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F5 BIG-IP Advanced Firewall Manager (AFM) Reviews

Vendor: F5
4.2 out of 5
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What is F5 BIG-IP Advanced Firewall Manager (AFM)?

F5 BIG-IP Advanced Firewall Manager (AFM) is a high-performance, full-proxy network security solution designed to protect networks and data centers against incoming threats that enter the network. Built on F5’s industry-leading BIG-IP hardware and software platforms, BIG-IP AFM provides a scalable platform that delivers the flexible performance and control needed to mitigate aggressive distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) and protocol attacks before they overwhelm and degrade applications and infrastructure availability.

Get the F5 BIG-IP Advanced Firewall Manager (AFM) Buyer's Guide and find out what your peers are saying about F5 BIG-IP Advanced Firewall Manager (AFM), Cloudflare, Cloudflare One and more!
F5 BIG-IP Advanced Firewall Manager (AFM) is the #14 ranked solution in top Distributed Denial-of-Service (DDoS) Protection solutions. PeerSpot users give F5 BIG-IP Advanced Firewall Manager (AFM) an average rating of 8.4 out of 10. F5 BIG-IP Advanced Firewall Manager (AFM) is most commonly compared to Cloudflare: F5 BIG-IP Advanced Firewall Manager (AFM) vs Cloudflare. F5 BIG-IP Advanced Firewall Manager (AFM) is popular among the large enterprise segment, accounting for 40% of users researching this solution on PeerSpot. The top industry researching this solution are professionals from a financial services firm, accounting for 14% of all views.
Buyer's Guide
F5 BIG-IP Advanced Firewall Manager (AFM)
December 2025
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Featured F5 BIG-IP Advanced Firewall Manager (AFM) reviews

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F5 BIG-IP Advanced Firewall Manager (AFM) mindshare

As of December 2025, the mindshare of F5 BIG-IP Advanced Firewall Manager (AFM) in the Distributed Denial-of-Service (DDoS) Protection category stands at 1.2%, down from 1.3% compared to the previous year, according to calculations based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Distributed Denial-of-Service (DDoS) Protection Market Share Distribution
ProductMarket Share (%)
F5 BIG-IP Advanced Firewall Manager (AFM)1.2%
Cloudflare17.8%
Arbor DDoS10.2%
Other70.8%
Distributed Denial-of-Service (DDoS) Protection

PeerResearch reports based on F5 BIG-IP Advanced Firewall Manager (AFM) reviews

TypeTitleDate
CategoryDistributed Denial-of-Service (DDoS) ProtectionDec 29, 2025Download
ProductReviews, tips, and advice from real usersDec 29, 2025Download
ComparisonF5 BIG-IP Advanced Firewall Manager (AFM) vs CloudflareDec 29, 2025Download
ComparisonF5 BIG-IP Advanced Firewall Manager (AFM) vs Radware DDoSDec 29, 2025Download
ComparisonF5 BIG-IP Advanced Firewall Manager (AFM) vs Arbor DDoSDec 29, 2025Download
Suggested products
TitleRatingMindshareRecommending
Cloudflare4.317.8%96%77 interviewsAdd to research
Cloudflare One4.43.9%100%22 interviewsAdd to research
 
 
Key learnings from peers

Valuable Features

F5 BIG-IP Advanced Firewall Manager (AFM) is valued for its network protection capabilities, including web traffic monitoring, effective deployment, ease of use, iRules customization, DDoS defense, and the integration of LTM, WAF, and CGNAT features. Users appreciate its load balancing, security, stability, performance, scalability, IP blocking, AI-driven behavioral analysis, and comprehensive monitoring. AFM excels in application security, uptime maintenance, and resource management without disrupting traffic.
  • "The most valuable features for me are stability, availability, and security, along with the ability to manage multiple features to secure my applications."
  • "The customer service is excellent, and I rate it ten out of ten."
  • "The solution provides behavioral analysis via AI to detect malicious traffic."

