Azure Firewall Reviews

Name: Azure Firewall
Brand: Microsoft
Rating: 3.7 (42 reviews)

3.7 out of 5

42 reviews
80% willing to recommend

What is Azure Firewall?

Azure Firewall is a user-friendly, intuitive, cloud-native firewall security solution that provides top-of-the-industry threat protection for all your Azure Virtual Network resources. Azure Firewall is constantly and thoroughly analyzing all traffic and data packets, making it a very valuable and secure fully stateful firewall as a service with built-in high availability and unrestricted cloud scalability. Azure Firewall allows users to create virtual IP addresses and provides for secure DDoS protection for the virtual machines on your network. It also provides fast and efficient east-west and north-south traffic security.

Azure Firewall is a managed, cloud-based network security service built to protect your Azure Virtual Network resources. It is a fully stateful firewall as a service with built-in high availability and unrestricted cloud scalability.

Get the Azure Firewall Buyer's Guide and find out what your peers are saying about Azure Firewall, Fortinet FortiGate, Netgate pfSense and more!

Azure Firewall is the #11 ranked solution in top Microsoft Security Suite solutions and #12 ranked solution in best firewalls. PeerSpot users give Azure Firewall an average rating of 7.4 out of 10. Azure Firewall is most commonly compared to Fortinet FortiGate: Azure Firewall vs Fortinet FortiGate. Azure Firewall is popular among the large enterprise segment, accounting for 58% of users researching this solution on PeerSpot. The top industry researching this solution are professionals from a computer software company, accounting for 16% of all views.

Helped 863,564 peers since 2012

Featured Azure Firewall reviews

AnvarSadique

Information Technology Architect at GMS INC

Azure Firewall ( /products/azure-firewall-reviews ) is integrated well with Microsoft ecosystem. I used it to route traffic according to specific use cases. We created rules in the firewall to ensure that the traffic would be diverted to the right endpoint and made sure only specific application VMs could reach the database server. This setup helped protect the servers from unauthorized access.

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Rashedul Khan

Senior Software Engineer at cimsolutions

We initially investigated pricing details because we needed the costing information for Azure Firewall. We then implemented basic traffic filtering using Azure Firewall standard features. We used a hub and spoke topology to centralize the security controls, setting up Azure Firewall in our hub and spoke topology with standard features. Azure Firewall has a feature for filtering traffic from suspicious IPs or other threats. We needed to prevent those calls from accessing our API, which required us to route our requests in a filtering way. For logging in our project, we use a logging mechanism in our internal environment. We integrated our logging module into Azure Firewall, ensuring only specific authenticated users can access this logging for auditing purposes. Azure Firewall makes our tasks easier; otherwise, we would have to do many extra things manually to secure our APIs and requests. We have integrated Azure Monitor and Log Analytics, making logs easily visible in our Log Analytics. Azure Firewall is very compatible with integrating with other Azure services, which made our tasks for logging and development security much easier overall. Diagnosing blocked traffic was initially challenging because we didn't know how to diagnose and integrate Azure Firewall with other Azure services for storing logs in Log Analytics. Tracking suspicious activities was also challenging at first because we had to learn to use Azure Firewall effectively. The threat intelligence-based filtering in Azure Firewall uses Microsoft threat intelligence, which leverages AI and machine learning. There are some threat intelligence-based filtering features in the app and integration with Microsoft Sentinel. Currently, the AI-related features supported by Azure Firewall seem sufficient, though I cannot recommend too much as I have not thoroughly tested all those features. I recommend Azure Firewall because any development activities or software must address security, threat intelligence, filtering, and TLS termination. Doing these manually or programmatically would be very difficult. Azure Firewall simplifies everything, securing our APIs and systems so that suspicious IPs do not access our sophisticated systems.

