandwidth, attack volume, and managed services.
Azure DDoS Protection
enterpriseDelivers adaptive DDoS protection powered by Azure's global network intelligence for virtual networks and applications.
Adaptive attack tuning that profiles normal traffic patterns for precise, customized detection and mitigation
Azure DDoS Protection is a managed service that defends Azure Virtual Network resources against Layer 3 and Layer 4 DDoS attacks using Microsoft's global network and intelligence. It features two tiers: Basic (free, always-on for common attacks) and Standard (advanced mitigation with adaptive tuning, real-time telemetry, and integration with Azure Monitor). The Standard tier automatically detects anomalies, mitigates attacks inline, and provides detailed insights for post-attack analysis.
Pros
- Seamless integration with Azure ecosystem and services like Monitor and Sentinel
- Always-on monitoring with machine learning-based adaptive tuning
- Low-latency inline mitigation leveraging Microsoft's global edge network
Cons
- Limited to Azure resources; no support for on-premises or multi-cloud environments
- Costs can accumulate during large-scale or prolonged attacks
- Primarily L3/L4 protection; L7 requires additional WAF services
Best For
Azure-centric organizations needing native, low-effort DDoS protection for cloud workloads.
Pricing
Basic tier free; Standard tier usage-based (~$2,850/month equivalent for 100 Gbps protection + data processing fees after 5 Gbps free threshold during mitigations).
Google Cloud Armor
enterpriseSecures applications with DDoS and WAF protections using machine learning and global threat intelligence at Google's edge.
Adaptive Protection, which employs machine learning to dynamically rate-limit attack traffic without predefined thresholds
Google Cloud Armor is a web application firewall (WAF) and DDoS protection service integrated with Google Cloud Load Balancing, designed to safeguard applications from Layer 7 DDoS attacks and other web threats. It leverages Google's global edge network for automatic mitigation, offering pre-configured defenses, custom rules, and adaptive protection powered by machine learning. Primarily focused on HTTP/S traffic, it provides robust L7 DDoS filtering while complementing Google's always-on L3/L4 DDoS protection.
Pros
- Scales effortlessly with Google's global anycast network for high-volume DDoS absorption
- Adaptive Protection uses ML to automatically detect and mitigate sophisticated L7 attacks
- Seamless integration with GCP services like Load Balancers and monitoring tools
Cons
- Limited to Google Cloud Platform ecosystems, lacking multi-cloud flexibility
- Pricing based on rules evaluated can become costly during sustained attacks
- Requires GCP expertise for optimal configuration and custom rule tuning
Best For
Google Cloud users seeking integrated L7 DDoS protection and WAF capabilities for web applications.
Pricing
Pay-as-you-go: ~$0.75 per million rule evaluations for standard policies, plus $3 per million for adaptive protection; free tier for basic L3/L4 via Google Cloud.
NetScout Arbor DDoS Protection
enterpriseUses network-wide visibility and ATLAS intelligence for precise DDoS detection and inline mitigation in service provider and enterprise networks.
ATLAS global sensor network providing unparalleled DDoS threat intelligence from billions of daily events.
NetScout Arbor DDoS Protection is a robust enterprise-grade solution for detecting, mitigating, and analyzing DDoS attacks using advanced behavioral analysis and the ATLAS global threat intelligence platform. It supports on-premises appliances like Arbor Sightline, cloud-based scrubbing via Arbor Intelligent DDoS Cloud Services, and hybrid deployments for flexible protection. The platform provides real-time visibility, automated mitigation, and scalability to handle multi-vector attacks up to hundreds of Gbps.
Pros
- World-class ATLAS global threat intelligence for proactive detection
- Highly scalable with support for massive attack volumes
- Flexible deployment options including on-prem, cloud, and hybrid
Cons
- Complex configuration and management for non-experts
- High cost unsuitable for SMBs
- Requires significant hardware investment for on-premises setups
Best For
Large enterprises and service providers with critical infrastructure requiring enterprise-scale DDoS mitigation and global threat intelligence.
Pricing
Custom enterprise pricing via quote; typically $100K+ annually for cloud services, plus hardware costs for on-prem starting at $200K+.
Cisco Secure DDoS Protection
enterpriseIntegrates hardware-accelerated DDoS mitigation with AI-driven analytics for protecting data centers and cloud environments.
Always-on, automated traffic scrubbing across Cisco's global backbone with over 100 on-net locations for ultra-low latency mitigation.
Cisco Secure DDoS Protection is an enterprise-grade DDoS mitigation solution that combines on-premises appliances, cloud scrubbing centers, and behavioral analytics to detect and neutralize volumetric, protocol, and application-layer attacks. It leverages Cisco's global network infrastructure for high-capacity traffic cleaning, ensuring minimal latency and high availability. The solution integrates seamlessly with Cisco's SecureX platform for unified threat management and automated response.
Pros
- Deep integration with Cisco networking and security ecosystem
- High-capacity scrubbing via global on-net locations
- Advanced behavioral analysis and real-time telemetry
Cons
- Complex configuration and management for non-Cisco users
- Premium pricing that may not suit SMBs
- Limited third-party integrations compared to pure-play vendors
Best For
Large enterprises with existing Cisco infrastructure needing scalable, always-on DDoS protection integrated into their broader security operations.
Pricing
Custom quote-based pricing; typically starts at $50,000+ annually for mid-tier deployments, scaling with protected bandwidth and features.
Conclusion
When evaluating DDoS mitigation tools, three options rise to the forefront, each offering distinct strengths. Cloudflare DDoS Protection leads with always-on, edge-based mitigation and unlimited capacity, making it a versatile top choice. Akamai Prolexic excels with scalable, carrier-grade global scrubbing, ideal for enterprise networks, while Imperva DDoS Protection stands out by integrating advanced mitigation with WAF capabilities to address both volumetric and application-layer threats. The top three tools represent industry leadership, with each tailored to specific needs.
Secure your infrastructure today by trying Cloudflare DDoS Protection—your key to maintaining uninterrupted service and safeguarding against evolving threats.
Tools Reviewed
All tools were independently evaluated for this comparison