Room for Improvement

F5 BIG-IP Advanced Firewall Manager requires interface enhancements as it is complex with unclear feature descriptions affecting usability. There is a need for improved automation, geolocation updates, and management software. Enhancements are needed in integration with BIG-IQ, reporting, and graphical representations during attacks. Users find it costly with the need for better technical support, setup simplification, and feature enhancements like deep packet inspection, zero-day attack prevention, and pricing adjustments. Better modularity and reduced hardware dependency are also recommended.
  • "The appliance and features could be enhanced further, especially in terms of security. Some features like the WAF firewall may seem expensive compared to the standard license, so there could be room for adjusting the pricing."
  • "F5 should increase its capability to prevent zero-day attacks. Having advanced technology similar to other vendors like Palo Alto for zero-day attack prevention would be valuable."
  • "F5 should increase its capability to prevent zero-day attacks."

ROI

Many users report a positive return on investment with F5 BIG-IP Advanced Firewall Manager. When combined with other F5 offerings, numerous organizations highlight discounts and affordability. As a standalone tool, the perceived ROI might be lower when compared to competitors, often rated four out of ten. Cost reductions are mentioned, though ongoing expenses are noted. Users emphasize the practical value and security benefits, suggesting it's a worthwhile investment in terms of on-premises reliability.

Pricing

F5 BIG-IP Advanced Firewall Manager (AFM) pricing leans towards the higher side, offering various licensing options including perpetual and subscription models. Users appreciate its unified solution benefits, aligning costs with its stability and features. While support incurs extra expenses, the standard licensing is reasonable. Additional features and technical support may increase the cost. It's considered a value-for-money investment compared to other solutions, and customers find it worthwhile despite higher initial expenses.
  • "As per pricing, I would not say cheap, but little higher than cheap, but not very expensive. So you can say kind of value for money solutions."
  • "We have purchased a five-year licensing package for the product."
  • "We need to pay a yearly licensing fee for the solution."

Popular Use Cases

F5 BIG-IP Advanced Firewall Manager (AFM) is primarily deployed as a firewall for protection and traffic management. Organizations utilize it for web and mobile application security, load balancing, IP geolocation, and as a data center firewall. It provides DDoS protection, blocks malicious IPs through IP intelligence features, manages client connections, and enhances security in financial services and government offices, often integrated with the LTM module for comprehensive network security.

Service and Support

Customer service and support for F5 BIG-IP Advanced Firewall Manager (AFM) are generally responsive and effective, though experiences vary. Users report needing to seek separate support for deployment, with technical assistance being sometimes inconsistent in expertise. Most find support satisfactory, providing timely responses, though issues can occasionally take longer to resolve. Support is praised for being resourceful and straightforward, especially regarding traffic or platform bugs, but some desire more accurate guidance.

Deployment

Setup experiences with F5 BIG-IP Advanced Firewall Manager (AFM) vary. Some found it straightforward and user-friendly, requiring minimal steps and easy navigation when guidelines are followed. Others experienced moderate complexity, needing significant configuration time, especially in complex environments. Deployment times range from quick installations to longer processes involving traffic monitoring and policy adjustments. Typically, a small team manages configuration and maintenance, with some integrations facing initial challenges before successful operation.

Scalability

F5 BIG-IP Advanced Firewall Manager (AFM) is highly scalable, supporting both physical and virtual environments. Users can easily upgrade hardware or licenses to enhance capacity. It efficiently supports enterprises with thousands of users, offering options for cluster expansion and hybrid setups. Although scaling sometimes requires additional resources, it generally meets requirements with flexible architecture and seamless synchronization. Feedback typically rates scalability as favorable, with occasional cost considerations.

Stability

Users consistently praise the stability of F5 BIG-IP Advanced Firewall Manager (AFM), highlighting its reliability, absence of major issues, and support for older machines. Many appreciate its transparency in addressing bugs through patches and online listings. Users frequently rate its performance between eight and nine out of ten, emphasizing its reliability during operation without crashes or glitches. They commend it for straightforward logging, enhancing security insights and integration capabilities.
These insights are based on the in-depth reviews provided by peers to help you make a better buying decision.
Download our F5 BIG-IP Advanced Firewall Manager (AFM) Buyer's Guide for additional reliable information.