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Charan Kumar

Director, Technology at a computer software company with 5,001-10,000 employees

I use the solution as a firewall. We use it for segmentation and zero-trust security. It's helped us improve our security posture. It's integrated with Azure. You don't have an additional licensing cost and no additional maintenance. The configurations are also comparatively easy. The cost of…

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Azure Firewall mindshare

Product category:

As of July 2025, the mindshare of Azure Firewall in the Firewalls category stands at 2.2%, down from 2.5% compared to the previous year, according to calculations based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Firewalls

PeerResearch reports based on Azure Firewall reviews

Type	Title	Date
Category	Firewalls	Jul 25, 2025	Download
Product	Reviews, tips, and advice from real users	Jul 25, 2025	Download
Comparison	Azure Firewall vs Netgate pfSense	Jul 25, 2025	Download
Comparison	Azure Firewall vs Fortinet FortiGate	Jul 25, 2025	Download
Comparison	Azure Firewall vs OPNsense	Jul 25, 2025	Download

Title	Rating	Mindshare	Recommending
Fortinet FortiGate	4.2	21.2%	91%	396 interviews Add to research
Netgate pfSense	4.3	12.3%	93%	217 interviews Add to research

Valuable Features

Azure Firewall offers valuable features like threat intelligence filtering, scalability, seamless integration with Azure services, and multi-zone deployment. Its premium version enhances security with URL filtering, TLS inspection, and IDPs. It's easy to manage due to centralized policy administration, automatic threat detection, optimized network traffic control, and robust security protocols. Users appreciate Azure Firewall for its ease of setup, cost-effectiveness, and advanced security capabilities compared to other firewalls.

"Azure Firewall simplifies everything, securing our APIs and systems so that suspicious IPs do not access our sophisticated systems."
"The features of Azure Firewall that I find most valuable include DNS inspection, forward proxy, and security, particularly on the edge."
"The most valuable features of Azure Firewall for me are its URL-based internet access control and DDoS protection for incoming traffic."

Room for Improvement

Azure Firewall needs improvements in handling perimeter traffic, next-gen firewall features, user interface, and customization options. It lacks certain security capabilities like intrusion prevention and advanced filtering compared to competitors like Fortinet and Palo Alto. Support response times and documentation can be enhanced. Azure Firewall could benefit from better pricing, integration options, and VPN capabilities. Performance consistency across regions and high availability features also require enhancement to compete with more established firewalls.

"Diagnosing blocked traffic was initially challenging because we didn't know how to diagnose and integrate Azure Firewall with other Azure services for storing logs in Log Analytics."
"I would like the premium and standard features to be available on the basic package. Additionally, it lacks some functionalities when compared to competitors like Check Point and Fortinet, such as WAF or load balancing."
"In my experience, Azure Firewall is quite expensive, with a high cost. I would rate its pricing a two out of ten."

ROI

Users report Azure Firewall to have a positive return on investment, with companies experiencing up to 50% cost reductions. Azure Firewall is more cost-effective than third-party providers, especially for smaller organizations. While some users haven't seen a return, others appreciate its security benefits. Payment is based on operational rather than capital expenditures, which aligns better with some users' financial strategies.

Pricing

Enterprise users find Azure Firewall's pricing to be complex and generally more expensive than alternatives like Fortinet, with costs often based on data usage. The pay-as-you-go model offers flexibility, though premium features add substantial costs. Many appreciate its integration with Azure services and lower total cost of ownership compared to brands like Cisco or Palo Alto. Despite some feedback on its affordability, Azure's native integration is seen as a significant advantage for enterprise solutions.

"I rate the product pricing a five out of ten."
"Azure Firewall is expensive."
"The pricing of Azure Firewall is pay-as-you-go. Fortinet also has a pay-as-you-go model, but Azure's pricing is higher and, with FortiGate, you also have the license."

Popular Use Cases

Azure Firewall is primarily utilized for traffic inspection, perimeter security, and cloud integration. Users employ it for network filtering between private and public networks, securing entry points, and limiting connections. It offers protection for applications and workloads, participates in hybrid cloud solutions, and aids in traditional corporate networks. Many activate advanced features for enhanced security, while others use it for testing, data security, and infrastructure design.

Service and Support

Responses indicate mixed experiences with Azure Firewall's customer service. Some users praise its knowledgeable and responsive support, especially with enterprise agreements. Many report satisfaction with prompt responses, while others note delays, particularly for complex issues. Despite some challenges, such as slow resolution times and language barriers, enterprise support receives positive remarks. The inclusion of tools like Copilot helps streamline assistance. Overall, users generally appreciate the level of professionalism and help provided by Azure Firewall support.

Deployment

Most users found Azure Firewall's initial setup straightforward and quick, often taking a few hours. Despite its ease, some faced challenges with complex configurations and user identities. It usually required a small team, and while complex use cases demanded more time, maintaining the firewall was manageable. Custom setups occasionally took longer due to specific requirements, but the overall deployment process was simple and efficient for those with sufficient Azure experience.

Scalability

Azure Firewall is rated positively for its ability to scale, accommodating both small and large user bases. Users appreciate its automatic scaling, simplifying capacity management without manual intervention. Some express a need for enhancement in larger enterprise settings. It effectively supports scaling with cloud services and adapts to changing traffic loads. Users across various industries and sizes find it adaptable, highlighting its managed service benefits and ease in expanding device and user numbers.

Stability

Azure Firewall is described as very stable by many users; they appreciate its reliability, with no significant bugs or crashes reported. Users have noted improvements in recent versions, aligning with market demands. A few early critical incidents due to bugs were resolved. Many highlight its excellent uptime and redundancy, though some see room for improvement. Users frequently compare it favorably with competitors due to its stability and resilience, attributing value to its managed environment.

These insights are based on the in-depth reviews provided by peers to help you make a better buying decision.

Download our Azure Firewall Buyer's Guide for additional reliable information.

Review data by company size

By reviewers

By visitors reading reviews

Top industries

By visitors reading reviews

Computer Software Company

16%

Government

10%

Financial Services Firm

Manufacturing Company

Comms Service Provider

Healthcare Company

Insurance Company

Retailer

Energy/Utilities Company

University

Non Profit

Construction Company

Educational Organization

Media Company

Outsourcing Company

Wholesaler/Distributor

Real Estate/Law Firm

Legal Firm

Consumer Goods Company

Transportation Company

Pharma/Biotech Company

Hospitality Company

Performing Arts

Recreational Facilities/Services Company

Logistics Company

Compare Azure Firewall with alternative products

Learn more about Azure Firewall

Azure Firewall has two significant offerings, Standard and Premium.

Azure Firewall Standard works directly with Microsoft Cyber Security and supplies excellent L3-L7 filtering and threat awareness. The proactive real-time threat awareness will quickly alert you and immediately deny all traffic to and from any known problematic or suspicious domains or IP addresses. Microsoft Cyber Security is updated continually to protect against all new and known potential threats at all times. To learn more about Azure Firewall Standard, click here.

Azure Firewall Premium provides everything the standard version does, and additionally adds extra levels of data encryption, network intrusion detection, extended URL filtering, and Web category filters. To learn more about the added features of Azure Firewall Premium, click here.

Key Benefits and Features of Azure Firewall:

High availability - You do not need load balancers with Azure Firewall; it's already built in and ready to go.
Self-scalability - Azure Firewall is intuitive and will auto-scale as needed based on traffic flow to be ready for peak traffic times.
Threat awareness - Using Microsoft Cyber Security to filter traffic, Azure Firewall will deny any known problematic threats to keep your network safe.
Additional IP addresses - You can securely add up to 250 public IP addresses with Azure Firewall
Improved web category filtering - You can set up specific protocols to allow or deny categories within websites that are deemed inappropriate for use within your network. You have the ability to organize categories based on a defined set of descriptions.

What our real users have to say:

Many PeerSpot users found Azure Firewall to be very user-friendly and easy to use. They liked that it offers seamless integration to the cloud and were especially pleased with the threat filtering options.

Regarding integration and threat intelligence, our users wrote:

“The most valuable feature is the integration into the overall cloud platform.”

“The most valuable feature is threat intelligence. It is based on filtering and can identify multiple threats.”

“I think that one of the best features is definitely the premium version, along with the IDPs in terms of the intrusion detection and prevention system.”