Review data by company size

By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business7
Midsize Enterprise5
Large Enterprise12
By reviewers
By visitors reading reviews
Company SizeCount
Small Business39
Midsize Enterprise19
Large Enterprise39
By visitors reading reviews

Top industries

By visitors reading reviews
Financial Services Firm
14%
Computer Software Company
13%
Comms Service Provider
9%
Performing Arts
8%
Government
7%
Educational Organization
4%
Retailer
4%
Insurance Company
4%
Marketing Services Firm
3%
Manufacturing Company
3%
Media Company
3%
Outsourcing Company
3%
Real Estate/Law Firm
3%
Recreational Facilities/Services Company
2%
Transportation Company
2%
Hospitality Company
2%
Engineering Company
2%
Logistics Company
2%
Venture Capital & Private Equity Firm
2%
Healthcare Company
1%
Security Firm
1%
Construction Company
1%
Museum Or Institution
1%
Non Profit
1%
Aerospace/Defense Firm
1%
Legal Firm
1%

Compare F5 BIG-IP Advanced Firewall Manager (AFM) with alternative products

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Learn more about F5 BIG-IP Advanced Firewall Manager (AFM)

For service providers, BIG-IP AFM IPS does even more, protecting the network edge and performing traffic inspection and protocol adherence for prevalent service provider protocols such as SS7, Diameter, HTTP/2, GTP, SCTP and SIP traffic coming into the network over UDP, TCP, and SCTP.

F5 BIG-IP Advanced Firewall Manager (AFM) was previously known as F5 AFM, F5 Advanced Firewall Manager.

F5 BIG-IP Advanced Firewall Manager (AFM) customers

City Bank, Ricacorp Properties, Miele, American Systems, Bangladesh Post Office

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Product Categories

Product Categories
Distributed Denial-of-Service (DDoS) Protection

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F5 BIG-IP Advanced Firewall Manager (AFM) Reviews Summary
Author infoRatingReview Summary
System Advisor at CRIF SpA4.5I use F5 BIG-IP Advanced Firewall Manager (AFM) to secure my application against attacks and manage global client connections. Its most valuable features include stability, security, and scalability. Improvements could include enhanced security features and more competitive pricing.
Network Security Engineer at IIPL4.0I provide F5 solutions for load balancing and API security using AFM and BIG-IP. The IP Intelligence and AI-driven behavioral analysis are valuable, but zero-day attack prevention needs improvement compared to competitors like Palo Alto. Integration with SIEM enhances security monitoring.
IT Manager at Chong Hua Hospital4.0I found F5 BIG-IP AFM valuable for its web application firewall, enhancing our cloud migration. While NGINX's load balancing features need improvement, the cost-effective security makes F5 a worthwhile investment compared to our previous Fortinet firewall use.
Sr. Architect at NBC Universal4.0We use F5 BIG-IP AFM as a data center firewall for approximately 10,000 users. Its performance is commendable, although it doesn't fully meet edge firewall needs. The setup is straightforward, and we haven't used another solution previously.
RETIRED at Banque du Caire4.0I use F5 BIG-IP AFM as a proxy for decrypting traffic and analyzing web application signatures. The customizable iRules are invaluable. While the reporting interface could improve, I've experienced a return on investment with its stability and support resources.
Network and Security Engineer at Malam Engineering PLC4.0No summary available
Network Administrator at Bank of Abyssinia4.5I use F5 BIG-IP Advanced Firewall Manager to establish both clientless and client VPNs, as well as to monitor, block, and filter traffic between environments. It's easily deployable with great functionality, but the UI needs improvement and it requires high CPU power.
Presales Engineer at Exclusive-networks2.5We use F5 BIG-IP AFM as a data center firewall due to its useful protection and stability. However, its unique logic complicates setup, and technical support could improve. It's cost-effective with other F5 products, but less so standalone.